Page 2 | 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 08:41

@Somersetlady you’re never seen an adult eat whilst scrolling or texting on the phone?

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

As I said it’s probably a snapshot. Personally I don’t see gangs of marauding toddlers terrorising the streets because they’ve watched Peppa Pig whilst eating a pizza.

Original poster

Somersetlady · 05/02/2024 08:42

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 😁

I suppose if it’s a holiday vibe.

Have seen a couple of melt downs when the gadgets have been removed - that doesn’t seem relaxing🤣

OP posts:

Lovingitallnow · 05/02/2024 08:42

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!

But it's not just a meal, it's three a day for 7 days where they have to get dressed and go to a dining room for breakfast instead of in their pjs whenever suits them, and a lunch where you're breaking from the pool, and possibly a later dinner than usual.

When on holidays our screen time is horrific. Sometimes it's to get a grown up chat, sometimes it's because the restaurant is fancy, sometimes the kids are fed up and don't want to be there. And we're the ones choosing to go on holidays so it's not fair on them to have to perform at every meal time, when at home they'd be able to be more comfortable.

MoreDangerousThanAWomanScorned · 05/02/2024 08:42

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?

Why are they the options?! We don't do screens at the table and nor do we allow anyone to get down from the table. Yes, it means we have to - oh the horror - interact with our children.

Jifmicroliquid · 05/02/2024 08:43

Far better than bored children causing disruption to other diners. At least these parents are thinking of the impact on other people.

fonfusedm · 05/02/2024 08:43

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?

Er I was in Pizza Express with a bunch of 9 yrs olds yesterday, we were there for an hour & a half, no screens so don’t panic. You can be in & out of a restaurant in 10 mins?

MoreDangerousThanAWomanScorned · 05/02/2024 08:43

fonfusedm · 05/02/2024 08:41

@Somersetlady you’re never seen an adult eat whilst scrolling or texting on the phone?

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

As I said it’s probably a snapshot. Personally I don’t see gangs of marauding toddlers terrorising the streets because they’ve watched Peppa Pig whilst eating a pizza.

But it's not when they're toddlers that we're going to see the result of this, is it?

daffodilandtulip · 05/02/2024 08:44

I agree OP.

But I've had several meals/coffees recently, where the adult is on FaceTime and speakerphone. It's not just rude, badly behaved kids.

LittleMonks11 · 05/02/2024 08:45

You're on holiday right now with kids aged 6 and 9?

DNLove · 05/02/2024 08:45

Congratulations you win the most amazing parent in the world award. You are a much better parent than all those other parents.
Pretty sure you'd judge all those parents either way, but iPad or no iPad, cause they're clearly not performing to your high standard.
I'm guessing your kids were discussing their favourite Shakespeare sonnets.

fonfusedm · 05/02/2024 08:47

But it's not when they're toddlers that we're going to see the result of this, is it?

What will the results be? Isn’t it just the equivalent of eating at home in front of the TV? And it’s not a reflection of every meal time.

Notts90 · 05/02/2024 08:47

Rather a child watching a tablet than causing havoc because they're bored.

Yes ofc we should all teach our children how to behave when in public and when in restaurants but that doesn't happen overnight and there's nothing to say these children aren't interacted with because they've got their tablet for an hour.

I'm usually too busy concentrating on my own children when we go out to notice what other kids are doing.

Original poster

Somersetlady · 05/02/2024 08:47

fonfusedm · 05/02/2024 08:41

@Somersetlady you’re never seen an adult eat whilst scrolling or texting on the phone?

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

As I said it’s probably a snapshot. Personally I don’t see gangs of marauding toddlers terrorising the streets because they’ve watched Peppa Pig whilst eating a pizza.

Yes an autonomus adult. Each to their own.

ignoring a child and the child ignoring the world around them as par for the course from entering to leaving the restaurant seems alien to me hence the aibu (and maybe i am) is this just a common parenting choice now to disengage from their kids whilst seated.

The negatives of eating whilst scrolling are well documented…… some adults smoke but they are making informed choices.

OP posts:

doilooklikeicare · 05/02/2024 08:48

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.

Almost as baffling as your need to relay this on an SM site 🤔

Gobolina · 05/02/2024 08:49

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?

This. I couldn't care less what other people do with their children as long as they aren't letting them run around screeching and disturbing me and making my experience unpleasant.

Mind your own.

Original poster

Somersetlady · 05/02/2024 08:49

Lovingitallnow · 05/02/2024 08:42

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!

But it's not just a meal, it's three a day for 7 days where they have to get dressed and go to a dining room for breakfast instead of in their pjs whenever suits them, and a lunch where you're breaking from the pool, and possibly a later dinner than usual.

When on holidays our screen time is horrific. Sometimes it's to get a grown up chat, sometimes it's because the restaurant is fancy, sometimes the kids are fed up and don't want to be there. And we're the ones choosing to go on holidays so it's not fair on them to have to perform at every meal time, when at home they'd be able to be more comfortable.

Thats a perspective I hadn’t considered.
We do eat seated meals at home.

OP posts:

Heatherbell1978 · 05/02/2024 08:50

I'm on the fence about it. We went to a Turkey AI this year and were quite shocked that so many kids had them for the whole meal. Ours are 6 and 9 and we would often take them with us but usually as a last resort if we wanted a glass of wine in peace after the meal. But maybe that makes us just as bad? We do try do take colouring with us to meals instead though and that keeps the kids happy.

MoreDangerousThanAWomanScorned · 05/02/2024 08:51

fonfusedm · 05/02/2024 08:47

But it's not when they're toddlers that we're going to see the result of this, is it?

What will the results be? Isn’t it just the equivalent of eating at home in front of the TV? And it’s not a reflection of every meal time.

Well, eating at home in front of the TV isn't good for you either. It makes you more likely to overeat. But I do also think that raising children who have no idea of how to interact during a meal out isn't setting them up well in life and that we'll see the results of that as they become young adults.

Original poster

Somersetlady · 05/02/2024 08:51

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?

But why does it have to be one or the other?
the 3rd option of teaching children how to interact and have social manners is surely avilable to (almost) all?

OP posts:

FloofCloud · 05/02/2024 08:52

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.

Perhaps you're just the perfect parent and we're all rubbish parents

LittleMonks11 · 05/02/2024 08:52

Just enjoy your holiday and stop staring judgementally at other families (as I imagine that's what you're doing as you are monitoring them 'from start to finish'g. That's if you actually are on holiday with your own kids age 6 and 9, who should be in school right now (unless you have a different half term).

WandaWonder · 05/02/2024 08:53

The parents do it to give something for people to discuss on MN

Wictc · 05/02/2024 08:53

What are you eating that it takes only 30mins or so? Meals out usually take a couple of hours. We don’t currently use a screen as our child is only 2.5, but I don’t think it’s shockingly bad as long as they have headphones.

We are on holiday at the moment and haven’t seen any children on screens at lunch.

Unless you are following these families around, how do you know if this is the norm, or a holiday treat. They may be relaxing after a busy morning of horse riding, tennis, swimming, reading War ans Peace!

fonfusedm · 05/02/2024 08:53

As an 80s dc it wasn’t the norm for me to go out for tea, brunch, lunch etc regularly with my parents but I still know how to behave in a restaurant

shreknjumps · 05/02/2024 08:53

You've taken your kids out of school?