Our comfort chat turned into an ear slitting screaming session

OP it reads as though you genuinely believed you had more right to the care space than the "walkers from the big city". You don't, it's a shared public space and they had an equal right to occupy it with their young child. I'd have personally chosen somewhere quieter than a cafe which, by your own admission, was "heaving" on arrival if I knew my friend was in a delicate state. Like my own home, for example, in which I'd have asked my partner to either go out for an hour or two so I could chat to my friend, or at least to turn the TV down for goodness sake!

People have forgotten how to behave in public. I was raised to be quiet in public, to talk in quiet tones and to try not to draw attention to yourself. A lots of (dare I say) young parents don’t seem to have had the same expectations and feel it’s acceptable to inflict their raucous behaviour on innocent bystanders. It’s a cafe, not the bloody Wacky Warehouse. YANBU.

Jeebus, that gif is awful.

Was the toddler literally screaming? Or just excitable?

They're loud little buggers but we were all one once

I'm not a fan of very loud children so it's not that part I'm struggling with, it's that OP had a home they could have gone to if she just asked her husband to turn the telly down, but then expected a public place to be more peaceful?

Cafés aren't public spaces, they're private spaces that allow customers. The manager should have had a word.

I really don't get this "children are noisy, get over it" approach that so many people have today. I don't expect children to be silent, but I think a modicum of control in public places should not be too much to ask. Winding them up even further is just unreasonable. If I were looking for peace and quiet I probably wouldn't have chosen a cafe, but equally just because you love your little monsters children doesn't mean that we all do.

Me too why didn't you tell him to shut up? Why do you reserve that for complete strangers?

Dogs? Not everyone has well behaved dogs. I was on a bus yesterday and there was a barking dog on it that wouldn't shut up.

mine contains old husband watching Wheeler Dealers on full volume.

Send him my way. I have 14 years worth in the planner to watch. Admittedly I've already watched most (if not all), but they are like a good book, worth a repeat visit.

Reckon I could change a head gasket after watching that lot.

Or the parents making the kid be extra noisy can avoid cafés so that they don't disturb other people.

YABVU.

If you don't want to be around other people, then either stay in your home (presumably you have more than one room in your house, even if your dh can't understand your friend wants a bit of peace?) or go for a walk.

You definitely cannot expect the rest of the world to be silent because yu want some peace and quiet in a public place.

I think you were rude OP. It's a public space, they were playing with their baby.

I do agree with you, public spaces need to accommodate all and screaming children shouldn't be encouraged to continue, but you can't use your house to see a friend because your husband is watching wheeler dealers on full volume?! That's madness

Ok admittedly I'm possibly much older than you lot out there, so I might need to call a taxi but here goes.

I've seen posts from people in their 80s on here.

YANBU.

None of you were in the right.

I expect the village cafe owner is glad of the custom from the 'big city incomers' even if you are not very welcoming. No wonder village life has such a bad reputation.

Totally this.

This. Have some empathy.

YANBU there should be a children’s area- I wouldn’t want to hear any noise that was so loud it interfered with my enjoyment. This is why I prefer dogs.
I have a child, but we tend not to stay long and she’s very good. Cafes and pubs are boring for children.

Nobody’s doubting their entitlement to be in the cafe?
You’ve missed the point by a country mile.

I'm struggling to understand why you couldn't ask your husband to be quiet for half an hour but expect strangers to be quiet for you in a public cafe to be honest.

I think the way you phrased it sounds a bit off. Like blaming the parents for the games they're playing with the child. A more neutral way to put it would just politely say 'sorry, but could you keep the noise down please'. Not really blaming one, but instructed at the whole group.

Its unfortunate your friend was so upset at the time. If I was you I'd have just invited her to yours and told husband to turn the telly down, while comforting her in a separate room.

I voted YABU because that grim scream-in-your-face GIF is intrusive. (And couldn't be more ironic, given your AIBU?)

If you are too fragile to be out in public then don’t go into public.

Instead of blaming strangers who dared to be in your cafe (I assume that you own it?) why not blame your shitting husband for not turning off his shit tv show or yourself for not thinking that you might come across people when in public.

Expecting any places to be quiet in school holidays is a bit misguided. Yes parents shouldn’t encourage squealing but at least that’s a better sound than “wheeler dealers on full volume” and you enabled that didn’t you: