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!!

I'd love to be in the same restaurant as you and have you say this to my face!

From a mum of 2 autistic children 1 of which needs their tablet to regulate and uses an app to communicate and choose words because he doesn't speak. He is terrified of headphones and can't cope with anything near his ears. He has it on a reasonable volume but of course the table next to it would be able to hear although we don't have it louder than our conversation so not really loud at all. Also has ARFID and it's a distraction for what others on tables around us have on their plates and smells ect because being autistic doesn't mean he has to stay home like a hermit

Some people are rude some people need it.
Educate yourself, move tables, ask politely for them to turn it down.

I personally see more adults on their phones watching stuff tbh but I'd say something if it was really bothering me not come online and be the perfect parent

We use screen time with DS at restaurants but always use headphones. If headphones are used, I don’t see the issue.

He just chucks crayons at the minute which would be far more annoying for others at restaurants.

It doesn't bother me what other parents decided to do re screens and their children.
It does bother me if I can hear it though.

Volume off or headphones on.

That's for adults and children, no matter what.

They didn’t go out. They didn’t participate in public life as much.

HTH

@buttnut and @ItsTheGAGGGGGGGG what? Of course I don't know if they're ND or not. Why would I need to? I'm perfectly capable of considering both options at once, e.g. "either they're ND, or that child is not being taught how to socialise".

Even ND children should have headphones off or volume down though.

These autistics?? Wow!!

Vile little c**t

Most wouldn’t have been out in public, but there again I think we still have too many in society would prefer if they were kept out of sight.

let’s not forget it’s not that long ago that those with autism ended up institutionalised!

Children with autism were probably taken out less or shunned as being 'naughty' and their behaviour judged.

YANBU!! It's so bloody intrusive and rude.

If your child gets distressed without a “tat bag” is it fair to take him?

who are you to judge the methods that work for others?

I once had someone with their children in the cinema, and one child had their tablet on FULL volume. We couldn't hear the film at all, so I went up to the dad, and asked him to turn it right down as we couldn't hear the film. He then told me his son was deaf, I glanced at his son and then saw the hearing aids, I felt awful, so walked back to my seat BUT then thought, why on earth is it ok to bring a tablet with full volume on the cartoon they're watching into a CINEMA (regardless of disability)???

An ‘excuse’

Ableism is disgusting

All the perfect parents on here. I’ll continue to take my autistic 12 year old out with his iPad and AirPods thanks. Judge away. We stayed at home for years because I was embarrassed, not any more. Approach me, tut at me, give me the side eye. IDGAF. F you.

“These autistics”

fucking hell are you ok?

Well we lived in a less tolerant society where many autistic children were locked up. I'm sure that's what you probably would like wouldn't you. Hide them away keep them out of sight !
My child is autistic and won't tolerate headphones we try to ensure he does drawing before he eats and then we give him his tablet so we can eat our dinner. It works for us and if people want to judge then judge away - as I really don't give two figs!

@Barbaranice uneducated, narrow-minded, ignorant ableist people deserve far more judgement tbf

They didn't so they were kept out of the public. Hence the hysterical "why are so many autistic people nowadays, I never knew one back in my day" comments. I know some people wish to go back to such "glory days" but.. tough titties.

But you are basing this on one GENERAL interaction. They might go out 365 days a year and interact with their kids 360 of those days but might just have had a shit morning/day/week and just want some peace and quite while they are doing what they are doing without the mental strain of having to entertain a small being.

parenting is 24/7- let parents have a break when they want to.

@Barbaranice ’These autistics’ are you okay there Barbara? You sound ignorant as FUCK. Maybe those with Autism weren’t out in public spaces and shunned away inside. Maybe they were viewed as badly behaved?

No one’s saying they can’t self regulate but when they’re in an extremely noisy and stressful environment, they’re able to zone out and regulate themselves with a screen. Unless you’d be happy with a child spinning in a corner in order to regulate themselves but I’ll be honest, you don’t sound like the type who wants to educate themselves

We mainly go to carvery or buffet style restaurants with our disabled children. They can sit and eat nicely at the table now (most of the time) but they can't sit and wait for ages for their meal. We don't use screens while out and about as it doesn't really work for them but I think it's great that they help other children. When they were younger and couldn't sit still at the table we just got a takeaway instead.

Too late to edit my above comment, but just wanted to add that my eldest is autistic, and the loud noise from the tablet over the sound of the film really really troubled her. Really, the mother should have come in to take her son out, as he wasn't watching the film at all. The mother wasn't watching it either, she came in at the start to bring them all in, then she came to meet them at the end, the place we were in, there was no way she could possibly of had an appointment or anything (we were on a ship), so really, it was just inconsiderate of others.

Also, to add, I have misophonia, so the noise was really bothering me too, I cannot cope with multiple background noises.

We always took sticker books, crayons etc and maybe we were lucky but it was enough to distract DS when he wasn't eating (not a huge appetite at that stage) so we'd still get to eat. He uses his phone at times now (13) but only with headphones and only after we've at least had a chat or a game of uno.