Im not the sort of parent that forces their child to eat everything on their plate whether they want it or not, but today while treating my dd to a half term lunch at a local restaurant I had a family of mum and two kids at the table next to me.
They were aged about 8 and 10yrs and not the most well behaved of children (getting up and prodding each other, irritating each other, etc) but that didn't faze me much. What did infuriate me was the fact that nice waiter brought pasta for one of the kids, chicken bites and fries for the other and soup for the mum. The boy instantly dismissed the pasta after one bite ('I hate tomatoes') Mum persuaded waiter he had brought the wrong type of pasta than they had ordered, they hadn't but it duly changed without a fuss and another pasta dish was brought, the boy said this time it was too cold, (I could see steam coming off it!). Mum was totally subservant, 'Oh darling, we shan't come here again the service is awful'. The daughter meanwhile left her meal practically untouched too, and mum looked as though she didn't eat much of hers.
Having asked for the bill, she then realised that they got free ice-creams as part of a meal deal and urged kids to have them. Again they had a mouthful and left the lot. When they left the table looked like a war zone, and it just made me mad. Why insist on taking kids to a place where they obviously hate everything on the menu? Give em a bowl of cornflakes at home. Thanks feel better now thats off my chest!!