"No kids allowed!" -- Children in Restaurants

[Canada_First]

That's not the restaurant's responsibility, thief.

But you're a thief.

I bet you're 95 pounds soaking wet and have never hit someone in your life.

I'm not a thief, read my post above.

I can post a pic of myself if you like. Are you willing to do the same? Let me know. You post a pic of yourself with this site in the background and Ill do the same. Ok?

Go into your bathroom and take a pic with your phone(have this site on your phone web browser) Hold the phone in front of your face if you like. I'll do the same. Or you can give me your Skype and we can have a direct conversation if you wish.

[Canada_First]

And another internet tough guy flexes in his basement.

Again. I'm willing to meet up in person or we can Skype if you like. Who's scared again?

[BC_chick]

Kids do not belong in fine dining restaurants, yet idiots bring them. Note to parents, take your kids to Denny's or some other crappy chain restaurant and leave the good restaurants to us adults or adolescents who can behave in a reasonable manner. people seriously need to learn proper manners and dining etiquette.

Have you been reading this thread at all? This restaurant is not about a fine-dining establishment, it's a pancake house and I have been the only person supporting these parents (one lone post from Army Guy notwithstanding).

What does that tell you?

The dozen or so other posters seem to believe that parents should just stay home with their kids unless they have magical powers and are able to keep their kids quiet at all times.

Kids in fine-dining restaurants is a whole other thread.

[Canada_First]

Have you been reading this thread at all? This restaurant is not about a fine-dining establishment, it's a pancake house and I have been the only person supporting these parents (one lone post from Army Guy notwithstanding).

What does that tell you?

The dozen or so other posters seem to believe that parents should just stay home with their kids unless they have magical powers and are able to keep their kids quiet at all times.

Kids in fine-dining restaurants is a whole other thread.

When you have no rebuttal, change the channel. Classic. Anyways just checking in for a few minutes. I'm off again as I'm on holiday. Have a good one BC!

[Boges]

The dozen or so other posters seem to believe that parents should just stay home with their kids unless they have magical powers and are able to keep their kids quiet at all times.

Or be respectful and remove the child from the situation if they aren't behaving.

[BC_chick]

Or be respectful and remove the child from the situation if they aren't behaving.

Agreed.

Likewise, if you find your patrons' behaviour disrespectful, ask them to take their kid outside instead of throwing containers at them and yelling at their toddler.

[BC_chick]

I couldn't help but remember this thread as I chuckled through this:

Parents Of Crying Child Must Not Be Any Good

WOODBURY, MN—Noting how the pair’s failure to promptly resolve the situation was a clear indication of their inability to raise or care for another human being, sources confirmed Friday that the parents of a crying infant must not be any good. Initial attempts to subdue the wailing child, which reportedly included presenting her with a bottle and later a stuffed animal, are said to have failed miserably, leading onlookers to conclude that the inept adults lacked even the most basic child-rearing skills. In addition, the baby’s incessant screaming only worsened following the couple’s repeated attempts to soothe her, further highlighting their profound inadequacies as a mother and father. At press time, sources confirmed another child just a few feet away from the bawling infant was not crying, and was therefore being raised by good parents who loved her.

http://www.theonion.com/article/parents-crying-child-must-not-be-any-good-50322

[Goddess]

http://www.msn.com/en-ca/foodanddrink/restaurantsandnews/mum-outraged-after-diner-gives-her-children-should-be-seen-not-heard-note-after-kids-play-and-baby-cries-in-restaurant/ar-BBzurN1?li=AAggsmr

Quote

 

A mum has said she is "disgusted and upset" after claiming a woman left a note stuck on a restaurant window telling her "children should be seen and not heard".

Danielle Styles, 25, was out having lunch with her two sons, a 15-month-old and a seven-month old, her sister Katie and her son, two, and her friend Lea, whose 18-month-old girl was also there.

As the children played together yesterday afternoon in Harvester Gravesend, she spotted a woman looking over a couple of times.

 

My views on this will likely be unpopular, but.....here goes.

When I eat at a McDonald's I accept that it is a restaurant primarily focused on families and children.  I expect there to be children running around, playing loudly.  If I am at McD's, it is usually a quick "grabbing a bite to eat" thing and I don't spend a lot of time hanging around the place.

A restaurant which is not primarily focused on children is different, IMO.  Adults go there to dine, not just "grab a bite to eat".  Adults go there to socialize and visit with freinds.

If you want a place for your children to "play together", a restaurant is a poor choice.  Find a playground.  Pack a picnic lunch.  Or go to McDonald's.

 

Quote

"I think it's disgusting how someone can say that about four innocent babies.

"We were angry and upset that someone would write that about our kids.

"My eldest son was asleep in the pram and he woke up crying.

"Every child cries.

"But I think that's what started the woman off, she was not happy."

Danielle said they only noticed how much the woman had been looking over when they later watched a video they'd shot of their children playing together.

I doubt the woman would have gotten so angry that she wrote that note, just because a baby woke up and cried a little.  There was enough action going on with these 2 mothers and 3 children, that they filmed a video of their children playing.  In a restaurant.

I also think that children need to be taught how to behave and WHY they need to behave in certain situations.  Yes, I took my children to restaurants when they were little.  No, they were not allowed to run around the restaurant, playing, shouting or yelling.  On a couple of occasions when my daughter was small and being uncooperative in a restaurant, hubby took her out to the car and talked to her until she calmed down and was able to sit nicely.  We also realized that for those few short years when they are little, we could avoid the nicer adult restaurants or go without the children.

 

Quote

 

She added: "The lady got her bill and the next thing we knew there was a note slammed on the window saying 'children should be seen and not heard'.

"It's unbelievable."

 

The woman that left the note was rude.  There were other ways of handling it - maybe speaking privately to the manager.  The manager could have talked to the 2 mothers, stating the dangers of letting the children run around in the restaurant (they could run into someone, they could run into a table edge and lose an eye, etc.)

Then the young mothers could decide if they wanted to stay and keep their children in tow, or leave and go somewhere else where the children could "play".  This would let the young mothers know that the children's behaviour is unacceptable, while at the same time allowing everyone to keep their dignity.

[Boges]

I think there are restaurants that specifically cater to families and some that don't. 

Family Restaurants or Sports Bars before, say 8pm, should be a place that a family with children should be able to go. 

But parents who think they can bring their kids to fine dining restaurants or even causal dining restaurants where adults go are self important. I would be very annoyed if I went to a Steak House with a Laaaadyyyy and had the evening ruined by misbehaving children. 

[Argus]

36 minutes ago, Boges said:

I think there are restaurants that specifically cater to families and some that don't. 

Family Restaurants or Sports Bars before, say 8pm, should be a place that a family with children should be able to go. 

But parents who think they can bring their kids to fine dining restaurants or even causal dining restaurants where adults go are self important. I would be very annoyed if I went to a Steak House with a Laaaadyyyy and had the evening ruined by misbehaving children. 

This is magnified by the number of parents whose children are spoiled rotten and who seem to have no control over them. Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating beating children - although I don't necessary oppose it within limitations. But children need to be taught a certain amount of behavioural discipline, one way or the other. I'm sure everyone has heard variations of the story of the six year old who kicks an adult in the ankle, and is gently admonished by mum "Now, dear, that's naughty".

My mother would have smacked me if I'd done that at six, then yanked me by the collar back to the car and driven me home to spend the rest of the day in my room waiting for my father to come home (now there was something to dread). Not that dad was abusive. But he was a large man with the voice of a drill sergeant, and while he wasn't of the 'spare the rod, spoil the child' school, he didn't shrink from using his belt to make a point.

[Bonam]

Realistically, there will always be people who don't follow expected "norms" and bring children to "fine dining" restaurants in which they may disrupt other patrons. You can't rely on people to always make sound judgement or to consider the experience of others. Therefore, it really needs to be up to the restaurant. Restaurants that want to have a certain ambiance, either all the time or during certain hours in the evening, should simply implement a no children policy. That way the rules are clear for everyone and parents know where they are welcome to go as a family and where they should only go without their children. 

[Guest]

Some restaurants ban kids.  Seems reasonable to me, if the restaurant is of a certain kind.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/food/wp/2017/03/31/thank-you-for-taking-a-stand-customers-flock-after-upscale-restaurant-bans-kids/?utm_term=.a09b6612344a

[Goddess]

I'm not a believer in "Children should be seen and not heard" but I do believe children need to be taught social behaviour.

When I was growing up, (Oh dear, those words just came out of my mouth....am I old??) and my parents had friends over to play cards, all us kids knew that it was "Adult time". We played downstairs and we didn't bother them - that was a sure way to get sent to bed.  LOL

Nowadays, it seems any time we're invited over to someone's house with children, the children are the focus of the entire evening.  They dominate the conversations and interrupt the adults.

Last time I was with my boyfriend's family, we all had to listen to various stories, including a 20 minute story from a 9 year old about how another boy at school lost his orange that day.  (He never found it, in case you were wondering if there was a point to the story - there was not.)

[capricorn]

For me, it's simple. Whatever restaurant I enter, be it family or fine dining. When I arrive, I pan the establishment and if I so much as see one kid looking like under the age of 12, I turn back. I refuse to drop good bucks and be subjected to crying, belligerent children acting up simply to infuriate their parents or get their own way. Sometimes, to hear parents disciplining their kids is just as annoying.

[Boges]

18 minutes ago, bcsapper said:

Some restaurants ban kids.  Seems reasonable to me, if the restaurant is of a certain kind.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/food/wp/2017/03/31/thank-you-for-taking-a-stand-customers-flock-after-upscale-restaurant-bans-kids/?utm_term=.a09b6612344a

Problem is, in this age of social media, such establishment face the wrath of the Mommy Blogger. Women who think their spawn should have every right they do. But an establishment has to decide which customers they value, the family crowd or the adults only crowd. 

[Guest]

Just now, Boges said:

Problem is, in this age of social media, such establishment face the wrath of the Mommy Blogger. Women who think their spawn should have every right they do. But an establishment has to decide which customers they value, the family crowd or the adults only crowd. 

True, but their reservations went up.  They did get mixed reviews on the move, but generally it looks positive.  I can see it.  There are plenty of places one can take kids, where peace and quiet is not a reasonable expectaion.

[Wilber]

Parenting is certainly different these days. I've heard that kids always need to have options. No they don't, learning that some things are not optional is also part of becoming an adult.

If I'm at a family restaurant, I expect to see lots of kids and don't expect all of them to be on their best behaviour. If I am spending a big dollar at a nice restaurant, I don't want to see a kid there unless it is behaving like an adult.

[Bonam]

5 hours ago, Wilber said:

Parenting is certainly different these days. I've heard that kids always need to have options. No they don't, learning that some things are not optional is also part of becoming an adult.

If I'm at a family restaurant, I expect to see lots of kids and don't expect all of them to be on their best behaviour. If I am spending a big dollar at a nice restaurant, I don't want to see a kid there unless it is behaving like an adult.

So why not go to a restaurant which specifically has a policy to ensure your evening won't be disrupted by kids when you are spending "big dollar"? If this is an issue for people then it is a market niche that should be being addressed. 

[Wilber]

7 hours ago, Bonam said:

So why not go to a restaurant which specifically has a policy to ensure your evening won't be disrupted by kids when you are spending "big dollar"? If this is an issue for people then it is a market niche that should be being addressed. 

That could be an option. On the other hand, I don't have any objection to people bringing their kids as long as they can count on them behaving in a civilized manner. I could take my daughters kids anywhere and count on them not embarrassing me. My son's three year old has started going through a stage where she is really pushing the boundaries. They won't take her to a nice restaurant and neither will I. 

[kimmy]

We had another thread on this topic a few years ago. 

Personally I avoid restaurants where I know there will be screaming toddlers or annoying old-people.  If you go to Denny's and IHOP and Tim Horton's and McDonald's, you can pretty much expect to run into that sort of annoyance. It comes with the territory.

Some of these parents seem to feel entitled... "I am a parent, my children are wonderful, everyone should shut up and enjoy my delightful children and their adorable antics."  If your kids are using the restaurant as a playground, people WILL be disrupted and annoyed at you, and you will not be adored. Maybe getting a nasty note on her windshield will make her more aware of the other patrons around her next time she takes her toddlers out to eat.

 -k

[Charles Anthony]

57 minutes ago, kimmy said:

We had another thread on this topic a few years ago. 

threads merged

[Goddess]

34 minutes ago, Charles Anthony said:

threads merged

Thank you.  I  enjoyed reading the older thread.

A couple of weeks ago, my boyfreind and I were traveling by plane to go on holiday - a 4 hour trip, then a short layover and followed by another 4 hour trip.  One of those "Up at 3 am to be to the airport for some god-forsaken early hour flight in the morning."

For the first 4 hour trip to Toronto, a couple of young ladies were sitting across from us with a young boy.  He was not in diapers, so I'm guessing about 3 years old.  They brought NOTHING to keep him occupied on the plane - no books, no crayons, nothing to eat.

For the ENTIRE 4 hour trip, he was allowed to emit a high-pitched scream every 90 seconds or so.  The women thought this was so cute and just kept smiling at all of us other passengers, like, "Isn't he just adorable ??"

Nobody did anything about it, including the flight staff.

[Altai]

Hmmm this may be a justifiable decision for the restaurant owner but it will attrach a negative reaction from the parents. Instead of not allowing kids under 6 years, they should build a new section with ultra reinforced walls and sound-proof windows with unbreakable glasses (LoooL) for families with under 6 yo kids. 

Because even if it may be a justifiable decision, no parents will like the idea and their love for their kids and the emotional bond between them, will cause parents to hate the restaurant. They will always remember you that you didnt allowed them to enter because of their beautiful cherry, their beautiful mini squirrel, they will hate you in their subconscious and never forget. This restaurant have to note that almost all families will have an under 6 age kids one day in the future for average 6 years long and therefore their restaurant will go bankrupt one day in the future. 

[Bonam]

1 hour ago, Altai said:

Hmmm this may be a justifiable decision for the restaurant owner but it will attrach a negative reaction from the parents. Instead of not allowing kids under 6 years, they should build a new section with ultra reinforced walls and sound-proof windows with unbreakable glasses (LoooL) for families with under 6 yo kids. 

Because even if it may be a justifiable decision, no parents will like the idea and their love for their kids and the emotional bond between them, will cause parents to hate the restaurant. They will always remember you that you didnt allowed them to enter because of their beautiful cherry, their beautiful mini squirrel, they will hate you in their subconscious and never forget. This restaurant have to note that almost all families will have an under 6 age kids one day in the future for average 6 years long and therefore their restaurant will go bankrupt one day in the future. 

Here in Western countries, almost half the population never bothers to have children. So while a restaurant with a no children policy may earn ill will from parents, it will still have plenty of other customers that may appreciate it and generate plenty of business. 

[Altai]

3 minutes ago, Bonam said:

Here in Western countries, almost half the population never bothers to have children. So while a restaurant with a no children policy may earn ill will from parents, it will still have plenty of other customers that may appreciate it and generate plenty of business. 

So you mean you are going bankrupt as whole country but not as only one restaurant. One day in the future, there wont left any customers to go a restaurant.