Restaurants should have a child free section

[Hdaniels11]

I keener old smoking/non smoking sections at restaurants. They should do the same thing with children/no children sections. I was at a testy with a few friends last night and the table next to mine had two screaming children. Another table had their 4 maybe 5 year old son stun up and down the aisle nearly knocking over the waitress with a tray full of drinks. We asked to move because it was just too noisy and disturbing, after that we had no more distractions and were actually able to converse with one another.

A lot of that reminds me of my sister, her husband believes in being the kids "friend" rather than the parent and says things like "boys will be boys" and "they are just getting their energy out" i just roll my eyes when he says that. NO it's a restaurant not a playground.

As a parent myself i actually think it's a good idea from the other side. It's embarrassing to have your child screaming and acting a fool in public, Around other parents you would at least get a little more empathy.

YANBU - I don't want to sit with other people's noisy kids 😂

I don't want to sit with other people's noisy kids either. But I have my (not noisy, not running around, not on screens) kids with me. So why should I have to be banished to the nappies and Bluey section?

Child free flights please!! ✈️

Agreed. Mum to 3, 2 of which are twins so hardly easy eating out… However from toddler age the were thought how to behave in a restaurant!

I'd be ok with this. I only take mine to casual places and only let them roam in child friendly places where there is a play area. I don't understand the entitlement of parents, other people (parents without their kids included) should be able to go to a nice place and not have kids around. Children change the ambience/ vibe, I don't know anyone pretends they don't

Agree 👍

Ha! Yeah right easy to type but would you really approach a large grouo
of adults with feral children in a restaurant to suggest they parent better?! I can see that going really well!

I agree OP.
If this chap could perhaps wait on the children's section?
Ye God's the prominence of individualism eh.

Yabu. DS has always been a dream. Why should he be excluded because other parents are the problem and don't manage their kids better?

There should be a surcharge for disruptive kids instead. It's as fair as excluding kids. Families told on arrival - it would quickly encourage parents who don't manage their kids to go elsewhere whilst the restaurant can retain the business of families who behave. If a kid is going to be disruptive then they are going to annoy the whole restaurant not just the ones in the area they are - just like smoking areas were always a nonsense because smoke and noise travels.

Otherwise adults who want that kind of atmosphere should sod off to high end places that don't have the kid of cliental they don't like being the snobby arses they are.

I'm sorry but why should families who equally don't want to be around arseholes who have no consideration not respect for anyone else like second class citizens. The problem is antisocial behaviour not children.

children in restaurants should be well behaved. Agree with PP who says it is dependent on type of restaurant also.

12 hours after our first DC was born we went for dinner in a harvester-type place with DH, DPs and MIL. So five adults and one brand new fresh baby. Had to sit in the ‘child friendly’ area. Nearly left because we wanted a peaceful dinner, but we were starving. Had to put up with a lot of other people’s children who were high on haribo. Never went there again.

What time were you eating at?

We deliberately chose to take the kids (3 & 6) for tea at a family pub at 4.30pm with friends. We were at some of the childfree groups desperately trying to not sit near us. Why the fuck eat out at that time if you want to avoid kids?!

Re-read your opening post.

I don't take my DCs to a restaurant if I can help it. I've taught them to use manners and be respectful of others and to keep noise down, so I know it's doable. Yet, I largely avoid it for my own selfish energy conserving purpose.

I did take my toddler to a coffee shop last week and whilst he was quiet, he did want to run towards a pair of men to intently watch them. DS said the man was a funny, cheeky little man (after I took DC by the hand back to our seats). I didn't want DS to disturb them even though they didn't seem annoyed. I do understand people want a quiet meal or drink (as do I).

DS had a huge meltdown in the supermarket a day later and announced loudly he needed to go to the coffee shop to calm down.

I would happily pay 10-20% extra for this.

It's clearly a market and I'm just astonished that no airline has picked up on this.

Where practical I agree. We were at CenterParcs last month (yes a very child friendly place and I do like young children, work with them even) we - Me, DH , DS18 and DD 17 were sat right next to the entrance to the soft play. The restaurant was huge, we asked to move- no fuss just said it is as it was so to speak and was moved. A but silly really as a family with very young children would love that table.

It’s clearly not a market or they would have done.

On one hand I agree because when I don't have my kids I don't want anyone else's around, but on the other hand if I have my kids I don't want to spend the whole time explaining why those kids are allowed do xyz and mine aren't. I think it would descend into chaos and the behaviour would get out of control because it almost introduces an implicit permission to be more loose with your parenting because you're in the children's section.

I am not sure. I have 4 kids and they actually behave quite well, otherwise we wouldn't be eating out with them often if at all. I've been bothered by large groups of adults a lot more in fairness.
I think we just live in a society which forgets that to live together we must show consideration to each other. It applies at any age.

Restaurants are commercial operations and it's for them to decide who they want to pitch to. If they think it's in their best interests not to provide an adult only area, that's their call.

Nor me.

I agree with pp that kids need to learn how to behave in restaurants, by being there, and being present with what's going on. For me, that means not leaning too heavily into screens or 'play areas,' because they're not actually learning the beat of choosing your food, waiting a while, being served, waiting again, etc.

They're not born knowing how to do it.

I've found drunks, complainers and parties (work/hen/stag/family, any sort really) to be far more annoying in restaurants, and indeed on planes, than children.

Well my kids have always sat nicely in restaurants (I didn't take then until they were school age). I would be really annoyed to be banished to the kids section with other people's badly behaved children when mine behave nicely. Especially now they are young teens.

We did get put in the family area of a plane once when they were aged between 10 and 15. My kids were more annoyed by the seat kicking toddler behind us than I was!

You can always ask to be moved if you encounter the rare badly behaved children.
The majority of children are well behaved, I would say. Certainly I'v barely registered most of them are in restaurants/in public.

Children don’t bother me. Adults who don’t know how to behave need to be barred from civilised dining though. So the loud groups of same-sex ‘party’ diners, the overly loud family groups of couples, the work lunchers etc.

If I can hear you from two tables away you need a ball gag and to learn how to human.

I was specifically replying to a post which said that if you don't want to eat in a restaurant with children then you should go to restaurants that don't attract them and at times they're unlikely to be there.

My question is - which restaurants and times are these, because if upmarket restaurants during school hours still have children, these places and times seem rather mythical to me.