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Original poster

To get pissed off at children running around in restaurants?

999 replies

CelticPixie · 07/04/2013 20:29

We went out for lunch today and there was a large group sat behind us. It was obviously a family celebration with parents, grandparents, kids etc. A little boy from the group who must have been around two was running around our part of the restaurant screaming and shouting and getting under the feet of waiting staff carrying hot food etc. He also kept approaching people at other tables and kept asking them if they were having their dinner and what they were having. At no point did his parents do anything to stop him and they just kept on smiling at him, but it was obvious that he was getting on everyone else's nerves.

Its a family friendly place and there were lots of other small children in there but he was the only one running about and being a nuisance. I will NOT allow my DDs to run about and disrupt others people's meals and it pisses me off that other people have so little consideration for anyone but themselves. If mine wants to go to the loo one of us takes them, if they are bored we take them out to the play area. It's really not hard is it?

OP posts:
MsBella · 09/04/2013 16:10

Floggingmolly they've turned out fantastic...
I'm not the only parent like me, I've been out with people with mine and their dcs and they've been the same to be honest..

Chockyeggpants · 09/04/2013 16:10

Morethanpotato, thanks for your concerns about my DD and my style of parenting. And what are your children up to while you are on MN?

usualsuspect · 09/04/2013 16:10

I'm the same Owllady, if I'm somewhere that children will be, I'm quite happy to talk to them.

I don't sit scowling and tutting into my soup.

Owllady · 09/04/2013 16:12

life is too short to be a misery guts :)

LaQueen · 09/04/2013 16:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

usualsuspect · 09/04/2013 16:13

Thats very true, Owllady.

exoticfruits · 09/04/2013 16:13

At the moment I am working somewhere occasionally where we get a lot of adults and a fair few children. You can tell which are going to be a pleasure and which a pain as soon as they come through the door. I would far rather have the sort of child where everyone says 'what a lovely boy' rather than 'good god-that was hard work and the parents were useless'.
And it isn't a matter of being silent and not moving-everyone likes the lively, chatty, interested child who listens and responds in an appropriate manner.

insanityscratching · 09/04/2013 16:14

For me I wouldn't want someone else's toddler coming to my table for a chat if I was out with ds and dd. Ds doesn't like children and whilst I am almost confident he wouldn't hurt them I'm not 100% confident he wouldn't give them a push if they encroached on his space. Dd doesn't mind toddlers from a distance but she would be most unhappy if they touched the things I had taken with me to keep her entertained. It would be an avoidable stress if parents kept their children with them rather than letting them roam.

LaQueen · 09/04/2013 16:14

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TomArchersSausage · 09/04/2013 16:15

Hey LaQueenGrin Don't forget to enjoy a happy half hour staring unflinchingly gimlet eyed at the table behind you. Until they feel obliged to move.

And remember...enjoy yourself. That's all that counts.

exoticfruits · 09/04/2013 16:16

I don't sit scowling and tutting into my soup.

After reading this thread I shall speak to the staff in future and get them to tell the parents that I want them to control their child.(then they can't pretend that polite silence means you are happy).

morethanpotatoprints · 09/04/2013 16:17

Ds1 is on his way back from work. Ds 2 is in other room revising for A levels.

Dd 9, is with me watching dvd, quite poorly with tonsillitis.

I was quite a tradition parent with ds1/2, very conventional really, some members of my family suggested I was too hard at times.

Dd is a whole different ball game and I am far more laid back in my approach to parenting with her, due to huge age gap, not different sex.

No, I don't punish, I educate along with dh. if you need to punish you are clearly doing something wrong or not given the child sufficient time to learn the lesson.

LaQueen · 09/04/2013 16:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

usualsuspect · 09/04/2013 16:18

If I want an quiet adult orientated meal, I go somewhere where children are not allowed.

usualsuspect · 09/04/2013 16:18

a quiet*

FFS I can't type today.

anklebitersmum · 09/04/2013 16:19

Grin TomArchersSausage

noddyholder · 09/04/2013 16:19

The sort of places I would go in the evening for dinner with dp and friends there are usually no kids. Pizza express and its ilk in the day we are often joined by little children and tbh we don't mind at all. Mt dp seems to attract them!

LaQueen · 09/04/2013 16:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

exoticfruits · 09/04/2013 16:20

That says it all usualsuspect Grin

crashdoll · 09/04/2013 16:20

If your child wants to wander around and chat to strangers, take them to the park or one those places where there is an area for children to just be children. I wouldn't give two hoots if your child came up to me and said hi 'cause I love kids but some people would! Obviously you think the sun shines out of your child's arse but not everyone does.

brdgrl · 09/04/2013 16:21

If it doesn't bother you, that's terrific. Similarly, some people are not bothered by a dog that eats off plates at a table, or people grabbing food off another diner's plate, or the use of the word "cunt" at the dinner table, or someone who carries on a mobile phone conversation during dinner.

But it would be a safe assumption that some people would be very bothered indeed by these behaviours in a restaurant. All of them fall outside of what is commonly considered to be "good manners".

Interrupting another diner, even as another adult, is generally seen as an intrusion. This is why we (I mean, most adults) say things like "excuse me, but.." and "I'm so sorry to interrupt, but..." when we DO have occasion to approach someone at their meal - and we only do so when they have something at their table that we require, or when we have an urgent message to deliver, or possibly when we know the person from somewhere else and have reason to believe that they might be delighted to renew the acquaintance. Or if the person's hair is on fire and they don't seem to have noticed. Otherwise, it is generally considered polite to let people enjoy their privacy, a bit of peace at their meal, and the opportunity to enjoy the company of their chosen dining companions.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 09/04/2013 16:21

My DD drops her cutlery on the floor because she has physical SN as ASD..she can't help it.

We get so many gimlet stares and tuts.

Which is nice.

Floggingmolly · 09/04/2013 16:22

not given the child sufficient time to learn the lesson. Confused
I thought the whole point was that no lesson was actually being taught when the kids are allowed to maraude at will? Confused

usualsuspect · 09/04/2013 16:23

If I go somewhere where children will be eating, I expect noise and a bit of wandering about.

Doesn't bother me in the slightest.

LaQueen · 09/04/2013 16:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.