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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

aibu to think if youre blw then clean up after yourself!

106 replies

judgejudithjudy · 08/10/2013 09:48

so fed up of eating out watching people doing blw & leaving a huge mess all over the floor without any attempt to clean it up!

OP posts:

IceBeing · 08/10/2013 09:49

where?

this is context specific...

noblegiraffe · 08/10/2013 09:51

I've tried to get my baby to clear up after herself but she just insists on mashing more food into the chair.

Plonkysaurus · 08/10/2013 09:53

Define cleaning up after yourself please.

If we're out and the baby had destroyed his immediate surroundings I do sweep them up with a napkin, and grab any big chunks off the floor.

I could request similar of people who come into my shop, use the staff toilet and piss all over the floor. But it's my job to clean so I do it.

ChippingInNeedsSleepAndCoffee · 08/10/2013 09:55

Yes - I do. My friends doesn't at all and I find it really rude and embarrassing.

But I don't understand when you are a) not the parent b) not with the parent c) not the one cleaning up why you are 'fed up' of it.

Sparklingbrook · 08/10/2013 09:55

I think people will be split on this......

I think you leave the table as you found it-others will say it's 'not their job' or 'that's what the staff are paid to do'.

But don't stack the dirty plates-I learnt that was a no-no.

Florin · 08/10/2013 09:56

We have blw and also take my son out to eat about once a week but without fail always try and clear up as much as possible.

MrsLettuce · 08/10/2013 09:57

Many a time I've asked for a dustpan and brush / cloth / whatever to finish up after a cursory gathering up of the main detritus of BLW only to be thanked and told they'd do it.

Sparklingbrook · 08/10/2013 09:58

I remember being in a pub once and there were twin babies in high chairs doing BLW (whatever that is-it was called 'sticking the food on the high chair tray and letting him get on with it' in 1999). The mess was disgusting and the other children were getting up and down and treading in it and walking it through the pub.

Bearfrills · 08/10/2013 10:02

I thought it was good manners to at least attempt to clean up after your children when you're out, no matter whether they're BLW or not. For example, if we go to the pub for lunch after we've eaten I pick up any big chunks the DCs have dropped and I give the high chair a quick wipe over with a baby wipe, if there's any food on the table itself I pick it up and put it on a plate.

I think it's plain rude to leave food all over the floor, yes there are staff and part of their job is to clean the restaurant area but there's no need to leave huge pieces of food (especially half chewed food) lying around. They'll still need to wipe the table, sweep the floor, etc but why make it harder for them by leaving a complete mess? A distant family member came out for food with us once and her DC chucked 90% of his meal on the floor and mashed the rest into the tray of the high chair, then she just left it. We were among the last to leave and I ended up cleaning the big pieces up because I thought there was no need for it, it's just rude.

Jengnr · 08/10/2013 10:02

I always clean up after my boy and am mostly told by the staff not to.

I think you should at least show willing.

Jengnr · 08/10/2013 10:04

Mind you, I always clean the high chair first too since they are frequently minging.

complexnumber · 08/10/2013 10:07

What is BLW?

SparkyTGD · 08/10/2013 10:08

just what I was going to ask complex

SparkyTGD · 08/10/2013 10:09

have now noticed its 'baby led weaning', its in the acronyms.

BurberryQ · 08/10/2013 10:10

BLW - 'baby led weaning' it is a fashionable buzzword for what people have been doing for years,,,,,and apparently an excuse for leaving a huge mess!

Sparklingbrook · 08/10/2013 10:11

Yes 'Baby led weaning'. When did it get named that?

WillYouDoTheMonsterMash · 08/10/2013 10:13

I always do, but if I go out with other people from baby groups I find that I'm the only one who does. My baby is ridiculously messy so I always pick up any chunks and give any sticky marks a wipe over with a baby wipe.

Mooycow · 08/10/2013 10:13

We were in Hong Kong for 3 weeks in August , and if we attempted to clear a table, throw away a cup etc whilst having a meal .we were royally told off, it's their job to clear / wait tables and if the management see they are not needed , they will lose their job? Unemployment is a big issue.

LittleMissGerardLouiseButler · 08/10/2013 10:16

BLW - baby led weaning.

I work in a cafe, and while I know it is my job to clear tables and clean, and I don't expect people to stack plates etc I do get annoyed when they leave a real mess on the table/floor, I don't say anything and I don't mind a bit of mess, but some people take the piss!

Most people attempt a bit of a clean up and I'm happy with that.

I clean the high chairs after each use too. One customer cane in recently though, and the table had just been cleaned as she watched me do it, then she got out the baby wipes and noone was allowed to sit down till she had wiped down everything including chairs! Her other half just looked at me embarrassed! I know what it's like to have OCD as I've had it for over 25 years now, so understand people do things they can't help, but I've never seen anything like it!

Original poster

judgejudithjudy · 08/10/2013 10:16

in restaraunts - babies throwing so much food on the floor & parents who dont even attempt to clear up. of course its nothing like a dirty plate. its rude. i blw but always clean up after myself. its not a waitresses job to hoover up trodden in food before the next person wants to sit down!

OP posts:

Norudeshitrequired · 08/10/2013 10:20

Genuine question to those who work in cafés / restaurants; why don't you like customers stacking the empty plates?
I do it sometimes when there are a lot of plates as they get in my way once I have finished eating and am trying to sort the kids out and clean them up without them sticking their hands back into the plates.
If it is generally an offensive thing to do then I will refrain from doing it.

Sparklingbrook · 08/10/2013 10:22

I think it's something to do with the bottom of the plate getting dirty No. I had no idea. Thought I was being helpful.

WahIzzit · 08/10/2013 10:23

Yanbu. I find it incredibly rude. Sure they have staff to clean the tables and floors, but would we allow our dc to drop litter on the ground outside simply because we have roadsweepers etc who are emplpyed to clean the streets? Its minging to leave a huge mess, and downright disrespectful.

2tiredtocare · 08/10/2013 10:26

I always clear up the table and underneath if my baby makes a mess and usually get told to leave it by the waiting staff but you should definitely always attempt, it's only polite and my baby is super messy

BenNJerry · 08/10/2013 10:30

I used to waitress and hated this. I wouldn't expect someone to clean everything up but at least the big bits. It wasn't just babies either - we had older children throwing food on the floor and parents leaving it there. It's not even the cleaning it up that bothered me, it's that it looks messy to other customers. Especially on busy days, if the table was vacated and we needed to get it ready again quickly it was a bugger trying to get it cleaned asap.

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