to think that child friendly restaurants should not mean play zone

[shallowkittie]

Post Mothers' day meal and I will never go somewhere again that promotes itself as 'child friendly' even though I have 2 DC's under 5.

When did it become acceptable to let your kids run around as though the restaurant is a play zone. It's not the first time this has happened but it was so busy yesterday and the noise level was unbearable. Can't restaurants be child friendly without turning into giant creche's?

Kids are not impeccably behaved all the time, they can be illogical and very demanding and a little bit of consideration on the part of others can go a long way in helping parents to deal with difficult situations. I also think parents need to realise that perhaps not every environment is suitable for children, I like to think that I am entitled to a bit of peace and quiet in places that are set up to be relaxing places for adults to go to. Whether you like it not children, especially in large groups can be noisy and on occasion very annoying if not properly supervised. I have lost count of the times I have seen the militant ‘we have just as much right to be here’ parents barrel into a previously calm restaurant or cafe like a wrecking ball destroying any ambience as ‘Archie’, ‘Lulu’ and ‘Oscar’ fight, run, scream and squabble over an action figure rendering any notion of a chilled out lunch/coffee impossible. It’s a tough one. I think there needs to be a bit of compromise on both sides of the fence.

I try to use a bit of common sense, you are unlikely to find me down my local Pizza Express during a Saturday afternoon as they seem to have a roaring trade in children’s birthday parties, good for them, I would be a twat to go in there demanding peace and quiet. Equally, when I am having a few pints with my mates down the pub in the evening or having a meal with MrsCuChulainn I don’t want to be reprimanded for my coarse language, be subject to ear piercing screams or find myself tripping over toddlers, I don’t think I am being unreasonable in expecting that such environments should cater for adults only and parents who think that it is perfectly acceptable to get pissed while their kids are running wild should give themselves an upper cut rather than moan about others being inconsiderate.

I could see the elderly folks faces drop when we arrived

I don't think you can blame them for that - as this thread shows, plenty of people have witnessed awful behaviour and non-existent parenting in restaurants etc - you can't blame people, older people especially, for worrying that their meal might be disrupted. Focus on the fact that your DC proved them wrong, and nice for the one gent to come up and say so!

YANBU. as a previous poster mentioned it is incredibly dangerous.
hot food/drink could hurt a child and no doubt said lazy parent would go mad blaming the poor staff when really they should control their child.

DD isn't allowed to get up and run about, it's a restaurant not a playground.

As for elderly faces, hell, I've just turned 40 and me and my friends would drop faces if kids entered when we were in our 30s and some of them were parents. We've just had so many occasions ruined by thoughtless or entitled parents (I don't blame the kids).

It is so hard to get your own child to sit at the table if you have other kids crawling underneath it and looking like they are having a whale of a time cartwheeling around causing mayhem! I think sometimes parents almost want their kids to encourage others to join them, so that they don't look so bad!
I take DD out quite frequently as it is a nice way to socialise with my friends without her missing out and I don't have to cook or wash up but I also know to pack stuff to keep her happy at the table (stickers/crayons/magasine, etc) and take her around myself for a walk if the food takes ages. I do also think staff in these places should warn you as soon as you arrive if the food will take over half an hour to arrive though. I've waited a whole hour for a starter in one place and a hungry toddler won't sit still for that long, no matter how many stickers you have!

I am all for children eating out, how else will they learn how to behave properly in restaurants. However there is a time and a place. Restaurants are a treat, not an entitlement. You behave properly or you don't go until you can behave properly.

once on a night out with school acquaintances, one in particular behaved so badly we were asked to leave a pub, I don't blame other guests complaining, we deserved to be booted out, 'twas very embarrassing

CuChullain Mon 31-Mar-14 15:29:47

I wish I could Like this post. It's spot on.

Oh god yes. Still haven't gotten over the time I went out for lunch and there was a child of 3 or 4 riding his bike around the restaurant while his parents ate their food, oblivious to the chaos he was causing.

Where do you people eat your dinners?

Children shouldn't leave the table unless it's to use the toilet. Not only do they disturb other customers but they get under the feet of the staff and it's bloody dangerous too.
Luckily mine all behave beautifully.