Page 23 | Horrified at 7month old in pizza express with screen

MadeinSW3 · 2022-01-22T15:00:21+00:00

I went for lunch today at pizza express, there was a couple giving their ?7month old a bottle with a screen propped up with something Disney to watch. They then plopped baby into high chair and put something else on during whole time at the stable. How can people be so stupid! The baby was looking around elsewhere for something more interesting.

TheRemotePart · 22/01/2022 19:48

I thought you were going to post “eating a full pizza “
With kindness, give over

I’ve a baby under 1 , and whilst DC doesn’t get it have a tablet - DC does watch Disney singalongs happily whilst I’m pottering and them in the jumperoo for eg. There’s about 23.5 hours of the day NOT watching tv /peppa /cocomelon !

It’s attitudes like this, that make me paranoid to even check my phone when I’m on a bus with my baby “omg- look at her on Facebook when she’s ignoring her child “ when actually I’m trying to check my bank balance and have spent the previous 3/4 of an hour singing “When Santa Got Stuck up The Chimney” whilst pushing the buggy along

Thankfully, my DC is very chill out and about but I can see why parents will give them a little screen so that everyone in the surrounding area can enjoy their meal

feelingdizzy · 22/01/2022 19:49

I think I may have been a bit judgy but honestly if this had been possible when my kids were younger ( 18 and 20) now I might have done it for some peace sometimes , parenting small kids can be relentless

Giraffesandbottoms · 22/01/2022 19:49

@Goldbar

If you are taking toys, it's best to take a piece of string or a clip so you can tie them to the highchair. My DC's favourite game was dropping them on the floor or throwing them at our plates. If they're attached to the high chair, much less damage is done

That’s a very good idea, thank you for sharing!

Btw times when I’ve had to
Get bill/food to go I have used the time waiting to collect and pack up things then waited by the till. I always found once baby was picked up/looking out window etc and waiting for food they calmed down a bit anyway so wasn’t an issue. It’s harder with multiple children but I wouldn’t take both out somewhere with a long order wait time on my own!

Zooforhouse · 22/01/2022 19:49

I was in pizza express earlier. 20m old highchair objector entertained himself by shouting ‘HELP HELP STUCK!’ Every time someone walked past the table. Wish I’d had a bloody screen.

A lunch out is a rare treat with young kids. I’m sure the child doesn’t watch tv all the time. Give the parents a break!

jesusmaryjosephandtheweedonkey · 22/01/2022 19:50

@WindyState I never took them to a restaurant to ignore them so I could enjoy a meal.
You can say whatever you like but using screens and ignoring your children makes people shit, lazy parents.
No other excuses needed.
It's fact!

Yumperwumpee · 22/01/2022 19:52

You can say whatever you like but using screens and ignoring your children makes people shit, lazy parents.
No other excuses needed.
It's fact!

You can say whatever you like but starting a thread to bitch about someone you know absolutely nothing about based on a random snapshot of their day makes you a boring, self-righteous arsehole.
No other excuses needed.
It's fact!

myhousebuild · 22/01/2022 19:53

Maybe...just maybe the parents were having a bad week. Maybe they were trying to sort out so that needed their full attention at a time when they needed to eat and they didn't have any other option. Maybe they were traveling to a funeral, maybe...maybe...maybe. Basically @MadeinSW3 you have no business in judging them!! Those in glass houses and all that...

jesusmaryjosephandtheweedonkey · 22/01/2022 19:54

@Yumperwumpee I never started the thread but I completely agree with the op.
It might make me boring and judgmental but not a lazy arse parent.
I was never that!

WindyState · 22/01/2022 19:55

[quote jesusmaryjosephandtheweedonkey]@WindyState I never took them to a restaurant to ignore them so I could enjoy a meal.
You can say whatever you like but using screens and ignoring your children makes people shit, lazy parents.
No other excuses needed.
It's fact![/quote]
Nah, it's not if done in moderation, as with all things, and the OP has no idea on that.

You at some point have been a shit, lazy parent just like the rest of us. Just because it wasn't with a TV doesn't make it any different.

KurtWilde · 22/01/2022 19:55

@Yumperwumpee

You can say whatever you like but using screens and ignoring your children makes people shit, lazy parents. No other excuses needed. It's fact!

You can say whatever you like but starting a thread to bitch about someone you know absolutely nothing about based on a random snapshot of their day makes you a boring, self-righteous arsehole.
No other excuses needed.
It's fact!

Boom. @Yumperwumpee nailed it in on.

onemachine · 22/01/2022 19:56

Mind your own business

drpet49 · 22/01/2022 19:56

I agree. Lazy parenting at its best.

Mfsf · 22/01/2022 19:57

You judge them wrong. What do you even know about what is going on in their life’s ?
11 months ago I lost my second baby in a year , it was a Saturday when I got confirmation I passed all the remains after I spend the previous night at home bleeding and in huge pain curled in a ball .
My partner who I’m sure was extremely distressed to see me that way was extremely sad and my children knew nothing about it . I promised my 5 year old I would take her out to our posh local farm for lunch . I cried all my way home from the hospital and when I got home I wiped out my tears pretended all was ok and took my daughter to lunch as I promised her . Some might say it’s crazy , some might not agree but I needed to feel like I was a good mum , I needed something to be normal . I was broken inside , my partner spend the whole time holding my hand and kissing me and we allowed our daughter to order what she wanted and to watch anything she wanted on her iPad ( something we normally won’t allow ) , I’m sure to anyone else we looked like a loved up couple who didn’t let go of each other and that seemed perfectly fine , probably to some we might have seem like we ignored our 5 year old or allowed her to do what she wanted . The reality was very very different. Please never think you know what others go though simply because they look fine . Life is not black and white.

OrDis · 22/01/2022 19:58

Well thanks for making me feel like a terrible parent for letting my 15mo watch 5 minutes of little baby bum whilst we waiting for the bill in frankie and bennies last weekend, so that she stopped screeching and banging her head on the highchair because she was tired and wanted to go already! Ffs!

WindyState · 22/01/2022 19:58

@Yumperwumpee

You can say whatever you like but using screens and ignoring your children makes people shit, lazy parents. No other excuses needed. It's fact!

You can say whatever you like but starting a thread to bitch about someone you know absolutely nothing about based on a random snapshot of their day makes you a boring, self-righteous arsehole.
No other excuses needed.
It's fact!

Nailed it.

theleafandnotthetree · 22/01/2022 19:59

@Yumperwumpee

They were all seemingly healthy neurotypical children and the parents gave no appearance of going through a crisis or anything

Well why would they. Do you think neurodiverse children run around shouting the whole time, or parents going through a crisis weep and wail? How on earth would you know what was going on for them?

Personally I'd have been ashamed if my child saw fit to pass comment on some strangers in such a rude manner.

Ashamed? Seriously? My children live in and observe the world and form their own opinions, not all off which pass the 'one must never judge anyone for anything ever' mumsnet bar. I am not raising saints nor drones. And it's not foolproof but as humans we do have instincts for situations and what is or isn't going on. Some people here are suggesting that we can never, ever look at a situation and assess it, that our intuition should never ever be deployed. That is plainly ridiculous

IWasFunBeforeMum · 22/01/2022 19:59

I wouldn't do it personally but I'm not horrified when I see people who do.

Kitkatchunkyplease · 22/01/2022 19:59

@OrDis

Well thanks for making me feel like a terrible parent for letting my 15mo watch 5 minutes of little baby bum whilst we waiting for the bill in frankie and bennies last weekend, so that she stopped screeching and banging her head on the highchair because she was tired and wanted to go already! Ffs!

15 month old is very different to 7 months

Yumperwumpee · 22/01/2022 20:01

It might make me boring and judgmental but not a lazy arse parent.
I was never that!

So you never took the easier option? Never formula fed? Never sent your child to nursery? Never fed them freezer fish fingers instead of making your own? Never distracted them with a toy or game or book? Never used bribery or rewards?

KurtWilde · 22/01/2022 20:01

@drpet49

I agree. Lazy parenting at its best.

You literally have no idea who these people are so how on earth can you judge them on one short interaction?

This thread has blown my mind.

JanuaryBluehoo · 22/01/2022 20:01

The child maybe the most loved, stimulated baby in the planet.
But the parents just wanted a meal out in peace.

KurtWilde · 22/01/2022 20:03

@JanuaryBluehoo exactly.

And did the OP ask for a birth certificate to show how old the baby was? Everyone is stuck on this 7 months like OP knew for definite! My DS was the size of a toddler when he was 7 months old, my eldest DD was the size of a 7 month old when she was 15 months!

Yumperwumpee · 22/01/2022 20:03

Some people here are suggesting that we can never, ever look at a situation and assess it, that our intuition should never ever be deployed

Erm, but you've not taught your children to do that. You've allowed them to make a snap judgement and not challenged them that they maybe don't have all the facts necessary to make that judgement.

YukoandHiro · 22/01/2022 20:04

You literally have no idea what was going on there. None. Agree, it looks less than ideal. Who knows if that couple had just had really bad news and needed some times to just talk to each ef about a bereavement. My point being don't judge because one day when you look like shit from the outside someone will be doing the same to you at a point where you really deserve some compassion

JanuaryBluehoo · 22/01/2022 20:04

Lazy parenting.

Before anyone can cast that aspersions we really need a drill down into them.

To be honest... Threads like this are often someone protecting their own guilt onto others.

I took some card games out to keep dd entertained a while ago.

The waiter actually said "oh its good to see parents using old fashioned games to keep dc going and not screens".

I looked him hard in the eye and said " oh no, we are happy to use screens or anything, this was what came to hand first as we dashed out the door."

Awful.