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Original poster

Should a very noisy baby be taken outside?

174 replies

BlueBar · 27/10/2022 17:15

I don't know where I stand on this one actually.

I've been out for lunch. It was busy and there was quite a hubbub of background noise/chat, certainly not silent.

There was one table of two couples with young children and (presumably) grandparents. One child, I'd say around a year old was very noisy. High pitched screeching. She wasn't being naughty, she wasn't crying, she was happy/excited. I realise it's practically impossible to stop a child that age making a noise, but would you expect one of the adults to have taken her out of the room for a while?

Or, she's only a baby, it's hard, let them all enjoy their meal.

FWIW, none of them seemed troubled by the noise, if anything they were enjoying/encouraging it and maybe that's the right thing to do with a happy baby? It was ear piercing though and continued for quite a while.

OP posts:
user1494050295 · 27/10/2022 18:00

Had to deal with this recently in the hair dresser. Boy screamed like a lunatic and the mother was trying to get him to settle. I could not hear how much my bill was the noise was so loud

LearnerCook · 27/10/2022 18:02

It's incredibly rude to allow screeching like that to continue, disturbing everyone else in the place. They should have taken the child outside.

Thatsthatthen87 · 27/10/2022 18:02

If you can't cope with babies making sounds in public, how do you feel about people with disabilities doing it? Is it just babies you can't tolerate or anyone who can't necessarily control the sounds they make?

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Families
DoTheHoochyPoochy · 27/10/2022 18:04

They should have taken them outside , excited or crying, their child should not spoil the enjoyment for everyone else

Klarwen · 27/10/2022 18:04

High pitched screeching goes right through you. Of course the child should have been taken out.

It's up there with having an iPad playing Peppa Pig out loud for me. Neither are things other people should have to put up with while they are trying to have a nice meal out.

Tough one for the staff to deal with if parents don't take the initiative though.

Mariposista · 27/10/2022 18:06

yep, the moment it starts irritating other people and ruining their experience, needs to be removed. And I would apply that to an older child too.

Runnerduck34 · 27/10/2022 18:10

Hard to tell without hearing it! You say she wasn't naughty or crying just excited.
If it was really noisy shrieking for a prolonged period if I was able I might have tried to take her out for a short while.
However I don't think children should have to be quiet/ invisible.
I've sat in many cafes/ restaurants/ pubs next to a table of very noisy happy adults and been able to hear every single word said!
You can't really make a 1 year old be quiet.
I'm pleased that society in general is a lot more tolerant of children in restaurants than it was 20 years ago.

Fireballxl5 · 27/10/2022 18:11

taybert · 27/10/2022 17:37

I think I’m from another planet sometimes.

Me too!

HotPenguin · 27/10/2022 18:16

Was it loud cooing? Laughing? I find it hard to believe that a happy baby made a continual high pitched shreek that was so disturbing to other people.

TrashyPanda · 27/10/2022 18:17

high pitched screaming makes my tinnitus worse - to the point where it is physically painful, so yes, I would definitely want them to take the wee one out to calm down. Or give it a nice sticky cake to eat/play with

i have hearing loss associated with tinnitus, and the shrieks, combined with normal,background noise would make it very difficult to “tune in” to conversation. being deaf is isolating enough already, without it being made worse by others.

MsRosley · 27/10/2022 18:18

No one should be forced to put up with your noisy kid. I'm sick of the entitled parents who think otherwise.

dudsville · 27/10/2022 18:18

I had breakfast a few weeks ago with a happy young child doing just that kind of sound. I mean i was also meant to be having a nice catch up with my friend but essentially i was just in coping mode whilst this parent enjoyed being out with his kids.

CuriousCatfish · 27/10/2022 18:19

The baby wasn't crying, so no they shouldn't have taken it outside.

TidyDancer · 27/10/2022 18:22

I don't mind a bit of noise but it shouldn't be encouraged and a child making a lot of noise should probably be taken out, yes.

If it was a fast food/cafe type place then there is less expectation of some quiet.

Chloefairydust · 27/10/2022 18:22

I think so because it’s not fair on other people trying to enjoy their meal/ afternoon tea… Plus it might help to calm the baby down.

Me and my partner once went on a valentines date to an expensive restaurant (probably around 7pm) and it was completely ruined by a toddler screeching on the top of her lungs the whole time we were there. I know it’s normal at that age for tantrums but it’s awful to have it ruin a date like that. The parents just carried on eating like they were just used to the sound, everyone else’s meal in the restaurant was ruined. Pretty much cleared the restaurant, everyone was leaving early, and we ate our meal very quickly, paid and left without dessert just to escape. We both had headaches after. Was just awful 😞…

Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 27/10/2022 18:22

MsRosley · 27/10/2022 18:18

No one should be forced to put up with your noisy kid. I'm sick of the entitled parents who think otherwise.

Same. It's so selfish to allow your child to disrupt others.

Sux2buthen · 27/10/2022 18:23

@ShellGrotto I don't think it's the UK, I think it's just the weird and whacky world of MumsnetGrin

Love to hear happy squeals, sounds lovely

Username1234321 · 27/10/2022 18:29

Sux2buthen · 27/10/2022 18:23

@ShellGrotto I don't think it's the UK, I think it's just the weird and whacky world of MumsnetGrin

Love to hear happy squeals, sounds lovely

I think so too

Nosleepforthismum · 27/10/2022 18:29

God, my 14 month old has started to do this. Likes to let out one loud shriek and look around eagerly to see if anyone has noticed. Always loves to time it when out for a meal or doing something vaguely grown up. I think in your example in the OP, the parents were actively encouraging the shrieking (god knows why. It’s as annoying to the parents usually) but yes, I agree, continually shrieking is incredibly annoying and should be taken outside. Really, the parents should have tried to distract with a toy/bribe. It usually works for us.

ChillysWaterBottle · 27/10/2022 18:30

If I'm being honest, I would rather be sat near a noisily happy baby than some of the tutting misery guts on here.

richieric · 27/10/2022 18:31

therubbiliser · 27/10/2022 17:24

I would have taken my baby outside in the circumstances described. It is not very sociable to leave a baby crying around other people because people mostly find babies crying distressing too. It isn’t always possible or reasonable to take them out but when you can I think you should. My husband and I had many many dinners out with young kids that involved one person eating while the other pushed a buggy outside. It is one of those things with babies that you just get on with.

You say you read what was described but did you? Because you would know the baby wasn't crying.

richieric · 27/10/2022 18:34

So no one likes babies crying or squealing happily? Should babies just stay sat up right not moving, not blinking making no sound until they have permission? I'd rather a squealing happy baby than a crying one.

Skinnermarink · 27/10/2022 18:35

I don’t why some posters are incredulous at a firm ‘no’ and screeching not encouraged further in a one year old. Perhaps they should be given more credit. I have an excitable 13 month old and he absolutely can be told ‘no’ firmly and have some compression of it because my expression and demeanour will change. They are not all complete potatoes.

DrMarciaFieldstone · 27/10/2022 18:35

richieric · 27/10/2022 18:34

So no one likes babies crying or squealing happily? Should babies just stay sat up right not moving, not blinking making no sound until they have permission? I'd rather a squealing happy baby than a crying one.

At McDonald’s, yes. At a nice afternoon tea? That’s a no from me.

Wereeaglesdare · 27/10/2022 18:38

What a bloody miserable bunch you all are. There is nothing more joyful than the sound of a happy baby. Honestly how are you all on a site that celebrate mums but constantly berate them for their tiny children even making a noise? The baby was not crying they were happy unless excessively screaming I don't see your problem. Kids are entitled to a bit of afternoon tea too yano! What would you like them to do tell the young child not to be happy. I honestly despair of the miserable attitudes of this site I wonder if this is the result of people shutting themselves in doors for all this time that they have become selfish and intolerant and not wanting to connect to a wider community. There is purity in children that should be loved and celebrated as we are supposed to be social and live in groups not keep ourselves to ourselves constantly.