To find it annoying when parents let their children watch tablets in coffee shops with the volume turned up?

[Zippyzoppy]

Sat in a coffee shop just wanting to have a quiet few minutes to myself. Opposite is a Dad with his circa 4 year old who is playing games on a tablet which I can hear and is really distracting and spoiling my enjoyment of my coffee. Dad is on his iPhone.

Am I a miserable cow for finding this irritating?!

What might seem like barely audible to some can be a huge issue for others.

If you're out in a café or restaurant, I'd argue that noisy environments like that are probably not ideal, in that case, and I speak as someone who finds environmental noise uncomfortable. I really struggle with ambient vocal noise because I can't tune it out and it can make me feel quite overwhelmed. So I choose to go at quieter times of the day (which I also did when my kids were little) to avoid a) pissing off other people who assume I'm just a lazy parent, and b) making life a bit more comfortable.

Personal choice is a wonderful thing.

And just to point out the poster never said in their post that the noise was blasting out just that they could hear it. I hear people laughing and talking in a coffee shop should I be mad about that?

All the tinny speaker noises annoy me. Whether small kids with Peppa or teenagers/early 20s sharing videos or TikToks, or some twat watching sport with the sound on it’s all annoying.

Don’t have headphones? Don’t have the volume on. Singling out parents of small kids is a bit twattish when there is so much of this crappy behaviour. (But I agree, why is it always bloody Peppa?)

And while I’m on my soapbox, don’t take speakers to the park when you’re having a picnic. No one else likes your music and you’re being a twat.

What might look like a neurotypical child with a lazy parent using a screen may actually be a parent needing a much needed break for five minutes with their child who may not be able to use headphones.

Can I suggest that the best place for a parent to have a break like this is not a café indoors? What's wrong with a break at home, or in the garden, or a park?

I used to attend a Monday morning slimming world meeting with maybe 20 people. There were around 3 mums with toddlers who would come, always let their dc watch things like Peppa Pig with the volume on medium the entire meeting. I found it so rude, and it didn't even work for more than five or ten minutes anyhow. Usually the toddler would be running around screaming, pulling things off the display table and the phone would be on the floor, still piping out Peppa. The leader never said a word to them because she wanted to be a child friendly group. I always wanted to say "your kid's not even watching it, just turn it off". It is just anti social behaviour.

@ShortBacknSides
Lovely so a parent of a child with additional needs in your opinion should not be allowed in a cafe indoors is that was you are saying? That they should not leave the house and have a coffee indoors instead?

@CandyLeBonBon

What might seem like barely audible to some can be a huge issue for others.

If you're out in a café or restaurant, I'd argue that noisy environments like that are probably not ideal, in that case, and I speak as someone who finds environmental noise uncomfortable. I really struggle with ambient vocal noise because I can't tune it out and it can make me feel quite overwhelmed. So I choose to go at quieter times of the day (which I also did when my kids were little) to avoid a) pissing off other people who assume I'm just a lazy parent, and b) making life a bit more comfortable.

Personal choice is a wonderful thing.

People aren't complaining about ambient vocal noise though. That is the noise that you expect in a public place and you can take steps to avoid it if it's a problem. Screen noise is very different and I don't think it is to be expected in a cafe or restaurant environment unless maybe it's a theme place. There's more than one poster on the thread who has said they or their DC couldn't tolerate it.

It’s incredibly rude. Headphones or sound turned off is the only acceptable way to use a device in public. If you can’t or aren’t willing to do that then you shouldn’t frequent these places. No one wants to listen to your noise.

I couldn't a rat's arse if you put your kid in front of an iPad instead of a colouring book or the Encyclopaedia Britannica, as long as the volume isn't on. It's so arrogant to make everyone else listen to whatever shit is currently entertaining your child. Either they wear headphones or the iPad is put away.

Kids on tablets in cafes fine, your choice, but mute or wear headphones. How can anyone argue that's it's fine to have the volume on? It's such an annoying noise and effects everyone else nearby.

@ConsuelaHammock Do you include that to children with additional needs who cannot wear headphones due to sensory processing difficulties?

[quote Jakie7700]@ConsuelaHammock Do you include that to children with additional needs who cannot wear headphones due to sensory processing difficulties?[/quote]
But they surely you would keep the volume down to the bare minimum? There is non need for it to be at a volume that is loud enough to disturb others including others who also have sensory processing disorder

[quote Jakie7700]@ConsuelaHammock Do you include that to children with additional needs who cannot wear headphones due to sensory processing difficulties?[/quote]
There is also a volume control. Nobody needs the volume at full blast.

If you are playing a game, there is no need for noise. Volume should be turned off. If you are watching a film/programme/video of some description, volume can be turned down to a level that does not disturb others.

@ShortBacknSides

What might look like a neurotypical child with a lazy parent using a screen may actually be a parent needing a much needed break for five minutes with their child who may not be able to use headphones.

Can I suggest that the best place for a parent to have a break like this is not a café indoors? What's wrong with a break at home, or in the garden, or a park?

FFS.

If you want to be a shit parent (and I include myself in this) then at least have the decency to ensure your shit parenting doesn’t impact on anyone else.

😳😳

@OchonAgusOchonOh
I totally agree that the volume should be at a reasonable level and not blasting out. But the poster NEVER said in their OP that this was the case just simply the noise annoyed her!

The volume was loud enough to disturb others therefore it was too loud!

Can I suggest that the best place for a parent to have a break like this is not a café indoors? What's wrong with a break at home, or in the garden, or a park?

Ffs. Gets better.

[quote Jakie7700]@OchonAgusOchonOh
I totally agree that the volume should be at a reasonable level and not blasting out. But the poster NEVER said in their OP that this was the case just simply the noise annoyed her![/quote]
If the volume was low, it is unlikely she would have been disturbed by the noise.

Yes parents, you inconsiderate twats, how dare you contemplate going to a cafe? Stick to parks and your gardens. (or just disregard this condescending nonsense and go wherever you like)

@3womeninaboat

Unfortunately the kind of people who do this usually won’t turn it down if you ask politely.

On a couple of occasions when this utter lack of consideration has really got on my tits, I've cancelled my order.

Well, actually, I've tried to cancel my order and explained that I had to leave because of the intolerable noise. But both times, the offending family were told to turn off the bloody racket or leave. One of the occasions was in a slightly rough cafe in a run-down seaside town and I fully expected to be told to fuck off.

@feelingmehtoday

Yes parents, you inconsiderate twats, how dare you contemplate going to a cafe? Stick to parks and your gardens. (or just disregard this condescending nonsense and go wherever you like)

Yes, go where you like. But show a bit of consideration for others while you are there.

@OchonAgusOchonOh The OP said the child was opposite her so could be also very likely it was on a reasonable level it's just the OP did not like that the child had it on. Unless we were present it is very difficult to tell as certain things annoy others more than another person. My po

@PercyPiginaWig

The dad sounds like an entitled arse. On silent or with earphones. We went camping last year and the neighbouring tent gave the child a phone or tablet to watch some hideous kids show at 5:30.

That's appalling.

I recommend the Caravan and Camping club sites. They have a "no unnecessary noise" rule between (iirc) 11pm and 8am. And they enforce it!

@OchonAgusOchonOh

I was addressing this particular comment:

Can I suggest that the best place for a parent to have a break like this is not a café indoors? What's wrong with a break at home, or in the garden, or a park?

Which clearly doesn't say "go where you like and show some consideration for others". It essentially says cafes are not the place for "parents". Fucking condescending bullshit.