Children on Ipads in restaurants

Somersetlady · 2024-02-05T08:27:02+00:00

Away in a resort. I am shocked by the number of children on ipads for the entire sitting of a meal. Breakfast lunch and dinner. Buffet to fine dining. From todlers upwards. No social interaction with parents or staff and mindless eating whilst inhaling cartoons. i understand that parents want a bit of a break but surely this is shockingly bad for the children?

fonfusedm · 05/02/2024 08:29

Personally I don’t think you can judge a snapshot. When mine were younger I sometimes let them use an ipad when out to eat. Sometimes you just want to enjoy your meal & not have to gulp in down in 5mins & the distraction meant they tended to eat more! 😆

Persipan · 05/02/2024 08:29

Had you considered the possibility that their parents were concerned about disturbing other diners and brought a distraction? Plenty of people are quite happy to moan about 'badly-behaved' children in public, after all.

fonfusedm · 05/02/2024 08:30

It’s rare I go out for a meal & don’t see adults on phones though.

Youcannotbeseriousreally · 05/02/2024 08:30

I saw a baby still in a baby car seat holding a phone 5 cms from his face the other day.

parents are lazy now. On the most part I don’t care but THEY HAVE TO BE ON SILENT.

otherwise it’s just bloody selfish and incredibly rude.

Createausername1970 · 05/02/2024 08:30

They are on holiday, maybe rules are relaxed? Parents want a holiday too, and if allowing a child to inhale cartoons while eating mindlessly gives them a stress free week, then why not.

What happens in Butlins stays in Butlins 😁

Hoglet70 · 05/02/2024 08:31

Children on iPads are quiet children who aren't disturbing everyone else. You can ban screens in restaurants and then moan about the amount of feral screaming brats tearing around the tables, making vast amounts of noise if you like?

wubwubwub · 05/02/2024 08:31

We were at an all inclusive and maybe.... 3 kids out if the hundred or so diners were on tablets.

Adults on phones however.... Way more!!!

Legoninjago1 · 05/02/2024 08:31

So what?! Better that than having them run amok and ruin your lunch as happened to us the other day!

fonfusedm · 05/02/2024 08:31

Also agree with the pp in that I was very conscious of my dc making noise as there’s lots of judgement.

Original poster

Somersetlady · 05/02/2024 08:32

But thats just it. It’s not after they have eaten it’s the minute they sit down and whilst they are eating and ita not for five minutes.

it seems to be more the norm than not here!

baffling.

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thefallen · 05/02/2024 08:32

Persipan · 05/02/2024 08:29

Had you considered the possibility that their parents were concerned about disturbing other diners and brought a distraction? Plenty of people are quite happy to moan about 'badly-behaved' children in public, after all.

God forbid they interact with their own children, or teach them how to behave in public.

thefallen · 05/02/2024 08:33

Hoglet70 · 05/02/2024 08:31

Children on iPads are quiet children who aren't disturbing everyone else. You can ban screens in restaurants and then moan about the amount of feral screaming brats tearing around the tables, making vast amounts of noise if you like?

Or - just maybe - children could be taught by the parents who chose to bring them into the world how to behave politely and with consideration for others? Radical

Fuzzyblank · 05/02/2024 08:33

I’m a single parent who holidays with 2 pre-teens. Our rule is phones are fine after food. Couldn’t really give a shit what others think! We’ve spent the day together, done activities and sometimes I enjoy the peace.

Hubblebubble · 05/02/2024 08:34

Seconding it being a screenshot. Sometimes I'll spend a whole day lovingly interacting with my child. Then it'll be a long wait (for a little one) until food arrives and a youtube video of funny animals on my phone helps.

Original poster

Somersetlady · 05/02/2024 08:34

No i hadn’t considered that. But surely we haven’t lost the run so badly that the majority of children aren't capable of being behaved for long enough to eat a meal and give it their full attention!?

and before someone asks yes i do have children and yes they are with me 6 and 9.

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fonfusedm · 05/02/2024 08:34

Or - just maybe - children could be taught by the parents who chose to bring them into the world how to behave politely and with consideration for others? Radical

lol, this is radical, judging by how todays adults behave! 😆

theDudesmummy · 05/02/2024 08:35

If my autistic DS didn't have his phone or tablet (with headphones in of course) then he wouldn't be able to have meals in restaurants at all. As it is we love going out for lunch together. He is on his phone watching videos of trains or whatever, I am reading a book on mine. We are fine and not doing you any harm, mind your own business.

Hoglet70 · 05/02/2024 08:35

thefallen · 05/02/2024 08:33

Or - just maybe - children could be taught by the parents who chose to bring them into the world how to behave politely and with consideration for others? Radical

Show quote history

That would be really nice and funnily enough we are out all the time as small children and didn't dare to make a noise BUT not every family will do this so I suggest everyone stop being so judgy if they want to enjoy their food in peace.

fonfusedm · 05/02/2024 08:36

No i hadn’t considered that. But surely we haven’t lost the run so badly that the majority of children aren't capable of being behaved for long enough to eat a meal and give it their full attention!?

Is it normal for a very young dc to sit still for an hour & give a meal their full attention?

Original poster

Somersetlady · 05/02/2024 08:36

fonfusedm · 05/02/2024 08:30

It’s rare I go out for a meal & don’t see adults on phones though.

Surely not whilst they are actually eating?
For me this shock is about the lack of social skills and interaction that children are having.

How do they learn to behave when out if plonked in front of a screen for the duration?

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Original poster

Somersetlady · 05/02/2024 08:37

fonfusedm · 05/02/2024 08:36

No i hadn’t considered that. But surely we haven’t lost the run so badly that the majority of children aren't capable of being behaved for long enough to eat a meal and give it their full attention!?

Is it normal for a very young dc to sit still for an hour & give a meal their full attention?

A meal does not take an hour to eat. You would assume they could manage it whilst actually eating the food and for ten minutes either side surely?

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Original poster

Somersetlady · 05/02/2024 08:38

Persipan · 05/02/2024 08:29

Had you considered the possibility that their parents were concerned about disturbing other diners and brought a distraction? Plenty of people are quite happy to moan about 'badly-behaved' children in public, after all.

Not many of them as surely if that were the case they would also have headphones rather than be pupating out noise from the ipads?

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GoodlifeGlow · 05/02/2024 08:40

this is a pet hate of mine, it’s so depressing to see people ignoring each other staring at screens whilst shovelling down their food.

From babyhood we always took an age appropriate toy, activity, card game or book with us so our daughter had something to do whilst we waited for our food, never needed a device.

she’s 6 and we still do this.

Crishell · 05/02/2024 08:40

Unless you are watching the same family every hour of the day, you're being judgy. It's not ideal no, but I don't blame parents for doing it sometimes.
Maybe they've just spent the whole day at a water park having a great, but active time having fun with their kids all day and are now having a break. It's called downtime.

Original poster

Somersetlady · 05/02/2024 08:40

Youcannotbeseriousreally · 05/02/2024 08:30

I saw a baby still in a baby car seat holding a phone 5 cms from his face the other day.

parents are lazy now. On the most part I don’t care but THEY HAVE TO BE ON SILENT.

otherwise it’s just bloody selfish and incredibly rude.

Thats incredibly sad.

and i don’t feel i am judging i just think it’s a sorry state of affairs for the kids🤷‍♀️

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