If your kids use screens in a restaurant

[bravefox]

... at least have the decency to bring headphones or put them on silent.

Took my two out for a bite to eat after clubs this morning, would have been quieter to sit in an arcade. If you must let your kids use a tablet etc while they're waiting fine, but please don't make the rest of us listen to it.

YABU: deal with it
YANBU: turn the sound off!!

We managed before washing machines too but I was still very unhappy and put out when mine broke!

I really cannot bring myself to be bothered how other people parent when it doesn’t impact upon me. You have no idea what’s going on in that persons life - have they had a bad day and this is the only thing that will soothe the child? So, they’ve got a screen. Big deal. Headphones on though, please!

Oh and I don’t think it matters if they’re an NT or otherwise non disabled child, if they’re happy watching a bit of TV, it’s absolutely none of my business.

A very sensible view!

Honestly! The thread was about the use of headphones and now it’s about children who use screens in a restaurant, generally. I wish people would just give other parents a break really😅

We did, and the invention of washing machines was/is indeed tremendous, but they don’t bother anyone else in restaurants. Well hopefully they don’t. I do get the point you’re making though.

I do agree that I can’t get worked up about kids watching screens etc in public for any reason, as long as I don’t have to listen to it either/headphones are used. Then they can crack on.

YANBU, I'm not a fan of screens at mealtimes and don't use them with my own, but sometimes needs must and I'm sure there's parenting decisions I make that others wouldn't (not least the beige food covered in ketchup my children would be eating while not on screens!). But hate hate hate when people play videos or music without headphones. Even when it's quiet, the noise is different to the background noise in a cafe or restaurant.

But it's not just kids in restaurants, happens all the time on the train which is at least as infuriating - and that's typically adults who grew up without screens.

Granted but we aren't generally glued to them in restaurants ignoring family /friends whilst shovelling food in with removing our eyes from the screen.

No screens. I won't even let them sit at the tables with the screens. It's completely unnecessary

I have seen plenty of adults doing just that.

there are plenty of adults glued to their phones!

It's got to the stage where tots have a screen in front of them when their being pushed around town or the supermarket. A stroll around town should be thoroughly engaging to a young child with all the sights and sounds. I don't know what to make of it.

Would be great if people stopped judging parents all the time on what they do.

you absolutely have a right to be annoyed by loud tablets/phones, and those parents should absolutely be mindful of being in public and being respectful of others

but the whole judging parents for giving kids tablets is absolutely tiresome! you are judging parents based on 15 mins-couple of hours of seeing them.

The mom who has given her kid her phone to watch while she’s doing the shop it might be the only time she gets to do that shop and trying to do a shop with a whiny kid is the most annoying thing in the world.

The parents who have fed their kids and entertain their kids in a restaurant would probably like to enjoy some of their meal that they’re paying for so why not let the kid watch a tablet just so they can eat a hot meal in peace

before anyone comes at me thinking i have taken offence to this because I do this, I actually don’t, we take colouring books/sticker books etc but I see no problem with other parents doing this.

Agreed! My DS has never had screens. Sometimes restaurants were a nightmare. I'd take toy cars, sticker books, and a few duplo pieces. Initially wouldn't expect him to eat, just being there and behaving well for his age was enough. He very quickly learned what the expectations were, and that they don't include screens. Now at 4 I can take him out to the places I like (still choose 12pm for lunch or 4-5 for dinner) and know that he knows how to behave.

It's mostly adults glued to screens. One day soon we'll wake up to this. Some people will make a fortune 'treating' screen addiction.

Not take a 1 or 2 year old out for lunch for an hour when they aren’t going to sit there? If your 1 year old sat at a table quietly for an hour then that’s great but mine doesn’t (yet) and I don’t expect them too. It’s not developmentally appropriate. So we don’t go for long lunches or dinners. Not sure why that’s a problem for you 😆

Head phones or silent, definitely!

I can’t bring myself to be too precious about their use. Sometimes you just want to be able to have lunch with a mate and have some adult contact.

Equally annoying is loud, performative “What shade of purple are you going to use for your abstract art colouring, Hermione?” parenting.

🍪

I mean, that's fine. But I do "judge" if by judge you mean have an opinion. My opinion is (unless ND) they are setting their kids up to never learn these skills, and are depriving them of valuable family occasions by shoving their nose in a screen instead. They are also stopping their kids from enjoying the restaurant by presenting them with a much more short-term attention grabbing device.

When it's loud it has the added annoyance of ruining everyone else's experience. I do find it annoying as a parent who doesn't believe in screens to have kids listening loudly to cartoons all around us on flights and restaurants. Children naturally ask why they can't, too, and that annoys me.

What does that mean?

The OP's gripe was about noise, not what should or shouldn't be allowed at the table. You may not like screens at the table, and that is up to you, but for other families it isn't your call, at any time.
The bottom line is that the adults should ensure that the children do not bother other diners. In the case of screens, headphones should be used. It really is as simple as that.

Yep, you sound as if you know the struggle!🤣 they can get so unpredictable so instead of judging, people should be grateful they’re not getting cutlery thrown at their head!

thats just an excuse for poor parenting.

You can’t often tell whether a child is ND or
not though.

And here’s my question to you, how do you know whether a child that you’ve briefly laid eyes on is NT or not? You don’t

Good idea!