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?

I think we have become totally paranoid about safety nowadays. Having lived in Europe, it was common for school children to go to and from school by themselves. They started at 5 years old. Back in the 60's it was common for junior school pupils to walk their younger siblings to school. At my Junior school at round the age of 8 or 9 two pupils were sent to the corner shop a few yards away to buy sweets for the teacher each day! It was normal - nobody batted an eyelid. I am sure at age 8 or 9 children can attend the swimming pool on their own without supervision. Each parent knows their child, but I really don't see a problem with a 5 and 8 year old sitting in a family type restaurant being left briefly while a parent takes another child to the toilet. I used to tell mine, "If anybody tries to take you, just scream at the top of your voice". What is with this risk of falling down stairs? Haven't most kids learnt that skill at 3 years old? As adults we are really in danger of completely wrapping our kids up in cotton wool.

My tiny 5yo walks 200 metres from my house to my dm’s unaccompanied. I can’t imagine police being very interested.

Natsku, unless you're not in the UK, then your country does have tablets in McDs. They have them in my local ones and in London, I don't know how many have been rolled out

Oh, I forgot another incident. I let my DS (4 at the time) walk up the path to look at a pirate statue whilst I took a photo of a different statue. They were about 300 yards apart. A security guard actually told me off for letting my child go off (up the straight path, to a fixed point I knew he'd stay at whilst I finished up)

Duty of care ?
Children running around in restaurants a 'child protection issue'?
Do people even have a remote clue what these terms means before using them ?

Good grief. I think many of us have been there, myself included. I wouldn’t expect a mum to drag her entire family to the toilet for the sake of one needing the toilet. She obviously trusts that they’ll behave on their own and they were.
If there was a mishap I’m sure some other mother would help out. I would. Maybe they’d need food cutting, etc. Even if there was a minor accident it’s just as likely to happen if she’s sat there, for instance fall of their chair.
I could understand the fuss if the children took advantage and started misbehaving but from the OP description they were behaving impeccably. So why the fuss?
As a matter of fact I do have a medical condition, that means I have to go to the toilet at short notice. Does that mean that I can never go to restaurants on my own with my children? My life is confined enough as it is. My children behave impeccably. Does that’s mean my life should be even more confined? I try to give my children a childhood as close to any of their peers. Why should other people impose their opinions upon me at the expense of my children.

Not in the UK purplebunny though to be fair I've only been in one McDonald's in recent times (much prefer Hesburger) so maybe they have them somewhere.

I’ve left my older kids sitting in cafes and restaurants loads of time while I’ve taken the youngest to the bathroom. I have a 5 year old and a 9 year old who are perfectly capable of sitting and waiting at a table. They’d be at me if I insisted they form a conga line with me to the toilet, only to stand outside, hovering, while I helped their sibling wipe.

I can’t see why they’d be more likely to choke in a cafe than at home with me at the other end of the house. I don’t drive to school three times a day to supervise my 5 year old’s fruit snack and first and second break in case she chokes on a carrot stick.