Depending on the age of your kids, the decision on which local restaurant to patronize can be a tedious one. In this post, there are some suggestions for where to go locally based on the editors’ experiences. However, the surprisingly large number of places to dine in Glen Rock (and surrounding towns) means that there is always room for more reviews. Here are 5 options:

• Jalapeno’s (930 Prospect St.)- what was once a Mexican restaurant, then a Greek place and now, back to Mexican is pretty much the only Mexican place around here. Given that fact, one could say it is the best Mexican restaurant in the area. The food here is fairly good. The kids like the tortilla chips and, as a bonus, those same kids eat free on Sunday.
• Mangia (918 Prospect St.) – Italian food with great variety is not hard to find in Northern New Jersey but Mangia adds a nice home-cooked feeling to their food. The strip mall location (a stone’s throw away from Jalapeno’s) takes a bit of the authenticity out of the experience but the quality of the pizza and the food make up for it. Service is typically very good though their recent 50% price hikes have made it a far more expensive night out than it used to be.
• The Glen Rock Inn (222 Rock Rd.) – A local institution, the Glen Rock Inn serves up classic American fare in a familial setting. Those who go there seem to continue to come back. Add in the Cheers-style “everybody knows your name” vibe when you step in, and this nets out to be a pretty good place for a family dinner.
• Rock Fuji Sushi (186 Rock Rd.) – Local, authentic and delicious – not to mention they cater to the little kiddies with spring-loaded chopsticks and other treats. The prices are reasonable and the proprietor, waitstaff and chefs are so friendly, it’s worth going just for that.
• Chicken Kebab (898 Prospect) – This mom and pop Mediterranean place focusing on Turkish foods is short on table space but long on flavor and value. The food is homemade and prepared in an open kitchen format. Again, a strip-mall location doesn’t help the atmosphere of the place but it does allow you to relax and let the little ones run around a bit should they get restless. The pita, hummus and, well, chicken kebabs are fantastic and the price is absolutely reasonable. Toss in the warmth of the owners and it’s an easy choice for a casual dinner out.

Who did we leave out? Put it in the comments.

Do you carry a work smartphone? Does your company support telecommuting? Does your corporate culture frown on you leaving your desk before a certain time of day? How many parents actually work in your office?

The balance we have to manage here is being professionally successful while navigating the corporate politics and culture of our employer all on top of tryin to get home in time for dinner.

Have you had success in managing your boss’s expectations to the point where you get home consistently and spend real time with the kids? Have you had challenges.

Share your story in the comments.

Ideally, by the time you get in the front door, the kids have done their homework however dinner is something left to a preference. On one hand, your family can wait till you get in and all have dinner together. This works well in setting a routine and spending scheduled time together. However this eats into any downtime you may get with the kids before bedtime.

Other families have the kids fed by the time the working parent(s) get home. The nice part of this is that the entire time you’re home and the kids are awake is quality, focused time with no distractions. Traditionalists will argue for the structured family meal time but you can’t argue with increased face time.

How do you maximize the time you have with the kids during the week? Tell us in the comments.

Happy Holidays!

p.s. – don’t forget, we’re still looking for contributors to help round out the content of this blog. Email info@glenrockparent.com to let us know you’re interested.