Why do parents take their bratty kids out to restaurants???

Question

It's the most annoying thing ever ... I waited tables this weekend at my old job as a request for a friend .... and got this couple with their 3 kids (all about 2-6 y/o) and made this huuuuuuuuge mess ... I mean spaghetti everywhere and they played with the sugar caddies and cried ... I mean I really wanted to slap thos kids and their parents (they didn't do anything to correct their dumb kids) and to boot they tipped $4 on a $50 tab.

And this goes for 85% of people that go out eating with young kids ... Now, I do have a 4y/o ... but, trust me .... she's really educated and clean when it comes to eating and always says "please" and "thank you" when appropriate ... what gives!!!

Don't get me wrong ... we all love our kids ... but, sometimes they really ruin things for others .... people in nearby tables hate sitting next to tables with little kids

As far as the tip goes .... don't worry the other kid hating tables always tip you more and thank you for getting them out ASAP

Answer 1

No one here has said the obvious: what on earth are kids that young doing in a restaurant that is NOT a Chuck E. Cheese?

Here's the awful truth: if you can't afford a babysitter, then you can't afford to go out. Really, it's that simple.

Answer 2

~There is no perfect kid, not even yours, if you do indeed have one? The youngest kids are the hardest, you can't CONTROL every move a CHILD will make. They do get tired of sitting there waiting for food, they like to run around and play, that's what kids do and that's how they behave.

My daughter, (now 11 yr old) was restless when it came to sitting and waiting. You can't NOT take your kids out to places, they're human and deserve every right everyone else has to be there. I go to restaurants and stuff now, and I hear the whining and crying and remind myself that I was once in that parents shoes. I don't sit there and give dirty looks like some of you would, I do my best to tune them out.

I was a hairdresser before I had my baby and I got kids in my chair all the time. Their heads would be jerking all over the place, up, down, left and right, all over the place, all while trying to cut their hair and do an excellent job of it at that. Parents appreciate patience so much, they know it's hard. Someone has to cut their hair. Sometimes they would fall asleep in my chair. They don't like to sit still, or maybe they just can't?


85%, that is just halarious, I'm sure you drew that out of thin air! Just because a child will say please and thank you, doesn't make them an angel. I've never heard of a well educated 4 year old, you make her sound like a college graduate! Get real!

Children will be children and they surely are everywhere, so get used to it! If you can't deal with it, get a job that doesn't involve the public and shut up!~

Answer 3

There are so very many things incorrect about what you just wrote. So, for the sake of your ‘instability’ and your child’s physical welfare, I'm going to go ahead and make this brief. As I’m quite sure you’ve already looked over the response you received co. this filthy little remark you call a question! First I’d like to start off addressing the ‘tip’ comment you made, in all seriousness you’re lucky you got a tip at all. I guess being a receptionist having to ‘wait’ on other co-workers now entitles them to a ‘tip jar’? I doubt it but good news for all you receptionists out there! P.S. You have a four year old and you’re working odd jobs on the week-end, classy! Ever considered thinking about your own academic capability as a substitute for say ‘beaking’ the five year old you’re waiting tables for?

Answer 4

First of all, you seem uneducated and immature. Kids make messes! It is part of their development! I have a 13 old month son. He does make mess occasionally but I still teach him how to use the plate and such. When we are done eating at a restaurant and there is a mess on the floor. I make sure I clean it up. You should not be upset over things like that, even when it comes to kids. Now, if I was in your shoe and the parents do not do anything but just leave a worse of mess, then I would be a little frustrated but its not the end of the world. Just think, you never get away with your kids controlling you.

Answer 5

I COMPLETELY AGREE!!!! I think its because people are having kids at such young ages that they themselves are not mature enough to handle their children. I am a server and witness it all the time. Which is why I find people with kids get the worst service. Because you KNOW you're gonna have to clean up a horrible mess and not be able to reseat that table for another 15 minutes after cleaning, and they won't leave you crap for a tip. NOBODY understands the 20% rule. NOBODY. I think it should be mandatory for everyone to experience waiting tables at least once in their lives. Good for you for pointing it out how AWFUL society has gotten at raising children. hah, and they're supposed to be our "furure". The world is done for.

I just read what other people were saying, defending screaming and out of conrtol children. If you don't know how to parent, don't become one. How pitiful. And I'm sure you wanted to slap those little bratty kids, but I'm also sure you didn't show it. Just because you say it and think it doesn't mean that you don't show professionalism. Screw those "parents," if they can even call themselves that.

Answer 6

Well, hard to answer but - sometimes you try your best as a parent and your kids just ends up acting really bad every now and then. We went through time like this w. our daugter when she was about two - she wasn't brat (I don't think so) but just very hard to keep her sitting down while waiting for food (didn't have a babysitter to watch her) so she made mess. But we did tip a LOT at that time because of that. So yeah - I agree with you - either leave them home and when you can't - tip good.

And for people reacting so angry on your question - we all are parents and don't wanna hear nothing bad about kids, but - how many of you are waiting tables?? You have to look at it from the other side too.

Answer 7

I DO SEE YOUR POINT. HOWEVER, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT CHILDREN WILL ACT LIKE CHILDREN, EVEN THE BEST BEHAVED ONES. THEY ALL HAVE THEIR MOMENTS. I AM SURE YOUR 4 YEAR OLD DOES TOO. I DON'T THINK IT IS FAIR TO AUTOMATICALLY ASSUME THAT BECAUSE A CHILD ACTS UP IN A RESTAURANT,THE CHILD IS A BRAT AND THE PARENTS ARE FAILURES. IT ISN'T FAIR TO BLAME THE KIDS. THE PARENTS SHOULD CORRECT THEIR BEHAVIOR. THAT IS REALLY THE BIGGER ISSUE RATHER THAN THE KIDS JUST BEING BRATS. KIDS ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THEIR PARENTS ARE. YOU DO NEED TO KEEP IN MIND THAT EVERYONE'S SITUATION IS DIFFERENT. IN MY CASE, I HAVE A 2 AND A HALF YEAR OLD SON WHO HAS AUTISM. HE DOES ACT UP IN PUBLIC SOMETIMES. I GET A MILLION PEOPLE TELLING ME WHAT A FAILURE AS A PARENT I AM WITH THEIR STARES AND EYE ROLLS AND MUMBLED COMMENTS. I GUARANTEE THAT THOSE PEOPLE WHO STARE AND COMMENT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO A BETTER JOB CONTROLLING MY SON IF THEY WERE IN THE SAME SITUATION. I CAN'T LEAVE HIM WITH A BAYSITTER BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF HIM AND HANDLE CERTAIN SITUATIONS THAT COME UP SUCH AS HIS SELF INJUROUS BEHAVIOR AND SENSORY PROBLEMS. MONEY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BEING ABLE TO GET A BABYSITTER IN MY CASE. IF IT GETS TO A POINT WHERE HE IS INTERUPTING OTHERS , WE TAKE IT TO GO. IT ISN'T RIGHT TO GROUP EVERYONE IN THE SAME GROUP AND MAKE CLOSE- MINDED ASSUMPTIONS AS EVERYONE'S SITUATION IS DIFFERENT.I DESERVE TO GO OUT AND HAVE A NICE DINNER LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. IN FACT SOMETIMES I DESERVE IT MORE. WHEN YOU GO TO A FAMILY RESTAURANT PEOPLE SHOULD EXPECT THESE THINGS TO HAPPEN. SPILLED DRINKS AND FOOD HAPPEN. IF BEING AROUND CHILDREN BOTHERS THEM SO MUCH, PERHAPS THEY SHOULD GO TO A MORE UPSCALE RESTAURANT WHERE KIDS AREN'T LIKELY TO BE. AS FOR THE 4.00 TIP ,I DON'T KNOW HOW YOUR SERVICE WAS, BUT EVEN SINGLE PEOPLE OR COUPLES LEAVE BAD TIPS. NOT EVERYONE TIPS APPROPRIATELY. THAT IS JUST EVERYDAY BUSINESS WORKING AS AS SERVER. ALL SERVERS KNOW ABOUT BAD TIPS. IT IS NO DIFFERENT THAN HAVING ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO DEMAND SUPERIOR SERVICE THAN WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS GETTING ONLY LEAVE A 2.00 TIP ON A 30.00 TAB . IT IS LIFE AS A WAITER.

Answer 8

Because they are too stupid to realize not everyone else in the world thinks their little birth control mistake is cute.

Answer 9

Because they don't have any control over their kids. Yes, kids are going to be messy when eating, esp. at that age. But when they are allowed to make a mess with the sugar, salt, ect...then the parents are the ones to blame. They should take more control of their kids than that. I have a 3 & 4 y/o and for the most part, they are very well behaved when we go out to eat. If they start to get fussy or not wanting to mind, we leave. As for the low tip.....well again that's just the parents being cheap. They don't realize how much work goes into waiting tables. Or they just don't care.

Answer 10

The parents of these children lack parenting skills. And they are showing their children how to disrespect others by not doing a thing about it. I have seen children like this in restaurants and the parents pretty much ignore what their children are doing and it is really sad that they allow their children to be so rude and inconsiderate to others.

Answer 11

The only way a child can learn is by doing. We went through a horrible phase with our two year old. He didn't throw food, but he didn't want to sit still and wait for someone to bring him food and then once the food was there he was so upset he wouldn't eat and just cried. It ruined our meals. I know it's not ideal, but as a human race we have to be understanding of each other. Most parents are so humiliated when their children are acting up, they don't need your attitude on top of it. It is not your place to judge their style of parenting. Their are parents out there that just don't care, but that is their problem, not yours. Most parents do care, and it just takes time for a little one to learn table manners. I'm sure you weren't born knowing how to drink your tea. Have some patience and understanding. Please.