To think if you dont want children to interrupt your meal

[Vagaceratops]

You dont go to a restaurant with a massive playbarn in it, because that is where children will be?

Went last night and there were a couple there, looked like mid-50's. You choose your table so they sat right next to the entrance of the soft play bit. We sat next to them so we could keep an eye on DS2.

The woman kept eye rolling every time a chil made a noise, or ran out of the area. When the waitress came to clear their table and asked them if everything was okay, the man said they hadnt been able to hear themselves think, and the 'unruly' children had been too noisy.

AIBU?

True, the couple may have been put on that table, however, if they were in their 50s then I would expect them to have enough life experience to know what to expect if you sit by the entrance of a kids play area. Also, I would them expect to be confident enough to scan the restaurant and suggest another table somewhere else?

That's what I do. Quite frequently we are shown to a particular table in a half empty restaurant, and when I as if you could sit at another table there doesn't seem to be any problem. Couldn't the waiter just say 'sit where you like', if there isn't anything reserved?

Some people seem intolerant of children in general. There is comunity games thing on for the kids here and the olde resident complained to the council. Its an hour every second day, for two weeks.

*older residents

Similar thing happened to us on a cross channel ferry. We were at he play area with our child (just one then) and several other kids. A couple of men sat anime of the adjacent tables an spent he whole crossing moaning about kids and their noise. We did ask them why they chose to not sit anywhere else but they said why should they? Crazy!

In our local coffee shop with friends yesterday, not a child in sight all at school but the couple on the next table to us huffily told the waiter it was too noisy and they wanted some peace to read their paper. What do some folk want, this was just normal noise of adults having conversation. Stay home if you want that much quiet.

But the, I think there are some misserable people who will sit there on purpose so that they have something to moan about.

I agree gabsid-some people just like a good all moan so they delibrately put themselves in situations where there are lots of children so they can complain about them.
Believe me ive seen it to believe it, my dcs have sat quite happily and quiet waiting for a meal but you still get 30-50 yo that like a good dig

The 'you have to teach them to behave' thing annoys me too. We are teaching our DS to behave in restaurants but it doesn't happen by magic. There have to be a fairly large number of trips where he gets it wrong! At the moment it's he bellows across the table because he's excited - we're working on it but there's only so many times you can say 'please speak quietly'. I would hate to think someone was tutting and huffing about us - we are teaching him but he takes a while to learn!

Exactly! If children are never exposed to the public how are they going to learn to behave in it?

We ate out last night with the boys, DS1 6 and ds2 19mo. Ds1 is brilliant to take out now because we have been taking him to adult places since he was tiny and we're doing the same with ds1. They have to learn how to behave and they won't do that stuck at home all the time!

There is a massive difference though between children who are learning but are told "no you don't do that" and the parents make the effort to entertain them and ensure they disrupt others as little as possible and allowing your child to run around being a pain in the backside though.

Absolutely, Sirzy, I totally agree." Family friendly" should imply that it is acknowledged that there will be some child noise,and disruption, but that's totally different to having the atmosphere of an indoor playgound and letting your children have free reign to do as they please, just because you want a leisurely meal!

Yanbu-plenty of nice restaurants to eat in where you wont be bothered by dcs-one with a playbarn is not one of them!

We go regularly to the family friendly pub down the road for dinner. A few weeks ago a couple were sat in the booth behind us. When they got up to leave the women told my dh that he had ruined their meal with his "shouting"

My dh had not been shouting at all! dcs had behaved pretty well-always make sure we have something to keep them amused. Dont know what this woman was on about.

Sadly I was in the toilet when it happened-luckily for her!

What Mary, Squeaky and Jam said on P1.
Surely the 'PlayBarn' is for playing in, not the restaurant ?

Um, what's this knocking of the middle aged and people in their 50s about?
I'm in my 50's and hate that ageist crap.

They won't be doing it again, will they? OP YANBU.