Kids' dishes that are pretty enough for the grownup table.

Here's one of my secrets for keeping the kids well-behaved at mealtime: Avoid kids' dishes that look like they're kids' dishes. Don't laugh. I've found that when  kids eat off of plates with cartoons on them, it seems to set the scene for them to act, well, like kids. When I treat my kids like they're mature, responsible little people, they tend to act that way. Crazy, I know.  The makers of the Bambino dishware from Ekobo get that parents don't necessarily want kids' stuff to scream kids' stuff. Their dishes are simple, modern, and gorgeous. I love each of the six bold colors they come in--so pretty. And as a bonus, they'll help me enjoy my food--and my company--in relative calm after a long day. As for the kid-proof aspect, the dishes are made from bamboo, so they're as resistant to breakage as plastic or melamine. They're BPA, PVC, and phthalates free, and, no petroleum either. Yay! You can even wash them in the top rack of your dishwasher (which we don't recommend with melamine) but just don't stick them in the microwave.

The Bambino small plate is just the right size for a kids' lunch or a side salad. The Bambino cup will fit in your toddler's hand, or works great for yogurt for breakfast. The Bambino bowl is the right size for cereal or a snack of blueberries, or, well, cheese puffs. (I won't tell if you won't.) And of course my kids love the Bambino pizza plate, because they love pizza. All the time. The Bambino kids' dishes and dinnerware are available at Ekobo Home (though you'll pay in Euros plus shipping) and for US delivery, visit stores like Amara and Alex and Alexa.