"Ipad Kid" ??

of course hard things need to be done, i think we all know that. OPs complaint was about another parents' child marginally disrupting there meal with some background noise from a child's device. Would a tired screaming toddler or children after a days' travelling throwing food be less disruptive? Personally the thing I would do is give a child a device at the table but sometimes, i am not going to lie, it''s been the least worst option..

'active parenting' doesn't result in them all doing everything you want to do all at the same time. Sometimes some will, sometimes all will! (on a lucky day). So would you have them shouting or otherwise disrupting others' dinner

I will just that obviously every child has different characteristics. Why would one want to take children into a restaurant or similar if didn't want to spend with them and teach them how to behave? As Mike Tyson said, everyone has a strategy until someone punches you in the face.. Don't, please,judge others' parenting just because their children are not stepford children...

It can be very hard, yes. But that doesn't mean you take the easy route when you know it isn't good for them. For parents, lots of hard things have to be done.

Totally agree. I’ve had friends in the past say to me I’m lucky that my kids are well behaved. I’m not lucky, I put in the hard work to make sure they behave well. I said no when it would be easier to say yes and put in boundaries of what is and is not acceptable, and most importantly stuck to them - that’s the hard part. I spent time interacting, talking and playing when a screen would have been easier. It’s really not a case of luck and having a naturally compliant child.

Oh, so now we’re Karens for not agreeing with you. 😂

It’s not being a Karen to think that under normal circumstances a parent should be capable of parenting without shoving an iPad under their kid’s nose, but I don’t know why you assume we think small kids need no stimulation whatsoever when they’re out. Of course they need it. When I was very little I was always given a comic or a colouring book to bring with me when we went out. That kept me in my seat just fine. It’s so funny to suggest iPads are somehow necessary otherwise a kid will wreak mayhem, when parents managed for literally decades without them.

I notice there’s no mention in your potted parenting manual of actually talking to a child.

They don't. That's the whole thing. Children need actively parenting!

That’s the point. Children aren’t compliant all the time, they do have to be taught. It takes a lot of effort. Do you think other people just have magically well-behaved kids? And if they don’t sit quietly, then rather than engage them and teach them to behave in a socially acceptable manner, you can just thrust a device at them that will disrupt and annoy other people’s meals?

well done you for having such compliant children that all of them do everything you want of them at all times!

no re the parents, but they don't always do what you want them to do/what they should do.. As mine have gotten older they have become so much more willing to engage, and it i a joy. When they were v young regularly v hard to so do, however hard one tries...

it's a magic number

You're being ridiculous.
My 3 year old would play for way more than half an hour lining up cars. My 4 year old on his first long haul flight watched the minions movie 3 times in a row, concentrating on it. I've seen babies in q's watching phones for way more than 10m. You're talking rubbish.

Perhaps you're referring to the time period they can apply sustained attention in school while learning? This is not the same as being in a state of flow focusing on something that's holding their interest.

In any case, if your child has difficulty concentrating on one thing for more than 10m then you just arrange 3 different 10m activities to fill their time.

A child is better off learning to control their impulses to go off exploring in a restaurant situation than just having an iPad shoved in their face. Yes it's harder on the parent than the iPad but my belief is it'll pay off with more emotional resilience when they are older.

Your expectations of children are way too low to the child's own detriment.

Ah, the age-old assumption. 'If other people dare to have a problem with my complete failure to parent my child in public, they must be bitter dried-up childless hags.' 😂

Refusing to be blind to your lazy parenting doesn't mean someone is childless. It means they're seeing your parenting for what it is. How on earth do you think parents managed in the days before these oh-so-essential dancing fruits??

You do know what parenting is, right??

I'd struggle to not use my phone when out for a meal, so can imagine how difficult it is for a child these days. It's worth just giving in for a relaxing meal rather than the stress.

Lazy parenting it is.

Yes, 3.

Why does it have to be simple? Good parenting isn't easy.

Selfish

It absolutely is as simple as that.

I've got four children.

do you have children? If so, more than one?

I think it is as simple as that.

it's obviously not as simple as that...

We're a no Ipad family so we sing, cheer and boogie in our seats until food comes. Sometimes we get people at the neighbouring tables to join in.

We love informing them that we're not an ipad family and they always nod in approval.

Our 3 year old is very restless and we don't really want her running around the restaurant getting under waiting staff's feet.

We explain this if we have to and have never had any complaints.

Does help having a big cheery smile on your face.