To get pissed off at children running around in restaurants?

[CelticPixie]

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?

Oh and really, you 'didnt let them make a noise' it sounds so wrong to me, I can't help that but it makes me feel weird to see someone say that

'Train kids properly from day 1' oh my god I feel sick reading that...

I don't think there's many on here who would expect silence from anyone in a restaurant though.

I feel sick at the idea of a child being harmed because their parents are letting them wander.

Sirzy I wasn't saying that, I was responding to someone saying 'you take it in turns to take dc out, end of'
Jesus

So you do it all yourself. Makes things harder but still it's no excuse.

But not sick at someone 'training' a baby from day 1
That's just wrong

Bella my friend was a single parent with 18 month old twins and she managed not to disturb other diners.

With 3 under 18 months you are outnumbered big time.With dp our toddler ratio must have been the same as yours and we managed it.

I continuously went to cafes alone with my 3 and managed to not disturb other diners.

It is perfectly possible if you want it to be.

Sirzy ffs you literally will not stop twisting my words and adding things in

Why on earth would you feel sick?

I am responding to what you post as are others. Perhaps you need to consider what your doing instead!

Bella, you only seem to be picking out bits of posts and not really addressing any of the other questions asked.

I think I've had enough of the tooing and froing now. But I really want to go out for a meal - it has been a while.

But everything you do with a child is essentially training them and teaching them how situations work and how to respond so that x y or z happens? No one is advocating training them using shock collars or anything, but surely your job as a parent is to train your children to eventually learn to be functioning adults?

I just think that being 'annoyed' is someones own problem... anything can annoy someone, people get annoyed by birds tweeting ffs
Don't get me wrong we would hate to upset or harm anyone, that's our priority not 'annoying' people which in our opinion is not a real thing

Freudiansslipper the one point you're missing though is that in these other countries the parents won't have a meltdown if another parent intervenes. Many brit parents do nothing to restrain their kids yet have an almighty fit if anyone else does. Also, you might see these kids leave the table but they don't approach others unless spoken to.

Exactly easily.

And it's much easier if done gradually rather than deciding "right your old enough time to behave now"

Squarepebbles 'training' a child... how about teaching? You train a dog imo
And babies shouldn't be trained from day 1 that's ridiculous

Well then Bella, I shall let my toddler come and sit under your table for the duration of your meal, rooting through your handbag and singing loudly to himself. It's annoying, but probably not upsetting.

A bag of tiny,quiet amusements produced 1 at a time,quiet talking,praise,taking out immediatelythey don't respond,asking for tables near an easy escape route,establishing how we behave in restaurants.....

What's to feel sick over?

Expat in the countries I've volunteered in I had loads of kids talking to me, I had no dcs at the time, everyones dcs were wandering around together

We'll probably end up at our local trattoria tonight, DD loves to wander over and watch the pizza being made.
Now she's at chest height of the average adult I'm happy for her to do that, when she was small she was only allowed to go over holding my hand for her safety and the convenience and safety of the staff.

Bella

Let's be clear. Quite apart from the safety aspect, when I go out for dinner , with or without my DC, the last thing I want is someone elses' cute kids coming up to my table.

Your kids are cute to you but they are not to me or anyone else. As mine won't be to you.

Oh enough with the hysteria.

Babies fed before a restaurant visit,boxes of raisins,quiet gentle shushing,bread sticks,fabric books,babies taken out immediately the grizzle etc.....

Of course anyone has the right to not want to engage with a child but sitting and tolerating it and feeling annoyed inside then maybe coming on forums and complaining when the dc and parent were thinking they enjoyed it - ridiculous

And if you had told them to bugger off, MsBella, nobody would have batted an eyelid.