Children on Ipads in restaurants

[Somersetlady]

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?

A point I made myself earlier. We all feel we are doing the best we can.

On the contrary your comment is silly. I'd go as far as saying it's stupid. You're basically making a blanket statement not knowing that all kids are different. Do what works for your kids and let others do what works for their kids without being so judgmental.

You've replied to loads of posts so you are clearly reading the thread.

Look at my post history and you’ll see haven’t been on for months

What relevance does that have?

it’s not hypocritical because I will not mindlessly be shoving food down my throat whilst watching Netflix and disengaging from all social interaction when we go out for dinner later.

We will have to agree to disagree. Anyway I hope you have more fun on the rest of your holiday, I'm off to get my dc!

Why is it "poor behaviour" to move around a restauarnt, play, greet other families etc?

Some of us call it being sociable and being part of a community.

You do realise that Mediterranean cultures don't just host restaurants for tourists, don't you? on my island the best restauarants are the ones that don't cater so much to the few tourists we get, but to the locals.

Our cultures don't simply exist as stage dressing for British tourists who go on holiday somewhere a few times and then decide they know all about that culture

@Somersetlady you've posted every average 4.4 minutes for other three hours, stop with the "popping on and off" and you criticise others parenting.........

My son will not sit at a table to eat a meal. We have tried everything.
So now on the rare occasions we eat out (we usually don't bother as it's a nightmare) we give him a pad to try to keep him in his chair.

I know another mum whose baby screams bloody murder while in the car - the only thing that stops the baby from crying is watching baby sensory videos.

If you have a neurotypical and perfectly well behaved child then continue to judge away at what you perceive to be bad or lazy parenting. But when you have no clue what is actually happening for that family, maybe think twice before doing so. Some of us are trying our best and having a tough time.

What I find amusing is that I have been asked why do I care,

so why do you care? What my screen time is or what my content is? Currently in the bath whilst kids golf with Dad and I’m finding this thread amusing and alarming and honest and interesting.

I read today by the pool whilst the kids did apologies it’s not a classic but Marcus Rashfords the breakfast Clun books but will try harder for highbrow tomes or the work of Shakespeare as so many of you have alluded to must be standard reading in this house!

I'm pregnant with my first so no judgement on parenting here. But I'd rather have children on iPads in restaurants than have them running around or screaming.

Colouring and screen time are not comparable. The fact that you need to ask is surprising.

@Somersetlady but you weren't in the bath for the whole of this morning?

Why do I care, I don't particularly but I just want to point out your double standards and I want to judge you, like you judge others,

I want to show what a hypocrite you are.

This makes no sense. The poster commented saying that mumsnet expects children to sit in silence, you should talk to them about politics and economics and you shouldn’t make them laugh. No one has ever said any of this, that’s the point I made. I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.

Op I'm with you! There is a middle ground. My kids were just about too old to be given iPads in restaurants when smalll. So we talked, coloured in, played cards. No one team around or shouted.
As my friend says as the kids get older having dinner with them is the only time you see them so you'll want chat with them then.
My 15/17 year olds have been on a few nice meals this month with others. Been complimented on the fact they want to come and join in the chat.
I went for lunch with a friend yesterday. Tried to talk to 4 year old. Toddler was on the phone watching cartoon. Not an ounce of chat from her. And I was just asking about her teachers, the party she was off to. Not about poetry!

Surely the same people saying don’t judge won’t judge.

oh just mind ur own business. If it bothers u don’t let ur kids do it ! Honestly ppl have so much to say. Fair enough if it’s blaring and annoying ppl but if they r quietly watching it and eating just mind ur own.

I remember when my eldest was 3, pre ipads, he had a little portable DVD player.
We were on holiday and spent all day interacting and playing with him, including meal times. A few nights we went to this really nice restaurant. We'd sit him with his little DVD player and headphones on at the table, while we had a nice grown up adult meal. I can still remember the horrified looks from the Portuguese waiters.
But what they didn't see was that DS was autistic and a runner. We'd have spent the entire meal just frantically doing everything to keep him sat in his chair and occupied, without bothering other diners. Basically, without the DVD, we'd have never managed a nice meal out in our 2 week holiday.
Given that this was around the time of Madeline McCann, I don't think we did anything wrong! Better safe and sat watching a movie next to us, than left alone in a hotel room.
He's an adult now, who loves eating out and having good conversation and never touches his phone at the dinner table.

Once again, it’s not an either/or situation. You can take kids to a restaurant and they can go without a screen and also not run around screaming.

You very much look like you care @doilooklikeicare !

that’s an averGe you understand how averages work right? Can come on and reply then leave for swim come back and it’s averaged out.

just clarifying because your post makes me assume you don’t understand the term average in this context?

I’m certainly not wound up. Very relaxed actually.
just asked a question which some people have answered honestly and clearly whilst others have chosen to taken a personal affront to. (Sometime whilst they insist they don’t care what anyone thinks)

@Somersetlady it you're not interacting with your children..........

🤭

It’s funny you should say that as younger DS is chatting with a lot of older couples as well!

So by your own admission you've spent the best part of the day lying on a sun lounger looking at your phone and you're now lying in the bath looking at your phone. Can you not see why people might think you're hypocritical for judging a family with toddlers who've more than likelly been interacting solidly with them for 12/13 hours straight, might want to give them an iPad for a bit so they can get a bit of peace and have some downtime of their own? Particularly in a resort where's there's no option but to take them to the restaurant to eat? Come on...!

So teach them to sit and eat properly. What do you think parents did before cell phones and ipads???

@Somersetlady oh please, take your children away from couples that are trying to holiday in peace.

Bloody annoying that is!

Their bloody mothers arguing on MN for hours , leaving others to babysit them!

‘And I don’t think I’m judging’

😂😂😂

What else do you do on holiday if you don't people watch for even a little bit?