Horrified at 7month old in pizza express with screen

[MadeinSW3]

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.

@VladmirsPoutine

I think it's people like the OP why so many new mums suffer in silence. They don't want to be judged so sit at home alone with a crying baby because god forbid a busy body might start a thread about them being outside of the home with A SCREEN!

Quite. I'd be judgey if they had the sound up, because that interferes with other people, but I really couldn't care less how people entertain their children.

The level of engagement parents choose to have with their 'fucking children' 🙄 is down to them

I don’t agree with this actually. Yes, it’s down to then, but parents should actually bother with and interact with their children. Also how else are children supposed to learn how to behave at a restaurant? It’s a slippery slope!

@Waxonwaxoff0

Nope, won’t piss off! 😆 I think it sets a bad precedent. Screen time is fine, but there’s a time and a place. There are plenty of ways to have adult time that don’t breed bad habits eg ordering a takeaway (which pizza express do) when children are in bed etc.

I was on holiday recently and every night in the hotel restaurant several families just had children glued to iPads. Was so depressing.

@CeeCeeDeeBee

Fully agree with everything you’ve said

Well, at least the baby got to watch the screen.
Better that than Mum and Dad have a screen each and baby left to entertain itself!

The judginess works a bit letter if you don't use foul language

Why? Why does it matter? It’s not like my or anyone’s children can hear me typing a swear word. Can’t you see the irony of judging my “judginess” whilst then judging my use of colourful language?! 🤦🏻‍♀️😬 @JuergenSchwarzwald

@FourTeaFallOut

Horrified? Is there any need to be so dramatic? I was waiting for the bit when they finished their meal and chucked the baby in the pizza oven.

This made me laugh out loud

I’m horrified that you spent your lunch gawping at some poor family and passing judgement on them. It’s really none of your business.

@ChargingBuck

Lol at the baby Jesus comment

I am shocked that you are shocked...you need to get a life!!

How horrible OP, I hope you phoned the police after polishing your medal 🏅

You will be told that you are being unreasonable but history will proof us right. All these twenty year olds I keep meeting through work who can't hold a conversation.

@stmw321

You should come and work with me for a day in my children's safeguarding job, THEN you'll be horrified.

In the kindest way, get a grip.

Absolutely

@MadeinSW3

I’ve never seen a child so young with a screen, just shake a toy! The baby looked calm and was smiling when looking away from screen !

Yes but it still has a screen so maybe the noise dad comforting. Maybe they didn't want to get into the pass a toy drop a toy scream thing for fear of people judging them for their child being noisy

So you're damned if you let your child look at a screen to keep them quiet in a restaurant, and your damned if you let your child sit and scream whilst you get dirty looks from all the other diners.

It's each parents prerogative as to how they parent their child. As long as you don't witness any abuse, let them parent how they want. Sheesh.

OP, I'd be very sad to see this too.

I'll bet a lot of the posters frothing at the mouth are doing the same thing. So many children are starting nursery with poor speech and still in nappies. No interaction as it interrupts them glued to their own phones.

@Giraffesandbottoms

Absolutely hate people using screens in restaurants, barring children having special needs. So lazy and sad - talk to your fucking children.

How do you know if someone has "special needs" or not?!

I’m only on here to find out how the OP knows that the child in question is not eight months or six months.

@Wineisoverrated

I once sat in a Starbucks cafe with my eldest in a high chair watching my phone when we were going through a family crisis.

I had slept about an hour in three days and was at breaking point. I needed ten minutes of just not being mummy before I simply broke down crying.

You never know what someone else is going through. You see a baby watching a phone with a bottle as mum and dad eat a lovely meal. Mum and dad may have just decided to end their relationship and have met to discuss it, mum and dad could have just received awful news, have buried a loved one, have lost their jobs or received a diagnosis and just for the length of a single course of a meal needed not to be completely attentive parents.

Life happens and you do the best with what you have. Be less judgemental.

This. Mind your own business. You have no idea about this family.

What kind of pizza was the baby having ?

You are not wrong, but you will be vilified.

@Spilltheteaplease

I meant screens aren't great especially for little babies but that might be the only screen time they're having the whole day/weekend and they just want 30 mins of peace to eat their pizza.

I bet it's not

I agree, but good luck op

This won't go down well on here

So you're damned if you let your child look at a screen to keep them quiet in a restaurant, and your damned if you let your child sit and scream whilst you get dirty looks from all the other diners

No, there’s a middle ground. You accept meals out with young children are basically a teaching experience, you get in and get out quickly and you spend the time chatting, entertaining and parenting on hard mode. That’s how they learn to sit in restaurants. If they can’t do it at all you wait a few months and try again.

I once sat in a Starbucks cafe with my eldest in a high chair watching my phone when we were going through a family crisis.

Come on now @Wineisoverrated - give us the full story.
Did you PLOP your baby into that high chair?
Confess! - out with it - nobody's judging they're just CONCERNED and HORRIFIED.