To take a 3 year old to the Ritz at 17:30?

[PreschoolattheRitz]

We've been invited by grandparents at the end of April.

4 is a world away from 3

..well it was an idea long in the gestation that we didn’t actually manage. I’d have taken him at three just the same. He was just the kind of kid who just...sat there! Quietly!

But my point was it’s entirely about the child, and you know your child.

DS2 is 3 and just doesn’t do sitting still. He’d have slipped off his chair within 5 minutes and dragged the table cloth down with him. Hell no.

Tea at the Ritz is a special and quite formal thing. {I haven't yet been, but Brothers go a fair bit}

It isn't a place where I'd take any child unless they could sit quietly and not make a scene.

It's not like popping into a local 'Family Friendly' cafe where one expects a bit of screeching.

People do it as a treat, and definitely leave kids behind! Bros say the cakes are beautiful, so go hungry!

Have fun, but leave kids behind.

Park after? At 8pm? And then go home on the tube for an hour?!

I hadn't thought of you travelling on the tube, assumed you'd be driving or would get a cab and small children often fall asleep on a journey home. I must admit I wouldn't fancy a long train journey.

If he isn't the only young child at the party, he'd probably enjoy it. I know mine would have. I reckon you would be out of there not long after 7pm too so not that late.

However I have a feeling the Ritz won't be open for tea in April.

I would be fine with this for my daughter (3.5y). She has been to afternoon teas in nice hotels and really enjoyed them, behaved herself perfectly well, doesn't need screens or make any disruptive noise etc. Can't see how her presence inconvenienced anyone else at all. That said at 5:30 it would probably also depend on the length and nature of the commute back home.

The Ritz is apparently very child friendly and caters for small children who are taken there for tea.

European and Middle Eastern children generally seem much better behaved than British children in dining places. Even quite young children sit sensibly. Maybe a Cultural thing?

@LizFlowers

Park after? At 8pm? And then go home on the tube for an hour?!

I hadn't thought of you travelling on the tube, assumed you'd be driving or would get a cab and small children often fall asleep on a journey home. I must admit I wouldn't fancy a long train journey.

If he isn't the only young child at the party, he'd probably enjoy it. I know mine would have. I reckon you would be out of there not long after 7pm too so not that late.

However I have a feeling the Ritz won't be open for tea in April.

Even a cab is an hour and I don't want him falling asleep because it'll disturb his night sleep. And what do I do with a massive toddler car seat?!

OP my DH’s parents insisted on taking DH, DS and me to a very fancy london restaurant for lunch in the summer. DS was 18 months and going through a phase of wanting to sit on the table to eat his meals and anyway lunchtime is precious nap time. I said no way and encouraged my DH to go while I chilled during nap time. The in-laws were upset with me but after they saw what DS was like at meal times they understood.

I think they had forgotten what toddlers are like and just assumed he would sit in his high chair (I don’t think the restaurant even had high chairs). They are the type of people that are the first to complain about screaming kids so not sure why they thought DS would be any different.

I get the pressure you feel but politely decline will cause less stress for you DH, the grandparents, the staff and other visitors! Best of luck

I have 2nd thoughts taking my ds3 to mcdonalds never mind the ritz

I would be worried about her being in the wrong kind of mood, and ruining it for others. It is very formal, and she will be expected to be quiet. So no, it is not fair on her at all. Little children do not need stifling atmospheres. Why not choose another place that is less formal. The berkley have a 'fun' afternoon tea, or even Harrods is fun, as it is not so formal and is so much bigger and busy.

Or you could request a private afternoon tea perhaps?

Haha, I couldn’t think of anything more stressful. Doesn’t matter how well behaved or not the 3 year old is, it will be a disaster and the you you presumably have to travel back home after.

The Grandparents are crazy!

@5amcrew

OP my DH’s parents insisted on taking DH, DS and me to a very fancy london restaurant for lunch in the summer. DS was 18 months and going through a phase of wanting to sit on the table to eat his meals and anyway lunchtime is precious nap time. I said no way and encouraged my DH to go while I chilled during nap time. The in-laws were upset with me but after they saw what DS was like at meal times they understood.

I think they had forgotten what toddlers are like and just assumed he would sit in his high chair (I don’t think the restaurant even had high chairs). They are the type of people that are the first to complain about screaming kids so not sure why they thought DS would be any different.

I get the pressure you feel but politely decline will cause less stress for you DH, the grandparents, the staff and other visitors! Best of luck

Yes politely declining is what I shall do!! X

@LH1987

Haha, I couldn’t think of anything more stressful. Doesn’t matter how well behaved or not the 3 year old is, it will be a disaster and the you you presumably have to travel back home after.

The Grandparents are crazy!

I think they've forgotten what having young children is actually like

I stayed in the Ritz hotel in Orlando Florida for a few days with young DCs and there was no issue with dining. The chef even made a few off menu items for them.

The London one is probably not as relaxed though.

@PlanDeRaccordement

I stayed in the Ritz hotel in Orlando Florida for a few days with young DCs and there was no issue with dining. The chef even made a few off menu items for them.

The London one is probably not as relaxed though.

The London one is not similar, at all.

I would meet them for museum or similar, maybe a boat trip, earlier in the day then dh goes for tea with his parents and they all talk about how lovely your toddler is whilst you go home with toddler in time for bath. That's assuming we still have museums in April. Or indeed baths.

Mine would have been fine but we kept continental hours and it wouldn't have been particularly unusual for them or for me and therefore they would have been entirely calm because it was nothing to be excited about. However had they misbehaved they'd have been removed immediately had it been The Ritz or McDonald's.

I'd rather shit in my hands and clap than do this.

@CastleCrasher

Very much depends on the child. Dd, absolutely. Ds? Probably not!

Absolutely this. My Ds at 3 no problem. Dd at 3? Not a fucking chance!

Oh, god one of mine aged 3 hurled a fork, in a good mood, just being delighted, and it hit a diner at another table. They were extremely generous about it, said they were grandparents and understood, but it was mortifying.

And that was in a cheap and cheerful place.

Or you could request a private afternoon tea perhaps?

Of course she couldn’t. She’s not paying.

@VinylDetective

Or you could request a private afternoon tea perhaps?

Of course she couldn’t. She’s not paying.

No but I would pay not to go

I guess it depends what the film is that week.

@RosesAndHellebores

Mine would have been fine but we kept continental hours and it wouldn't have been particularly unusual for them or for me and therefore they would have been entirely calm because it was nothing to be excited about. However had they misbehaved they'd have been removed immediately had it been The Ritz or McDonald's.

Well, exactly, so if you are removing children and leaving your parents to their celebration tea, it’s no fun for anyone.

Well, except the child.

My Ds would have been hugely pleased to be removed from any sit down and eat situation.

We went for afternoon tea at the Ritz in February and really enjoyed it. However, it’s not for young kids, in my view. They’d need to be impeccably behaved, it’s very “adult”.