Orange County (California) - Just about every parent can relate to this experience: going to a restaurant with the kids - and all the embarrassment that comes with it. Gigi Brooks and her husband don't want to let it spoil their trip, however, and sometimes take their son Mason (1) with them to the restaurant for two hours. How one of these visits went down last month has surprised users on TikTok.

The couple from Orange County, California, tried their luck with the one-year-old just before Christmas. In the corresponding video, the little one sits well-behaved in his high chair while his mom smiles proudly into the camera.

That alone impresses many viewers. The curious clip has now reached almost 600,000 clicks, plus hundreds of comments. It often quickly becomes clear that it is other parents who want to add their two cents.

But is what Brooks suggests in the video actually true?

Newsweek asked the young mother this week what the visit was really like.

Speaking to the US magazine, Brooks was in a chatty mood, explaining at length how she and her husband manage to pull off restaurant visits with Mason.

"I bring him his favorite foods in a snack box, usually fruit, and we always order his food as soon as we sit down," the Californian explained. "I also have a restaurant bag full of activities to keep him busy," she added. As well as books and toys, her husband and she would also play with their son.

Still, Brooks admits, "We sat down once, ordered our entire anniversary dinner and realized Mason was teething and having a rough night." It was a bit of a mess, he says. "So we asked for our entire dinner to be packed."

Once again, it becomes clear that a short video can hardly reflect reality. What's more, many boys don't become much more active until they are two or three years old.

How future restaurant visits go will then be decided primarily by Mason.