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AIBU?

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Original poster

Is this "Ok" social etiquette now? AIBU

189 replies

Weathergames · 20/09/2015 18:28

And a grumpy cow?

OH and I have no kids this weekend (we have 6 between us they are all with their dads mums).

Went for a pub lunch down the road today family pub, not posh. Lots of families in there in the restaurant, big christening party. We were sat next to a couple with a baby, prob 18 months old. Fine (not in the christening party).

Couple fed the baby first and he sat next to their table in a high chair. Their food arrived and they put a mobile phone in front of him and proceeded to eat their food while he watched an episode of Peppa Pig which was clearly audible from our table.

Is this ok? It was REALLY irritating (I hate having the TV on during a meal anyway) and really detracted from our meal and we left as soon as we had finished eating. Just felt it was so inconsiderate of other diners and they should've been interacting with their child.

Or am I just a grumpy cow?

OP posts:
SmugairleRoin · 20/09/2015 19:46

Yanbu, the volume shouldn't have been up at a level that was disturbing other tables.

Original poster
Weathergames · 20/09/2015 19:47

All pubs are bloody family pubs?

OP posts:
Sirzy · 20/09/2015 19:49

I agree with the majority, tablet fine noise from it not fine

Original poster
Weathergames · 20/09/2015 19:51

sirzy exactly

OP posts:
OrderofWork · 20/09/2015 19:51

That's because before families, desperate forward bit of a break, started using pubs regularly, pubs were closing daily. If it weren't for the advent of the family pub, there would be no pubs left....be grateful Grin

HamaTime · 20/09/2015 19:58

SIL does this. Loud Peppa Pig (always Peppa Pid Confused) plus loud parenting about Peppa Pig

'Look, look at Peppa! What is Mummy Pig doing now?'

I want to smash the damn thing. I don't mind the kid playing on a screen, but I do mind that the entire restaurant table has a running commentary of Peppa bloody Pig.

yeOldeTrout · 20/09/2015 19:58

I'm leaning towards YABU.

I'm sure you can find a stuffy old-people-only type venue if you try a bit harder.

Snossidge · 20/09/2015 20:03

Don't see the problem really. Pubs are usually loud anyway, especially if there was a christening party in, but if it was genuinely annoying you then you should have asked them to turn the volume down.

I have 3 little boys and we either go to pubs with softplay areas or take an ipad. Sometimes both.

Pico2 · 20/09/2015 20:04

I have a 'sound off in public rule'. I got some warm smiles from other passengers on a train when I told DD, 'you might want to listen to Peppa Pig, but I doubt that any one else on the train does, so no sound.' It's just common sense.

MrsMook · 20/09/2015 20:09

It's a grey area, but audible Peppa Pig sways you towards not being unreasonable.

I sat through months of DC's swimming lessons listening to 30 minutes of someone else's child being entertained by sodding Peppa Pig and it's awful, awful theme tune looping around every 5 minutes.

I am of course a model mother and entertain my toddler with an educational app with the sound as low as possible Grin

CasualJersey · 20/09/2015 20:12

YABU

go somewhere not 'family friendly' if you have such a stuffy attitude towards children

I imagine for the 15 mins it took the parents to eat, Peppa was a welcome relief

How self involved are some of you to think it would be ok to ask someone to turn it down.

Rude.

ScarletRuby · 20/09/2015 20:14
  1. I don't want to hear your child kicking off, having a meltdown at the table next to me.
  1. I do not want to be subject to Peppa Pig while I eat out.

For me, the answer is asking to be seated away from children and if that is not possible leaving the restaurant. Both of which I gave done.

Rainbunny · 20/09/2015 20:15

I put up with it more when it's entertaining children, mostly because it's far better than potential screaming/tantruming would be. When adults do it though it makes my blood boil!

I was on a 3 hour flight last week and the woman next to me started watching a (presumably downloaded) tv show on her phone with no earphones. I made it clear in my British way that I was unhappy (in other words I passive aggressively frowned in her direction) not surprisingly to no avail. I ended up putting in earplugs (in a slightly ostentatious manner) and she seemed to get the message and stopped after a minute or two more. I know I should have been direct but there's a grumpy old fashioned part of me that resents that I should have to explain what should be naturally obvious etiquette in public spaces.

Original poster
Weathergames · 20/09/2015 20:18

I'm rude?!

Shock
OP posts:
RapidlyOscillating · 20/09/2015 20:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RapidlyOscillating · 20/09/2015 20:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hazeyjane · 20/09/2015 20:32

If ds had his ipad out and no headphones on I wouldn't mind if someone asked us to turn it down, but we always make him have it on silent if we forgot the headphones or we would take it off him!

He is non verbal so has talker (looks like an ipad, has a bluetooth speaker), it is quite new to us, but we took it out to a pizza express the other day, and I did suddenly worry that someone might complain about the voice coming out of the speaker, because I suppose it looks like he is just on an ipad!!

TittyBiskwits · 20/09/2015 20:33

How self involved are some of you to think it would be ok to ask someone to turn it down.

Is that a joke?

How self involved are some parents that they think it's ok to subject other diners to 15 minutes of Peppa fucking Pig?! It's not compulsory for them to dine out.

PurpleDaisies · 20/09/2015 20:33

Self involved for not wanting to listen to peppa pig blaring out at full volume when in a public place? How does that work then? Hmm

Autumnnights1 · 20/09/2015 20:36

Id say headphones too. But I'd not get stressed about it to be honest.

Lambzig · 20/09/2015 20:36

Mrs Harvey, me too.

DD has always behaved impeccably in restaurants. She is now 5, but we took her everywhere including a couple of michelin star places pretty much all her life. I used to be so judgey about parents getting out the iPad or colouring thinking "just talk to them".

Then DS came along and he is horrendous. To be honest we don't go out to eat much more because he is so badly behaved. On the rare occasion we might brave a relatively family friendly place such as Prezzo or the local indian restaurant, we do take the iPad, but always with the sound off.

Like most I would no longer be judgey about the phone, but would be annoyed by the sound being on.

Eminybob · 20/09/2015 20:39

Well I don't understand this because why didn't they just eat their food at the same time as the DC?

DP and I took DS for lunch today. He's 14 months and he did need a bit of entertaining before the food arrived, but I had a couple of toys in my bag, a car, pretend phone etc.

Then the food came, I cut his up then let him get on with it while we ate ours. He took an age and we had dessert and another drink while he was at it.

There, no need for any distraction while you're eating as they are eating too. Or am I missing something?

Sirzy · 20/09/2015 20:40

Because not all babies are the same and if he still needs a lot of help to feed them feeding him first would make more sense.

Eminybob · 20/09/2015 20:44

Well I did need to shovel the odd forkful of peas in to be fair.

So yeah, ok.

roundtable · 20/09/2015 20:48

Couldn't give a shit, sorry.

Agree about pubs closing down if it wasn't for families. We live in a time with technology, if it's too loud ask them to turn it down surely.

If they refuse then yanbu!Smile