Children in pubs?

Question

i'm not talking about 'family friendly-creche-play area' types...I'm talking about proper grown-up Inns/resturaunts.

I'll probably get trashed for this...but I've just been subjected to two hours of two bored, running and yelling three year olds and a babe in arms being repeatedly entertained by a toy that plays the first few bars of old macdonald. The adults were eating, the children were playing with their food and bombing around the tables.
My meal gradually turned to ashes.

I know a friend who has three children and she wouldn't dream of taking them into this kind of environment...It reallly isn't fair on others...

Sorry, maybe I'm just having a rant, but my meal was ruined and I can't be the only one who feels that the presence of babes isn't appropriate.

Interesting....and actually I agree that it is a behaviour issue more than anything else. I could not fault the manners displayed a few tables away by a (I'm guessing) seven year old (or thereabouts).

Do you know...I really expected a backlash from parents over this... I'm gobsmacked (nicely) at the amount of you with children who really do care.

I was fortunate that my parents took me out occassionally to eat in grown-up places, but lord help me if I so much as twitched my foot...

Thank you for restoring my confidence in the consideration of others.


Oh yes...In response to parents getting blotto... i've seen this, then the kids go wandering around vacated tables swigging the dregs...aargh!

Answer 1

It just shows the level of parenting skills these people need to acquire. Pub or Bar or "Classy Restaurant", these are not places for children of any age period. Young impressionable children need more positive areas of society in which to learn positive behavior. This positive behavior can better be found in Sports, Music Appreciation, Museums, and places of worship than in any place where their primary business is getting adults intoxicated.

Answer 2

I used to work in a pub that had a restaurant, and the kids would drive me crazy. No, change that, the parents that let their kids run riot used to drive me crazy. I was a nightmare carrying trays of glasses and bottles because I was so scared of tripping over them. And the mess they would leave at the tables was disgusting. I would find chips trodden into the carpet, peas on the seats etc. But in the same breath, there was also plenty of well behaved children that would sit and do the colouring in sheets and wait quietly for their meals.

The thing that really used to bug me is the parents that remained drinking once they had finished their meals and completely ignore their kids. they used to get drunk and still have their kids with them at closing time on a Sunday night, so the kids no doubt would be tired for school the next day.

I am now a parent to a well behaved 8 month old baby and would not hesitate in taking him to a pub DURING THE DAY because I know that he will not bother other people by screaming and crying. i would never dream of staying in a pub past 7 with him, it's just not fair on him or other people trying to enjoy their meals.

Answer 3

Wow! Someone that agrees with me. In our local pub during the day it always seems to be full of kids running around. Anyone would think it's a school!

What's more annoying is the parents don't do anything about it, they just seem to pretend it's not happening.

Also, the amount of smoke in the place, I really don't think it's the best environment either for babies.

Children have only been let in since our local was taken over by a large PLC brewery, so obviously it's a way for them to make some extra cash which I can understand.

However, when I used to be taken into restaurants and pubs when I was a child, i wouldn't dare run around the place!

Answer 4

i think of youngsters could be banned from pubs - and pubs could be loose to place up a 'no little ones' sign. discern's could think of it unfair to no longer be waiting to apply their community in the event that they are able to't discover childminders yet annoying - once you go with for to grow to be a discern there are particular issues you may no longer do till your little ones have reached a undeniable age. alongside with luxurious holiday trips, peace and quiet and money on your pocket, being waiting to circulate to a pub everytime you fancy this is a few thing this is placed on carry. perhaps that's the pub's fault besides for making it lots much less annoying to take the little ones - play kit interior the backyard, particular newborn menus and teenagers days as an occasion could help cease the difficulty with out delay. Landlords could additionally use their capability to chuck the soreness interior the neck teenagers out while they computer virus their different clientele.

Answer 5

i feel exactly the same.

I get annoyed by parents letting their children run circles around my table while they're having a nice quite chat. They don't seem to care if there kids are out of there sight and let them run wild.

Why should people with no children have to put up with it. There is said to be an increase in the number of restaurants and pubs banning children in there establishments, i hope this trend is set to continue.

I went for a meal the other day and a child was sat at the table demanding his food, banging his fork on the table and screaming at the top of his voice. The managers don't want to say anything and let in continue.

Before anyone says wait until you have kids, let me tell you that i don't want children, I'm happy to be an auntie to several kids. and when they are in public they have manners and keep quite.

Answer 6

I have two children and i have taken them for meals many of times, they are 6 and 1, and they dont misbehave or play up when we out (though they do at home lol), and im pleased about that, but if they did im quite sure I wouldn't stick around its embarrassing, id want to take them out of there, they were obviously not happy and so they should have done the same! but my other view is, if you wanted to go to place where you wouldn't have had this interruption then maybe you should have gone to somewhere where children are not allowed in at all, to save you the embarrassment and so maybe you could have finished your meal while it was still hot and actually enjoyed it

Answer 7

Oh, that's awful, why didn't the management do anything?
I like to take our 5 year old places ,but she understands when I tell her it's a grown up place, and we'll have to leave if she misbehaves.
Many times we left a place sooner than we would have liked because she was getting bored and about to get disruptive. It's more child tolerant in Europe/France, and us Mums/Dads do get fed up having to go to the clown's place all the time,and we don't appreciate the food, so it is nice to take ourselves out to a grown-up place now and again, but I would be mortified to ruin someone else's meal .
Not sure if we can offer any advice on what to do " next time"
either. It really seems to depend on the parents' integrity. Unless you can go to places where they have a children's' room/area that you can avoid.
Better luck next time!!!!
M : I

Answer 8

I have an 8 year old and a 3 year old i would not take my little one out for dinner as she is too young and cant sit still for that long and yes whilst i can ignore it i dont think is fair to ruin other peoples evening out i will take my eldest but she knows how to sit and eat a dinner with out being a pain some parents are very selfish and don't care about others like having a kid gives them the right to ruin everyone elses evening out ??? you are right to have a moan i would if it happened to me

Answer 9

I used to working a pub which had a children's licence, but the landlord decided to revoke it as parents would come in order their child a meal and proceed to drink themselves into a stupor. By 6:30 we'd have young kids running riot with the parents too drunk to move.

We would refuse to serve them after two pints only for them to get up and go to the pub next door or get their friends to buy them drink. One of the people I worked with took a pint from one of these parents and got glassed for her trouble.

Answer 10

I agree with you to a certain extent. If my kids couldn't behave I wouldn't take them to pubs. I think it's the responsibility of the parents to show respect to other diners/punters. However, I don't think they should be banned either. I live in a rural area where going to the pub is a big part of our culture. A lot of the kids have been brought up with this and as a result are very relaxed and natural around other people and can communicate intelligently with adults. I will also feel much better about taking children to pubs when the smoking ban comes in in April 2007!!

Answer 11

Children should not be in bars or clubs. The children could possibly pick up smoke from ciggarettes and the enviroment in gereral is harmful. Kids could get kidnapped or murdered or even hurt. Some of the people at the pubs can not be trusted. I would never allow any of my little cousins in a pub.