Devices at restaurants

[sandytoes84]

AIBU to think of you let your child watch cartoons/play games with full volume at a restaurant or pub you’re being an absolute dick?!

I can’t believe how often this happens and in nice places too - most recently a fairly upmarket country pub at 8.30pm...plenty of people in there having a night off kids, trying to enjoy a meal and drink.

How are people so rude/oblivious?!

Absoloutley agree.

If you have to pass devices to your dc to enjoy your meal (aware that for lots of people it's fancy meal with dc or no meals out at all), then headphones absoloutley should be used.

We are lucky to be able to tap into babysitters so if the restaurant is fancy or it's a special occasion we plan around the sitter. If we go somewhere family friendly and tale the dc we have a small bag of toys we bring, none of which make any noise. Our devices don't leave the house unless for long car journeys but I do acknowledge that we are lucky not to have to bring the kids along to somewhere fancy.

Agree. Use devices if you must, but turn the volume off. I can’t believe how selfish and oblivious some people are.

My SIL sometimes gives my DN her phone but always with earphones.

YANBU but people who do his won't care because they are dicks.

You are absolutely right but I always see people jumping to defend this. I don't care if people want to plug their child in to a device to get a bit of peace and yes I do prefer it to them running around (mine wouldn't dare run around in a restaurant but I recognise not all dc are the same) but for god sake use headphones or put it on silent. Same goes for public transport!

YANBU; I will sometimes let DD have my phone as at the end of the meal after we’ve exhausted all the toys we’ve brought it’s better than her disturbing people by climbing and generally making a fuss but always with the volume off

We make our son turn it down when we are out and he has it. I get annoyed with it sometimes so shouldn't see why others should be subjected to it

We make our son turn it down when we are out and he has it

The only options should be noise or headphones. Turned down isn't appropriate.

I went out to breakfast the other day and someone was catching up on her TV watching while enjoying a Full English (definite breakfast envy there).

It was so loud (in a fairly empty cafe) that it was hard to avoid, although I did move tables.

I had the same on a flight the other day. So rude and selfish.

Use your device all you want but nobody else wants to hear the shit tinny sound of awful cartoons.

Turned down isn't appropriate.

Turned down can mean volume off, we say turned down to mean no volume (and turned up would mean with volume).

I let my DC play on devices in public but only with headphones or no volume as the rule is that if I can hear it then I take it away.

Yanbu. No issue with devices being used (our 3yo watched his tablet a lot recently travelling to and from the US / meals in airports etc) but the sound either has to be off or earphones on.
He used to try and take the earphones out but i removed the tablet and switched it off every time. After the 3rd or 4th time he stopped doing it.

YANBU, I once ate a meal with Peppa Pig's company from the next table. We moved in the end but it was extremely annoying.

I’ve never given my kids screens when out in a restaurant. I’ll admit I was sorely tempted when they were younger, but resisted.

I feel like I’m reaping the benefits now. Mine take books with them, they’re quiet as mice for hours at a time.

There’s a circle of hell reserved for people who obliviously subject everyone around them to max volume peppa pig.

Zero sound or with headphones only.

If other people are subjected to noise from your child's devices you're being rude and inconsiderate.

And don't get me started on the inevitable claims of "but if we didn't let them have their devices with sound through the speaker then they'd be badly behaved so really we're doing everyone a favour". 🙄 If a child is so badly behaved that they can't behave unless watching a device with sound so everyone else can hear then they arent able to be out in restaurants etc.

I should add, I have no issue with parents of younger children settling younger children who are a little noisy because they're actually parenting and teaching their children how to behave.

I always get a massive urge to put on something wildly inappropriate and outdo them on volume.

Really sweary tv or death metal or something. Then do the faux innocent.

I've got three kids and I simply cannot believe that it's not possible to train your children not to need to play on devices at the dinner table. I've never allowed them and I've never had to entertain my children with books, games or anything else of a similar nature. They're expected to sit on their arses and eat or talk with us all or to each other. I don't have magic abnormal kids. They're not super special.

@HunnyMummy1993 maybe put on the "When Harry met Sally" diner scene on loudly?

No issue with kids having devices. But absolutely the only two acceptable options are no volume or headphones. If the child won’t wear headphones then no sound.

The problem is establishments failing to police it. A polite, but firm table visit from the manager should sort it. It's worth the risk of losing the future business of assholes not to piss off the rest of their customer base.

Oh - and if you want to retaliate, is the correct song to play in response at full volume.

I've got three kids and I simply cannot believe that it's not possible to train your children not to need to play on devices at the dinner table. I've never allowed them and I've never had to entertain my children with books, games or anything else of a similar nature. They're expected to sit on their arses and eat or talk with us all or to each other. I don't have magic abnormal kids. They're not super special.

We have no devices at the table at home because it's time to sit together and talk.

When we're on holiday I relax the rules and they're allowed them as we've spent all day together anyway so not a great deal of catching up to do and they enjoy the downtime.

For ordinary eating out or going out for a meal with wider family, etc. I let them bring their devices in case they're needed. Two of my DC are autistic and can get overwhelmed in which case it's headphones on, video of choice on ipad, and they can put their heads down and shut the world out for a bit until they feel calmer. My oldest daughter uses a kindle so she may look like she's messing about on a screen but she's actually reading, her school reading scheme is online too so almost all of her reading is done via kindle.

What @FacebookRager said.

@Venger apologies, I forgot to mention in my post that SN are a different kettle of fish. I can completely understand use of aids for non NT children.

I’ve just been called unpleasant for stating that if kids are old enough for screens they are old enough for Headphones. I don’t like screens in restaurants full stop but if you are there for a longish meal for an occasion or a big group then I do sometimes give in so I can catch up with friend or family. However, my slack parenting shouldn’t impact on other people do headphones it is.