Children in Resturants
- Thread starter Drac
- Start date
OP
OP
Mine didn't...
Nor did mine...
If the kid's are really loud then yes it is just not right! I try to keep mine in check and consistently remind them to whisper. That is why I particularly like loud restaurants where everyone is talking so that you do not have to worry about it. Like Macaroni Grill, etc. Big open air restaurants are a favorite of mine.
Bottom line though you need to keep your kid's under control for
your own enjoyment as well as everyone else around you. (that is
just common courtesy)
Bottom line though you need to keep your kid's under control for
your own enjoyment as well as everyone else around you. (that is
just common courtesy)
OP
OP
They could learn from you...
Tarot
Purple Belt
Yes, yes and double yes. Also this new trend of seeing small kids in bars. One place you would think would be adults only and yet it's not. Very bizarre.
Unfortunately, some parents are blind to the actions of their children. Dining out should be a pleasureable experience. I've been seated behind people with kids and thru-out the entire meal, I've had to deal with constant banging against the booth seat or kids looking over. I usually bite my tounge, but if things were getting too out of hand, I would not think twice about bringing this to the attn. of the manager.
When I was little, my parents would not tolorate behavior like that from me.
IMO, people that get upset because of loud children most likely have never had children. People who have had children are generally tempered to them. Honestly, I don't hardly notice.
What is more annoying are loud nextel using adults!
One other thing. It depends on the restaurant. If it is a family style restaurant, no I don't get upset. However, if it is a fine dining restaurant, I believe it is considered rude, but I still don't get upset.
What is more annoying are loud nextel using adults!
One other thing. It depends on the restaurant. If it is a family style restaurant, no I don't get upset. However, if it is a fine dining restaurant, I believe it is considered rude, but I still don't get upset.
I expect small children to make *some* noise, however I also expect their parents to set a good example and reward good behavior, not bad.
My kids are older now - two teens and a mature 8 year old. They do pretty well now, but when they were younger, dessert was NOT guaranteed. Sometimes we didn't buy dessert at all just because, other times we used it as an incentive for good behavior.
We would also sometimes go in two vehicles so one parent could take the ill-behaved, previously warned child home where they would eat something boring and go to bed early.
Now, they are considerate yet understanding diners who will help out someone else who needs it.
It's not as much the kids, though as it is the parents.
My kids are older now - two teens and a mature 8 year old. They do pretty well now, but when they were younger, dessert was NOT guaranteed. Sometimes we didn't buy dessert at all just because, other times we used it as an incentive for good behavior.
We would also sometimes go in two vehicles so one parent could take the ill-behaved, previously warned child home where they would eat something boring and go to bed early.
Now, they are considerate yet understanding diners who will help out someone else who needs it.
It's not as much the kids, though as it is the parents.
Loud is one thing, unruly is another. I believe unruly is considered rude no matter the restaurant. Loud on the otherhand is not nearly as bad in the right environment. Although, loud doesn't bother me. I am the one who is like... What baby crying, I don't hear.... Oh that one (shrugging shoulders). :uhyeah:
If the kid's are really loud then yes it is just not right! I try to keep mine in check and consistently remind them to whisper. That is why I particularly like loud restaurants where everyone is talking so that you do not have to worry about it. Like Macaroni Grill, etc. Big open air restaurants are a favorite of mine.
Bottom line though you need to keep your kid's under control for
your own enjoyment as well as everyone else around you. (that is
just common courtesy)
I agree! I do the same.
I wanted to add that dessert need not be the only reward for good behavior. Oftentimes (even though it may make them frown and sigh), a pat on the shoulder and the acknowledgement of good behavior and your pride goes A LOT farther than a dirt-and-worms sundae will.
My wife and I do not have kids. However, IMO, that still does not give the OK for people to let their kids run wild. Its no different in a supermarket or dept. store. I see kids running around all the time. If a clothing rack falls on top of them, if they run out in front of the waiter/waitress and something falls, injuring the child, should the store/restaurant be responsible or should the parent? Chances are, being that we live in a "sue happy, I won't take responsibility for my own actions" world, they'll say the server should've been more carefull. I was in a store one day with my wife. The was a huge cage filled with rubber balls. 2 kids were in there with their parents and decided to play with the balls. Next thing I know, I'm hit in the back of the head with a ball. I looked over at the kids, and they ran off. Now, when I'm not wearing my contacts, I wear glasses. Had this ball hit me in the face, and my glasses broke, who would be responsible? Should I have to deal with that because parents can't keep control of their kids?
What is more annoying are loud nextel using adults!
Agreed. Thats one thing I've never understood about those things. Whats the reason behind them? They still need to be held, so why not just hold it to your ear like a regular phone? I am not interested in hearing a 2 way convo.
Drac I have three 12,9,8 and believe me when we go out they know how to act or else big daddy will tear up that bottom. You must remember in most cases these parents was barely a teenager when they started to have childern and really never matured themself, at least that is what I have noticed when the chils is acting up usaully they have younger parents.
Point taken.
Most restaurants are loud in general, so I agree..loud is one thing, I was gearing my posts more towards the unruly ones.
Things like this get out of control because people on the whole are not assertive enough. I find that, "Would you mind keeping your kids under control so I can enjoy my dinner, or should I just speak with the manager?" usually works well. If they get huffy about it, so what? They're in the wrong, not me.
That has been my observation as well.
If the kids are particularly nasty, yeah, I'll emulate your choice above. Usually I just tell the kids who let their nastiness spill over to the aisleway or to my table to go sit down so their mommy and daddy can enjoy their meal. If they're young enough, they cry and go back to the table, get consoled and eat quietly. If not, they're nasty and the parents have a clue. I haven't yet had a parent get in my face about their own child's behavior. I'm waiting for that one.
I agree with the family friendly vs. fine dining part - in a family friendly restaurant, I expect families, and I expect that children will still be learning how to behave. In fine dining restaurants, I expect (or at least hope) that parents whose kids don't know how to behave will leave them home, or take them somewhere more appropriate... sadly, they often don't; those are generally the same parents who take young children to inappropriate movies and let them run up and down the aisles.
I also take exception to restaurants that offer to move me away from the noisy child(ren) rather than risk saying something to the parent. As previously mentioned, noisy is annoying - but out of control running around is asking for injury to child, staff, or patron, and also (as these kids are often out of sight) vastly increased risk of child abduction. Like Mike, I have been nailed by a ball thrown by a child whose father was on the opposite end of a large grocery store - and when I told the child to return to parent and take little brother with (they were about 3 and 6, and loose in a very large store) she left - and dad drove up to me in the parking lot and started screaming about how no one would discipline his kids but him... I told him that was his choice, but the next time I saw his kids loose, I would take them to the manager as "unattended minors" and call the police to report him for neglect... and pointed out that since he had driven up, I had his license plate numbers. He turned bright red and drove off, still fuming; several people in the parking lot started applauding.
I also take exception to restaurants that offer to move me away from the noisy child(ren) rather than risk saying something to the parent. As previously mentioned, noisy is annoying - but out of control running around is asking for injury to child, staff, or patron, and also (as these kids are often out of sight) vastly increased risk of child abduction. Like Mike, I have been nailed by a ball thrown by a child whose father was on the opposite end of a large grocery store - and when I told the child to return to parent and take little brother with (they were about 3 and 6, and loose in a very large store) she left - and dad drove up to me in the parking lot and started screaming about how no one would discipline his kids but him... I told him that was his choice, but the next time I saw his kids loose, I would take them to the manager as "unattended minors" and call the police to report him for neglect... and pointed out that since he had driven up, I had his license plate numbers. He turned bright red and drove off, still fuming; several people in the parking lot started applauding.
