To ask parents to turn down volume.

[Borntobeamum]

Sat in a nice restaurant in a hotel.
DH and I are celebrating and sat at the next table is a Mum and dad and their son- aged about 4. He’s watching you tube videos. With the sound on full.
Restaurant is full so can’t move tables.
The parents are both on their phones too.
There’s no interaction. Just tinny noises as they click on various pages.
WIBU to ask them to start up a conversation with their little boy. I could give them some ideas if they’re stuck!

Asking them to have a conversation with their son won't end well. YANBU to ask them to use headphones or turn the volume down though.

Just ask them to turn the sound off or to wear headphones. Or get the waiter to do it. I had this on a train a few weeks ago and the conductor was on it straight away. The sound went down and everyone was happier (apart from the little boy I imagine)

I would ask the waiter to have a word with them.

YY ask the waiter, don't do it yourself.

Oh yes, speak to the waiter, they’ll probably throw a bread roll at you if you try to tell them what to do.

We have a no screens at the table rule at home & it’s the same when we go out to eat. A box of crayons and a colouring sheet is all the entertainment they get!

Update - I went to the loo and asked the lady on reception if someone could have a word.
She said sorry, they are not permitted to request that. I asked why, as it was impacting on many other tables as well as ours.
She shrugged her shoulders and said ‘sorry’.

I would get the bill and leave

Wow! That's shit. I would write a scathing review on trip advisor later

I would leave too, is the hotel really busy because it's Half Term?

Parents like this piss me off. I mean what makes them think everyone else paying for a meal wants to hear the noise from there child ffs! It should either be earphones, sound off or no bloody device.

If the restaurant didn’t want to request the parents act with some manners and turn the sound off, I’d leave and go somewhere else.

I’d ask the parents politely if the restaurant won’t. We let DD play on phone or iPad sometimes at restaurants but always with the sound off.

Blimey - ask to speak to someone more senior. What a pain.

I'd leave.

OP, did you write your post from your phone at the table? 😜

I cannot bear parents who allow their children to do this, or teenagers who do this in public, or even the damn adults I now see doing this. It is so incredibly rude and downright annoying. Awful parenting.

Always ask the management of any place you are to tell the useless parents to shut the bloody hell up turn down the volume on their parenting substitute phones and tablets.

I cannot bear parents who allow their children to do this, or teenagers who do this in public, or even the damn adults I now see doing this. It is so incredibly rude and downright annoying. Awful parenting.

Always ask the management of any place you are to tell the useless parents to shut the bloody hell up turn down the volume on their parenting substitute phones and tablets.

I cannot bear parents who allow their children to do this, or teenagers who do this in public, or even the damn adults I now see doing this. It is so incredibly rude and downright annoying. Awful parenting.

Always ask the management of any place you are to tell the useless parents to shut the bloody hell up turn down the volume on their parenting substitute phones and tablets.

Sorry..MN is playing up and hanging..

OP writing a post is not noisy, Wellies.

An honest review is absolutely needed OP.

In a moment, posters will be along to tell us how they are doing us all a favour by letting their DC watch videos at full volume in public, because otherwise the DC would be running riot

I would persevere politely with the "But can I ask why not?" and force the management to articulate this policy in full, because it really makes no sense at all. Would they allow someone to come in with a radio and put that on at the table?

It sounds as if they've just made up a rule that excuses them from going anywhere near potential conflict, even though that leaves their customers in a crappy position and unable to enjoy their meals. Understandable maybe, given how horrible some folk can be when asked to turn devices down. But really not great from a service point of view.

Agreed that you should ask the waiter to ask them to turn off electronic noises, including youtube. If they want their kid to do nothing but stare at his phone, he can have it on silent or headphones. It's really antisocial of them, so YANBU.

Ah - just seen that the restaurant will not act. In which case, if you are feeling brave, I suggest you google something like "heavy metal youtube" on your own phone, and let rip with the volume right up. What's sauce for the goose....

I'd escalate it to management. Also I'd actually go and speak to them discreetly if staff won't.

Excuse me do you realise that whilst your son watching you tube is amusing him it's also really loud for everyone else.