Banned from Starbucks

[Monicachoux]

I am part of a group of new mothers who used to meet a local Birmingham Starbucks for a coffee and chat once a week. The Starbucks is located within a hotel, and both businesses share a lounge area big enough for us, our babies and baby equipment.
We have (after about 6 meets) been told we are not welcome to meet there anymore as the "venue has been booked for corporate seminars and events on the days you meet, and this will be taking place for the next few months".
Starbucks boasts a sign stating "Sit and relax in our lounge area at the back", yet, we are no longer welcome to relax here with our babies anymore... Numbers for our group range from about 4 or 5 mums with their babies up to about 7 or 8 (so we're hardly an army) and each of us consumed drinks and snacks from the coffee shop and hotel when we went there... Are we being unreasonable by expecting to be treated like any other Starbucks customer in spite of (the horror!) having babies? I have to say that I for one was quite shocked when they (very nicely) informed us we couldn't meet there anymore- this is DEFINITELY NOT a baby-friendly establishment

Oh I do agree about how some parents allow their children to behave badly and how this then reflects back on the rest of us who do teach our children how to behave in cafes and restaurants. I have 2 DSs - 1 with ASD and the other NT. We took them into cafes, pubs and restaurants from an early age and always had people commenting on how well behaved they were.

One time, we went into a very classy restaurant for lunch and on entering, the two people at the next table said "Oh no, children!" I replied to them that if they could find any fault with our boys, then they could complain.

We had a wonderful lunch with impeccable manners from the boys (who were about 10 and 12 at the time). At the end of the meal DS1 (with ASD and learning difficulties) said to the waiter "That was wonderful, could you give my compliments to the chef?"

The chef then invited both boys into the kitchen and proceded to give them treats! The couple on the next table looked rather sheepish :)

Thanks SGM - glad I wasn't as incompetent as I feared then. :)

Any group of 10-12 people will tend to take over any small restaurant or cafe, esp. a group made up of babies, toddlers and children. It's not unreasonable for mums to want to get out of the house, but it's also not unreasonable for people to want to enjoy a quiet coffee in a cafe without lots of screeching. Face it-- you don't want to listen to your own kids screaming a place down, so why would anyone else? We find our children and our friends' children tolerable, but it doesn't mean everyone else will. Why should they? Would it be just as acceptable to have a rowdy group of men or teenagers next to our table, and simply say, "Yeah, right, teenagers ARE loud" ? Or would we wish they would shut up so we could enjoy our book and tea?

Panda, your tale reminded me of when I was little and being taken to an adults restaurant along with sis, parents, family friends and their kids. Proprietor was bit reluctant but we promised to be good and it was a quiet night.

At the end of an eventful meal we (the kids) were told that we were welcome back but the next time would we please leave our parents behind and come without them

They are normally very respectable and well behaved so not sure what happened that night! Though as a 12 yr old it was a great thing to tease them with and still is

zipzap -

No, no, no, no, no, not you thumbwitch. But it does crop up on here from time to time.

As it happens I once had to grab hold of a child I know to have SN (in a pub, he was running along a wide bannister seperating the eating area from the bar and flinging menus left right and centre)

But that wasn't because of his SN, nor could it be classed as naughty. It was because his mum is a lazy cow who lets him and yes, she does blame EVERYTHING on his SN. And yes she was sat on her arse gasbagging and turning a blind eye.... until I rolled up anyway

Kids with SN aren't exempt from having crap parents either ! Although the vast majority are perfect, like me

Cheers ACT :)
That mum sounds very annoying. We had one a little like her in our playgroup last year - her DS has now gone to school. He has ADHD and other issues - because (I later discovered) his mum not only smoked and drank her way through her pregnancy, she also took drugs. Poor little boy was born at 6mo so has all the prem issues to deal with as well - no wonder he's got problems. But his mum just used to sit there and ignore whatever he was doing (which quite frequently endangered one of the smaller children) and no doubt expecting the rest of us to keep our DC out of his way, or to tick him off for her so she didn't have to bother herself.

I have no doubt that she was tired out with him - but still. She gave up drugs and smoking when he was born so prem - bit late but better than not, I guess. :(

I know the type thumbwitch, have had a few conversations along the line of...

Excuse me, your sons swinging from the lightbulb....

Mum, barely glancing up from her brew...yeah, I know. He has adhd.

They drive me potty, giving a bad name for all the exhausted mums of SN kids, running themselves ragged trying to keep their own kids and others safe and teaching them how to behave properly in public. IE ME !!

Can you not meet on another day at that Starbucks when the venue is not booked up? See hwat they say when you suggest that