Children in cafés and restaurants

[amberleaf808]

I know you don't care. And I don't care that you don't care.

 

But my advice about carefully selecting dining options is still available for others seeking quiet dining, rather than following a needless ritual of self-punishment in family-friendly restaurants.

 

Agree 100%

[aliceBB]

I know you don't care. And I don't care that you don't care.

 

But my advice about carefully selecting dining options is still available for others seeking quiet dining, rather than following a needless ritual of self-punishment in family-friendly restaurants.

 

You do not seem to get the point.

 

Obviously, anyone who dislikes eating to the accompaniment of bored, wailing infants is probably not going to choose 'a dining option' (stupid phrase!) such as MacDonalds. That said, everyone (whether a family, or a child-free person/couple/group) surely has the right to eat in reasonable peace. For this reason, parents of children who cannot be bothered to keep them happy during the outing to a restaurant, preferring instead to play with their mobile phones, should not take them to such places.

 

It is defeatist to give in to such anti-social rudeness by saying 'Oh well, that's how the world is these days, I'll just stay at home'. Besides, even if you choose your restaurant carefully, there's no guarantee some family won't arrive after you have ordered and spoil it for everyone, including for other families whose children are behaving impeccably. I'm not campaigning for child-free restaurants, just for responsible parenting.

 

In other words, the behaviour which needs to change is the lazy parents', not mine, or that of any customers who are bothering no-one.

[I1L2T3]

You do not seem to get the point.

 

Obviously, anyone who dislikes eating to the accompaniment of bored, wailing infants is probably not going to choose 'a dining option' (stupid phrase!) such as MacDonalds. That said, everyone (whether a family, or a child-free person/couple/group) has the right to eat in reasonable peace. For this reason, parents of children who cannot be bothered to keep them happy during the outing to a restaurant, preferring instead to play with their mobile phones, should not take them to such places.

 

It is defeatist to give in to such anti-social rudeness by saying 'Oh well, that's how the world is these days, I'll just stay at home'. Besides, even if you choose your restaurant carefully, there's no guarantee some family won't arrive after you have ordered and spoil it for everyone, including for other families whose children are behaving impeccably. I'm not campaigning for child-free restaurants, just for responsible parenting.

 

In other words, the behaviour which needs to change is the lazy parents', not mine, or that of any customers who are bothering no-one.

 

I get your point entirely but my level of tolerance seems to be superior to yours. It makes it much easier to enjoy my evenings out. That is really the only difference between us.

[amberleaf808]

Alice honest you need to chillax and be more tolerant in the daytime when kids are out and about. Or go out late afternoon when kids are in bed and have a nice quiet meal with your partner.?!?

[aliceBB]

Alice honest you need to chillax and be more tolerant in the daytime when kids are out and about. Or go out late afternoon when kids are in bed and have a nice quiet meal with your partner.?!?

 

What planet do you inhabit?

 

Most children are not in bed 'in the late afternoon' (or even late evening in some cases). In any case that is not the point. I do not see why the rest of the population should have to restrict the times they eat, shop, travel on trains or otherwise be out and about in public, to fit in with antisocial parents who cannot be bothered to control and entertain their children and stop them whining/screaming/running around when in these places.

 

I did not ask for 'advice' on this subject (and certainly not from you, as your contributions so far have been obscure or ridiculous or both). It doesn't take Brain of Britain to spot that the statistical probability of the peace being shattered by uncontrolled children in a public eating place is higher during the day time and in places like MacDonalds. That is not the point.

 

If you read the thread properly instead of rushing to parrot others' comments or spout illiterate nonsense of your own, you will see that in assuming I was asking for 'advice' is so far off the mark as to be unhelpful. I was merely highlighting the extent of the problem. The solution is obvious and has been explored in depth. You obviously missed that!

 

The purpose of the thread? Call it consciousness-raising, if you like.

 

And now, unless you have something novel and meaningful to contribute to the discussion (and I don't hold out much hope), I think we should leave it there. 'Chillax' to you, too! (...although it sounds like a laxative, which, with your verbal diarrhoea problem, you are probably best to avoid:gag:)

 

---------- Post added 15-05-2014 at 08:07 ----------

 

I get your point entirely but my level of tolerance seems to be superior to yours. It makes it much easier to enjoy my evenings out. That is really the only difference between us.

 

I cannot disagree with any of that but it still misses the point. Never mind.

[Bonzo77]

I've got grown up children and young grandchildren. Occasionally they'll eat out in nice places, the older two at 5 and 7 know that if they misbehave they'll be removed, so they don't. The little one who is two, is usually pretty good when there's food around, but occasionally she'll get bored and that's when its our (responsible adults) job to ensure her behaviour doesn't encroach on other diners. We always take books, crayons and the odd toy.

 

If we take the children into Maccy D's (they all think a rare visit is a great treat ) and they are a bit loud it doesn't really matter because no-one who goes there can realistically expect much else! They are pretty good in comparison to some of the children I've seen who appear to be accompanied by totally disinterested adults and allowed free rein. Now we accept that to be the case in MacDonalds and other similar eateries, but if adults take children to more upmarket restaurants or hotels, then its up to those adults to ensure their child's behaviour doesn't impact negatively on others who have paid good money to dine there.

 

Do you really think it's a good thing that your children think McDonald's is a treat?

 

I wouldn't let my son near one of those stinking s**t farms!

 

---------- Post added 15-05-2014 at 10:00 ----------

 

What planet do you inhabit?

 

Most children are not in bed 'in the late afternoon' (or even late evening in some cases). In any case that is not the point. I do not see why the rest of the population should have to restrict the times they eat, shop, travel on trains or otherwise be out and about in public, to fit in with antisocial parents who cannot be bothered to control and entertain their children and stop them whining/screaming/running around when in these places.

 

I did not ask for 'advice' on this subject (and certainly not from you, as your contributions so far have been obscure or ridiculous or both). It doesn't take Brain of Britain to spot that the statistical probability of the peace being shattered by uncontrolled children in a public eating place is higher during the day time and in places like MacDonalds. That is not the point.

 

If you read the thread properly instead of rushing to parrot others' comments or spout illiterate nonsense of your own, you will see that in assuming I was asking for 'advice' is so far off the mark as to be unhelpful. I was merely highlighting the extent of the problem. The solution is obvious and has been explored in depth. You obviously missed that!

 

The purpose of the thread? Call it consciousness-raising, if you like.

 

And now, unless you have something novel and meaningful to contribute to the discussion (and I don't hold out much hope), I think we should leave it there. 'Chillax' to you, too! (...although it sounds like a laxative, which, with your verbal diarrhoea problem, you are probably best to avoid:gag:)

 

---------- Post added 15-05-2014 at 08:07 ----------

 

 

I cannot disagree with any of that but it still misses the point. Never mind.

 

AliceBB, we all find it annoying when children are out of control. They're loud, irritating, snotty and very good at getting adults attention. That's what they do best.

 

I think we all agree with you when you point out that some parents seem to let their kids run riot, and I think we all agree that this is not good. However, you need to accept that this will happen when you choose to eat in cafés or pubs during the day or early evening. It's part of life. A part you don't like, but a part that you're going to have to learn to live with!