To think if a mum is happy to leave 2 kids alone at a table the restaurant staff should leave them alone

[Kitsandkids]

Currently in a family friendly restaurant. A mum has taken a toddler to the toilet leaving 2 children aged anywhere between 5 and 8, at a guess, sitting at the table. They are not being rowdy, they are not crying, they are just sitting quietly. But when a waitress came over with their food she got annoyed that they are alone and has left another staff member standing next to the table. So now they are sitting in awkward silence waiting for mum to return. Is it just me who thinks if mum is fine to leave the together, and they're not causing a disturbance, the staff should leave them alone?

Its part od the americanisation of the uk - they cant leave the kids unattended in case one of them chokes and tue restaurant gets sued or something

Yanbu. What restaurant? Is it a chain?

Ridiculous. What on earth do they think will happen. Was the mum supposed to drag all three to the loo, or alternatively send the toddler to the loo alone. I hope she tells the staff to mind their fecking business.

I think it's fair enough for the staff to keep an eye on them, though I don't think that has to be standing by the table. Given the current desire to sue for everything all it takes is for one of them to have a minor accident & the restaurant will be in trouble for nothing. Just not worth it any more.

Has a restaurant ever been sued for a child choking because their parent had gone to the loo?

Seems very odd. They can keep an eye on them without a sort of ostentatious eyebrow raising display surely?

The five year old isn’t alone. There is anolder sibling. It’ll be a few minutes. I can’t see how an 8njury would leave the restaurant open to suing either, unless something fell on them. If they did something silly it wouldn’t be the restaurants responsibility.

Did the waitress get annoyed at the children or how did that work?

I think it's over the top under the described circumstances.

Maybe the restaurant has had a bad experience with unattended children before and wants to preempt it and keep the other customers happy. A toddler going to the toilet will only be a few minutes, so it is hardly as if they will be sat in an awkward silence for long.

The alternative could be a nasty accident if the mum has a medical condition and suddenly needs the toilet. Telling the staff when you do this would be reasonable.

I live in America and wait staff don't watch over your DC when one goes potty unless you specifically ask them and leave a very generous tip (at least $5 to the server who helped you out).

The five year old is unsupervised. An eight year old sibling can't prevent the 5 year old leaving the table, getting under the feet of staff, falling down a flight of stairs, etc. If the parent is gone for five minutes, de facto they are leaving the waiting staff to watch their two children. I wouldn't be happy.
So, if you're out with your kids, and you need the loo, you have to drag them all with you every time, no matter what the circumstances, environment, or how well you know they are capable of behaving for five minutes? I think that's ridiculous.

I live in America and wait staff don't watch over your DC when one goes potty Sorry Supermum but that means something completely different over here

I don't think anyone would expect waiters to watch as a child went beserk!

Having said that... if the 2 kids at the table were quietly, happily sat waiting, no noise, no running around or in anyway irritating anyone or putting themselves in harms way, I have no idea what the problem was!

Why 'poor kids' ?