Don't you hate it when the waitress seats you near crying/whining kids?

Question

I'm a mom. I would NEVER take my kids to a nice restaurant at night if they couldn't behave. (Family restaurants are fair game.) Why would I waste my money and ruin everyone else's dinner? Also, if I pay for a babysitter to have peace and quiet with my husband why should I have to eat my dinner listening to little Joey antagonize his sister? Anyone else agree?

Hey "yourmoms". For the record. I'm not nasty in a restaurant to people who bring good kids or bad kids. I'm complaining here instead so back off.

If it costs me $50 for two meals and we don't drink. It's not a family restaurant. The napkins are certainly cloth and the plates aren't plastic.

By "family restaurants are fair game", I just meant that I'd never complain if there were kids acting crazy at a restaurant like Bob Evens or Fazoli's....

Answer 1

Yes.

My husband and I taught our children at a young age that they were to have "at home" manners and "in public" manners. They were told that when we were out in public if they couldn't behave we would leave whatever it was we doing immediately and go home. We told them we didn't care if we were dining out, at the movies, shopping for them, etc. It made no difference. We also told them that when we got home they would have "time out" and take away their privileges.

They only tested us once in a restaurant when they were real little (5 or 6 years old) and we held true to our word. They never misbehaved in public again.

They are now grown and are just starting out with their own children and they have assured us that they too will have "home" and "public" manners.

As for others' children? If they are rowdy and running around we simply ask to be seated somewhere else. If that is not possible, we either speak to the manager or to the parents directly.

But we are also very quick to tell other parents on our way out how well-behaved their children are.

Answer 2

I was away in Maine a few weeks ago and what happened shocked me but I was so glad. My sister and I were at this greek restuarant owned by a brother and sister. The sister would come to your table to tell you the specials of the day etc. Well the next table from us was a family with two boys. The two boys were approx 7 and 10 approx. Well the two boys were up out of their chairs and kind of playing with the father causing other people to be distracted. Well the lady who was about 350 lbs marches over takes the kid and sits him down in the chair and says you are in a restaurant now please act accordingly. The parents were dumb founded but I am positive they will make sure those kids do not do that again. That wouldnt happen where I lived they would have already attempted to sue the restaurant. Personally I thought it great.!!!!

Answer 3

Why does the type of restaurant or the price of the meal make any difference? Children deserve to get out of the house, and maybe the parents are trying to teach them about good food instead of fast food (although I wouldn't exactly call a $50 dinner for two people "high class." It's sort of cheap and tacky, actually. Have you never been to Morton's?

Regardless, children should be allowed to go almost anywhere that adults do. It's up to the parents to keep them under control. If the parents want their kids to eat steak and lobster, they should be allowed to take them to a steak and lobster restaurant. Why should children be punished and forced to eat McDonald's, chicken fingers, grilled cheese, or any of the other garbage that most restaurants have on their kids' menus when they should be eating the good stuff?

Answer 4

When my husband and I go to a nice restaurant for a nice adult evening. We request not to be seated by a family next to or near a family with small children. It isn't any different than requesting smoking or not smoking. We do not want to listen to crying babies or annoying toddlers when trying to enjoy a nice dinner.

You know what is just as annoying? Going shopping, and listening to a tired, hungry, or bored child scream or throw a tantrum. While mother has her selective hearing engaged and blinders on because she is determined to buy that new pair of jeans. No consideration of the other shoppers that do not want to listen to the mis-behavings of a child. If your children do not behave in public leave them home. No one else want to listen to your children being obnoxious.

Answer 5

I ask to be moved and for the waiter to speak with the parents. I was just out to dinner and there were kids running around climbing on a water fountain near my table whil ehte parents just ignored them or yelled at them from across the restaurant to settle down. I asked the waiter to have the parents control the kids since it was busy and moving wasn't possible. The family left shortly after with no dinner.

Answer 6

Yes that is very annoying. My parents never took us to a restaurant until we were old enough to know how to act - manners. Also we knew if we acted up we would be punished.
I have a neice who is a handful and her parents now usually take 2 vehicles when they go out so that one of them can removed her and take her home when she acts up. It is kind of sad that they have to do this but they are not about to let her ruin things for those around them or to make her sister suffer by leaving when she's done nothing wrong.
The good news is that she is getting better as she gets older.

Answer 7

YES! I AGREE. My husband and I don't get much time out - we have three boys. We made arrangements to go to a movie together... Oceans13 - right when it came out. Well, at the front of the theater was a young mom - maybe 20-ish. Nothing negative about that... I was a young mom too... But she had a toddler that screamed every time she sat down. She kind of let her roam around making normal kid noises and talking... then it was up and down the stairs... It was ridiculous. The movie is not for small children - that age of child probably wouldn't have sat down for a kid's movie, much less a PG-13 serious movie. We were so irritated... One of our nights out... away from our own kids (who were never taken to the movies until they were old enough to behave!) then we went to dinner... We had a wonderfully quiet dinner and enjoyed each other's company. I hope you get a peaceful night out soon! Good luck!

Answer 8

Big time agreement! Thank you for the consideration of others. Society as a whole has lost the concern for social responsibility and kindness to others. I remember when a crying kid would be removed from the environment and adults would not use offensive language in public. People are way to self centered and the lowest common denominator of acceptable behavior is way too low.

Answer 9

well if I was at a really nice place I'd walk over and say "Hi I'm Brittany, I'm a teacher so I'm use to children being children but your little joys are interupting my dinner. I and others would really appreciate it if you could quiet them down"

if they got rude or just didn't respond I would get the manager to deal with them.

but yea, I mean children are going to be children BUT parents need to raise their children to behave in public. I have a 3 year old nephew and he is an amazing shopper!! He doesn't bug for toys, he doesn't make scenes, he just goes along with us and he'll stop to look at a toy and sometimes he'll ask for one but if you say no, he'll just ask "no toys today?" and if we say no he says "okay, maybe next time?" and we'll say next time you can get a toy and he's fine. at check out he might ask for a chocolate bar and he gets it.
for restuarants he's very polite, please and thank you, and he doesn't try to run off or make scenes. He was raised properly, and I suppose since he was raised so well I figure all children are like that but saddly some parents just do not care enough to raise the children they have.

Answer 10

When they do that to me, I ask to be moved. If we go to a nice restaurant later in the evening, we do not expect to be seated near screaming kids.