To be annoyed when parents hog high chairs

[Mapley]

I hate it when you're in a busy cafe, that only has a couple of high chairs and they are invariably in use.

But what annoys me more is when they have a 6 (or something) month old baby in them that has finished being spoon fed 20 minutes ago and is now being ignored (and conveniently contained) while his mum drinks coffee and chats. In the meantime i'm wrestling my one year old who is too little for an adult chair, wriggles all over the place without a high chair and won't eat half as much as he should when he can't reach the table and isn't strapped in.

Surely when you've finished feeding your baby you give up the high chair, and either hold your baby or put them in their buggy, not hog the highchairs and make other parent's lives difficult?

Today I was in a cafe and this woman literally sat there for over half an hour with her baby in the high chair playing with toys while I tried to feed my toddler on my knee! I finally decided to ask her if she finshed with the hugh chair, and she said no and carried on chatting! Grrrr

I usually do carry round a portable fabric high chair, but it's still not as good and I usually pick cares to go too because I know they have high chairs.

Aibu?

ermm nope - when my DS's were younger and I went to a cafe for coffee I let them stay in the high chair even when they'd finished eating - they invariably sat much happier in their playing while I finished my coffee/food/chatting than being strapped in the pushchair.

YABalittlebitU.

First come, first served isn't it?
In an ideal world, people would take notice of others and be compassionate and give up the chair when their child has finished. But it's not an ideal world.

What Baroque said.

YABU.

The early bird gets the worm.

So selfish though! Surely you wouldn't do this if someone else needed the high chair?

Yabu. Go somewhere with more highchairs!

sorry, but you're being a bit unreasonable. I'm surprised you asked her for the high chair, it wouldn't have occurred to me. it's tough nellies I'm afraid if you get there and the high chairs have gone.

If they could hold their child or put them in a buggy, why can't you do that?

No Yanbu. Some are generally either selfish or blind to others around them
If you asked for high chair and she said no then she ibu IMO

what's wrong with the fabric one?

I think I need a

If someone asked me for a highchair, I would gladly give it to them.

If not, I am enjoying my coffee from the cup, rather than my lap.

Because their children have finished eating!

Can't believe how selfish yous all are!

The lady was just right to say no to you, she obviously wasn't finished with it if her child was still sitting in the chair. I would have thought you extremely rude if I was her.
YABVVU

Feed your child in it's buggy then Mapley.

I used a highchair so that I didn't have to sit with a baby on my knee, or rocking the pushchair back and forth.

Maybe next time I'm in a busy cafe with not many empty chairs, and I see someone that's finished eating, but is still sat with their friend (who hasn't finished) I'll go and ask the friend for their chair........after all they don't really need it anymore do they????

Plenty of times I've had to leave one of the DS's in their pushchair and feed them in their, or have them sat on my knee because there were no highchairs left.

It never once occurred to me to look around and see if I could swipe one off someone still using it. I'd have a look round for empty ones - but if there was a child sat in it it was my tough luck

So because the couple at the next table have finished their coffees and are now just talking they should give up their seats for you? Because that's the logic of what you're suggesting. You're not just BU, you're being silly.

You could always buy a "handbag high chair", don't know if you've heard of it but Jo Jo Maman Bebe sell them.

Yeah, it's almost like when I go looking for adult seats and there's none left, I often want to turn those lazy slow drinkers out of their chairs ...

Get one of these and sling it under your buggy. We used them all the time when our DTDs were tiny. There is no guarantee that youll get high chairs in any cafe, so best be prepared, I say.

IMO, YABU.

But high chairs aren't just for eating. They allow babies to sit happily at a table - or 'conveniently contained' as you put it.

It's not selfish to carry on using them after baby has finished eating, IMO.

YABU

Is a highchair just for feeding in then? I see it as a restraint method

Mapley, are you aware you posted this in AIBU?
We're not selfish, just expressing an opinon.

But it's a chair for the baby! Why does the mum have to drink her hot coffee with a 6mo on her lap?

YABU.

It's not just for eating in but, y'know, sitting.

You sound very angry about something so petty.

So... if I'm finished eating but MrScout isn't I should vacate my chair for someone else to sit down? It's the same thing with a baby/high chair. Why should the baby have to vacate his/her chair when it's companions haven't finished their meals/drinks?

The last thing I'd want to do is hold a baby on my lap while I drink a hot coffee and try to have a conversation.

Either keep your child in the buggy, find another cafe or feed your child at home if it's a problem.

Alternatively, avoid busy times in cafes.