What's the big deal about letting kids watch a couple of videos during a meal out ?

[kittensss]

I've noticed it is SUPER frowned upon here.

What's the big deal if you want to have a longer dinner and keep your kids happy and entertained ?

My kids are good to sit and colour and talk and eat for the first 30 minutes to an hour, but if we want to stay longer than that, they get bored.. fair enough. What's the big deal about letting them watch some stuff on our phones of iPads ?

I know of no one in real life who is as judgy as the parents on here.

We went for a big family lunch recently, the adults wanted to enjoy it a bit longer and out came the phones for the preschoolers to look at for half an hour or so. We were able to enjoy our lunch and took them to the playground after. No harm done.

Or would you rather our entitled ' brats ' ruined your pub lunch ?

I don't get the problem which seems to be coming up here time and time again on so many threads. Do you assume we don't talk to our kids because we let them watch the iPad for a bit during lunch ?

It doesn't bother me at all when children watch screens silently if they're not in my group. We've always taken ours out to eat and take various activities - restaurants are screen free places for us as don't want them to think it's acceptable to sit on a screen in a restaurant (one is autistic so not always easy option but it's paid off).

Long car rides though they can have their screens as much as they want! I'm certainly not a no screen parent, just try to instill where we think it's inappropriate to be using one (I feel the same about phones).

Speak for yourself, they are to me.

So you are ok with kids playing ipads without headphones @PugginBaby because pubs play music and adults talk amongst themselves? I am confused by your comment.

When I was little I was often allowed to take a book/comic out with me to occasions that might otherwise be boring for me, but I dare say that would be considered old-fashioned now...

I don't know.

I once saw a table with mum, dad, granny, grandad and 3 small children. Within 5 mins the children were all on iPads with headphones and completely disengaged from the group. They may as well have left them at home.

Isn't this how kids learn social skills? How to behave in certain settings? How lovely to be sat with family having a Sunday roast, chatting and (god forbid) being a little bored. I just think there's a time and a place and keeping kids in a constant loop of stimulus can't be good. You're just pushing your problems into the future.

Theres a difference between adult / environmental sounds and the normally high pitched and repetitive sing-song squeaky kids stuff.

I am not a parent, which is perhaps why I am not inured to the sound of children's programs.
I suspect that when you do have kids, you get used to it.

We had to sit outside with a bag of crisps and a bottle of pop but I’m old 🤣🤣
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with them being on their tablet with headphones for a while. My grandkids are 12, 8 and 7 and like you say they get bored with adult conversation but usually after the meal they are allowed on their tablets. Much better than kids running riot everywhere not that they do this either 😊

I agree. The posters saying don't take them out for a long meal mind your own business. A big family meal would be no tablets straight away or with meal but if after the meal the adults want to chat then let the children have screens or colouring books.

My DSD loved TV when she was little. She's grown up to be a very confident, polite and successful adult.

I used to get so excited about the bottle of pop and the crisps though! 😂Simpler times...

I can remember this too. Usually on the way back from a day trip with our family and my Aunt's family.

How old are the toddlers?
I wouldn't give a screen to mine (as it's really bad for under 3s developmentally, and my little one is usually happy watching people and playing with food and toys in his high chair) but I am always happy when other parents give screens to their kids so that they can chat to me!

I agree

i honestly don’t mind cartoons playing quietly. after 14 years of peppa pig i’m utterly numb to it. my 17 year old niece has autism and knows every word of every episode so we have all just become so immune to the sounds of the piggy’s. honestly a cartoon playing in a harvester on a saturday afternoon is hardly something worth clutching your pearls at

I get it if the iPad is loud and distracting to other diners
and I can see there is real value of learning to take part in a meal without instant distraction but even in the 80s my mum took colouring stickers and games to eat out and we perhaps went places with a space to stretch legs etc
do I use an iPad when out hell yes - every time no no I try not to but often we eat out after a full on day out and kids are too tired to engage much so it's the point where at home they'd have tv or something to mooch about whilst I heaven forbid enjoy my meal 🤣
at home for normal family meals I am a tad judgy if kids have them every meal as I questioned why that's necessary to be fair but I've never once judge in a restaurant of an evening (or lunch out) as I totally get it

My philosophy in life is try not to disturb others too much by your own actions, wherever you are

What's the point in going out if you do that?

I'll join the judgy group, sorry. But I've no doubt my grandchildren, if any, will get given screens at times i wouldn't have given ds one. I know my mum hated me giving ds a screen on long car journeys, so I've been judged for this. But restaurants... I either didn't take ds to meals out or I made the effort and entertained him.

Because the meal is not just about the children. We go for lots of meals. The children love eating out. They get to be sociable but then get to either play outside, colour or do a bit of screen time whilst the adults finish the chats. Children always look forward to these events and are growing up to be really intelligent and sociable. Why are people being so dramatic?

They are growing up the opposite. Trust me, they are not growing up to be sociable! If only you could see a school dinner hall it is like a bunch of animals.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with them being on their tablet with headphones for a while. My grandkids are 12, 8 and 7 and like you say they get bored with adult conversation

God forbid the little darlings get bored!

You are so wrong. My friends work at school. Our family's children are doing OK thanks. We are an intelligent family. We just know how to balance things.

What is wrong with you? Are you a child therapist? I thought not.

I grew up in the 80s and meals out were exclusively in Wimpys. Parents just didn’t take kids to restaurants like today.

Trust me, I work in a school and every school is the same. The ipad kids are easy to spot! I didn't say you weren't intelligent. Trust me, the parents at my school think their kids have manners too but they certainly do not!