Have I just discovered the secret to enjoying a dinner out!

You wouldn’t stand up to your daughter, or ask staff? Are you usually such a pushover?

I hate this OP. I have an autistic 6 year old and he also hates this. We just came back from holiday and he either had no volume on his tablet or headphones when waiting at the airport or being on the plane. He was very upset when other kids were playing devices at full volume and then started saying “why is it so loud?”, and becomes upset. I feel it’s unnecessary when you can get cheap headphones for around £10. But it is getting more and more common and sadly people are selfish.

Doesn’t matter if you think your kids device volume is low. We can all hear that tinny noise from the bloody thing. It’s infuriating. Turn it off and give your child headphones - ND or not. You don’t have the right to spoil other people’s outings.

I think it is a shame for a child to have an iPad if eating out.
There was a time before they were invented. And so it wasn’t an option.
You went, you chose what you wanted and you ate. Nicely. Everyone talked to each other. Children spoke to each other.

What kills it for me is seats far too close together. So you can hear the conversation of the couple next to you, and they yours.

Usually all in a row too.

Awful.

I really couldn’t get worked up about this.
There’s always going to be someone doing something that annoys someone else, maybe the woman with the loud annoying laugh or the man with the really annoying cough, if you don’t want to hear other people while you eat then you don’t go to a public place for dinner.

I like restaurants that provide paper tablecloths and crayons. When my kids were younger they would play boxes, noughts and crosses, hangman and draw pictures on the tablecloth. And 3 of my 4 are ND

I really really disapprove of very young children on iPads with headphones.

Thank you. I have apologised to @AllIneedAreMyFamilyandDogs as I made a mistake and quoted the wrong person.

No worries. Easy to do sometimes. :-)

I’m sorry. I quoted the wrong person. My apologies.

If your kids have a regular diet of things like almond mousse with carraway bread dip and caviar, good for you. Most kids would simply not eat what I was eating yesterday. And the restaurant most definitely wouldn't have allowed any poor behaviour or screen noise.

True that.

My son and I were on holiday in Dubrovnik and one restaurant offered a free dessert if you handed your phone in. We ended up having a nice chat with the American woman eating alone next to us and a lovely cheesecake. Great idea.

Do people not talk to their kids anymore? Surely sitting at a table eating is time to interact with your family, whatever age they are. Not plug them into something.
Thats so depressing to read.

If they can't be bothered to parent now, what makes you think they'll be bothered about parenting when their DCs are older?

This thread just makes me sad the amount of children on tablets/screens at a table.
Never once have I given my kids a screen when we eat out, we talk, we play uno or they colour. They are 6 and 12 now.
As a teacher I have seen first hand the damage this easily accessible screen time and brain rot is doing to patience, conversation and concentration

You seem very scared of your children. Referenced a few times about how they'd kill you for standing up for yourself.

I can’t say I’ve ever been out to eat and seen kids on iPads. I have, however, been out to eat with adults watching sports and god only knows what (once it seemed to be stand up?) on full volume on their phones.

That said, I imagine I don’t eat at restaurants where this would be tolerated. And 6pm is definitely too early for dinner.

My kids watch things in restaurants but without volume. I am shocked that you see so many with volume turned on

I now assume the people who have their children playing devices out loud are the same people that smear their shit in public toilets. I'd always wondered who does that!

I leave restaurants that are horrible to be in and I (politely) say why when I can be bothered. Mainly though I just leave and spend my money somewhere else. It's up to them, really, what sort of place they want to run, I think. We can self sort in restaurants. Trains are different because there's really no other option.

The iPad kids of today are the entitled, inconsiderate adults of tomorrow so just give it time.

Generally the only reason a kid would ever "look at [a menu] and cry" is because they have not been exposed to those foods which is very sad.

If given the opportunity most children would be happy to eat/try most foods. It's just they are constantly told "children can only eat burgers and milkshake" and "children will only eat bland food" and "children won't eat vegetables so need them hidden in pasta sauce". If you tell anyone something often enough, they'll believe it and it will becone a self fulfilling prophecy.

You do you. I go out to eat at 6pm all the time and there are no kids on ipads without headphones.

Agree FaceTime has also become an issue too - and adults watching reels / TikTok.

I fear playing sounds from your device is becoming a norm and I loathe that.

The reels / TikTok thing is the worst - constant change of sound, so hard to ignore it.

I’m not averse to a screen to keep a bored kid sitting down in a restaurant, but playing the sound out loud I just cannot understand.

If your child wants to hear the sound - but some headphones.