"Your kids are being annoying" AIBU. What is wrong with some people?

[TacticalWheelbarrow]

Yesterday DH and I went to a hospital appointment for myself, we got out of there early and decided to go for dinner. It's been a long time since we have had the chance to eat out because we have been skint and had the kids with us, so we were fairly looking forward to it.

We go to the restaurant and were seated in a booth behind a family with 2 kids ages about 3&6.
We soon realised that this wasn't going to be a quiet meal. I was sitting with my back to the family and the 3yo stood up on their booth bench to peer over at us which we found a bit awkward and irritating because we were trying to eat and have a private conversation. The parents didnt say anything and after a while the 3yo got bored and went away.

The restaurant was a buffet type place and the parents of these kids let them have free range of the place meaning that when us and other customers went up to get food the 2 children were frequently bumbling into people and getting under everyone's feet! I mean surely it is common sense that children running riot and hot plates of food don't mix?

The 3yo was handed a bowl of sweets by the chef at the dessert station that she proceeded to drop all over the floor and walk off. The mum definitely saw this, she got up (to what I thought would be to clean up her kid's mess) but instead just walked passed it and got herself more food. . The 6yo also kept coming and standing right next to our table and just stood staring at us, which again was really annoying.

The final straw was when the 3yo stood up in their booth again and peered over at us, and the proceeded to put her messy, sticky hands in my hair and rub them about! The mum saw the child doing this but just ignored it. So I turned round and said this; "Excuse me, I'm glad you seem to be enjoying your meal but unfortunately I am unable to do the same because of your annoying children. Would you please keep them in control so they don't ruin our meal anymore?"

Well I won't bore you with details but it didnt go down very well and the husband became quite aggressive verbally. They definitely thought I was being unreasonable because after all "they are just kids" and I am apparently also rude.

So MN jury, was IBU?

[LilacPeony]

They sound really annoying. Could the parents see that the child was rubbing her hands in your hair if they were seated in their own booth behind you? (Sorry if you've already covered that, not read the whole thread.)

[FeckOffCup]

YANBU, the standing on the seat thing would have pissed me off even without the touching of hair. Did the restaurant manager get involved, I'm surprised they didn't get chucked out for letting their kids stand on seats and drop food everywhere.

[Scuttlebutter]

I'm childless, and this just confirms why I will never set foot in a Pizza Hut, and generally give a wide and cautious berth to any restaurant that is even vaguely "family friendly". I'm shuddering in sympathetic horror at the hands in the hair.

I waitressed a lot as a teenager, and in my early twenties, and I have nothing but sympathy for staff who have to serve hot food and scalding hot drinks while some parents allow small children to run about unsupervised underfoot. It's desperately unfair to the children, to other customers and potentially lethal. It's also very unfair to the many parents who DO make an effort and have children who are taught to behave appropriately, and above all safely.

[Theyoniwayisnorthwards]

The parents were irresponsible assholes. I hope you didn't call the children annoying in front of the kids themselves. That would have been mean and hurtful.

I would not have liked the kids staring at me or rubbing their hands in my hair but I would have found it exasperating not revolting. I have an almost 3 year old and am quite used to getting sticky hands in my hair. I don't think it's all that big a deal.

That said I would never let my children do that if I could help it.

[NapaCab]

It's parents like this that give the rest of us a bad name! 3 and 6 year old children are definitely old enough to be under more control and to sit at their table when told. It's not as if they had a toddler who doesn't understand discipline or baby that was crying.

Stories like this really wind me up because it makes it so much harder for considerate people to eat out with their children when idiots like this let their children run riot.