Should a very noisy baby be taken outside?

[BlueBar]

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.

IKEA is a family friendly place as far as I aware? One place we have been for lunch with ours.

Family friendly does not mean that any behaviour is acceptable.

Well obviously not but children being there and making some noise at the table might be expected which is why I eye rolled a bit at the "for goodness sake" comment.

I’d take an upset child out for a couple of minutes to calm them for the child’s sake and others.

In this situation, happy/excited noise, I’d try to make them less excited, not encourage loud squeals. If the squealing didn’t stop, I’d take them out just to distract them and hopefully it wouldn’t continue when we returned to the table.

Some people do encourage this behaviour though and think everyone should be loving it as much as they are. Then you get the people who won’t tolerate any noise from children who are just as annoying.

🤣

Was this thread started by the Haunted Pencil?

One of the nannies should have dealt with it, surely.

Next they'll be expecting parents to change nappies or even let their children live with them when they're over 7.

My 4 months old shrieks too in cafes, usually being happy or laughing.

I'm going to be so embarrassed now I try to distract him but he just gets louder. He's not at the age he can understand to he quiet; he's too young for indoor play centres. Where else can I take him?

Will someone please tell us how you stop a baby from shrieking!!!! I’ve tried every method I can think of. Genuinely interested if someone has a magic formula.

Dummy. 🤣

Probably get judged for that as well!

God there's some miserable fuckers on here 🤣
I had lunch a small cafe the other day and there was a table of cackling women sat behind me. Should I have asked them to stop enjoying their gathering and go outside until they'd learnt how to laugh quietly? No, because they're entitled to enjoy their lunch just as much as the next person.

Enjoy your happy squealy baby

Selfish behaviour in my opinion. If I go out to catch up with family or friends I want to be able to chat without the distraction of a screeching child. Some people seem to think the world should revolve around their kids and have no thought for others.

Please don't be embarrassed and please ignore these silly posters. You are a paying customer as much as them and they have no right to demand you leave the room for their comfort any more than you would have the right to demand they take their pinched mouths and miserable demeanor elsewhere so everyone else can enjoy themselves. Enjoy your happy baby x

Sorry, if the child was playing happily and was bit loud why should the parent take it outside.

Would you ask adults/teenagers to leave their table if laughing too much or speaking loud?

The child might have a hidden disability. My boy is 18 months and he is far from quite but happy. If he is up set I do remove myself so he feels safe if in a restaurant.

Cos that's exactly what everyone on the thread is saying 🙄

I'd have taken mine out probably but other peoples crying or excited babies have never bothered me even before I had my own. Loud adults are far more annoying but I don't expect them to remove themselves either.

I disagree. If the baby were crying/distressed I would take it outside. If it were making happy noises I really wouldn't mind. Who is upset by a baby being happily vocal? Crying on the other hand I find stressful even if it's not my baby 🙈

Either way I think a bit of tolerance goes a long way. Kids and babies are part of society. I wouldn't want an older kid running around making a nuisance of themselves but babies are different. You can't lock them up until they are old enough to understand social expectations.

No but you can have a bit of awareness and not keep winding them up and encouraging them to continue shrieking and screaming.

It wasn't rude, it was an automatic reaction to an extremely piercing noise which was so "sharp" it actually hurt my ears.

That awful screech and squeal that babies do is awful and really hurts my ears. Close up I would find it so annoying.

@JanetSally yes heaven forbid anyone encourage a happy child What miserable lives some people must lead.

Talks of entitlement...don't you see it works both ways? You are entitled to believe you should always be in a place where nothing or nobody disturbs or inconveniences you. If you really have such a problem with babies, children, loud adults or other people in general it's probably best you stay home. Or emigrate to a desert island where nobody can bother you.

Silly posters? I have misophonia, certain sounds make me feel panicky . A baby isn't a paying customer they take up space, make noise, make a mess and barely eat/drink anything from the cafe, a lot a parents bring thier baby's food from home.

After having hundreds of meals out through the years and having various offspring making various noises at various times; don't the adults take it in turns to step outside with the squealer? ( And I've done the same in every country we've been in at the time) Fortunately ours didn't really squeal often although made up for it from time to time with crying / screaming / tantrums.
Isn't it just common decency to attempt to lessen the impact of childrens noise on other patrons who are paying for a meal?
To have a group of adults actively encouraging it is what makes my heart sink.

Yes, it is rock-bottom common decency.

But so many lack basic social graces these days. The idea of different standards of decorum in public compared to how they behave in their lounge seems to be an unknown concept to quite a few here.

It's not "entitled" to expect that others sharing an establishment such as a restaurant exhibit basic consideration.

Outdoors?

@ZeldaWillTellYourFortune tell that to a baby. Or maybe you expect its parents to just not go to these places. That is entitlement.

There is so much of this attitude on MN lately. If you dare to ask for help or even basic tolerance you are seen as entitled. It's depressing that there are so many joyless, intolerant people out there.

If a happy baby in a public place really offends you so much I feel very sorry for you.