To think parents should bring babies to restaurants?

[BePoisedPlumViper]

I get that parents want to enjoy dining out, but isn’t it inconsiderate for those of us looking for a peaceful meal?

Title meant to say SHOULDN’T

Lunch time is OK surely.

Some restaurants are very child friendly, even advertise themselves as such so you can take little ones along at any time.

On the continent people eat out with their children all the time.

Yeah, mine will just happily sleep in her buggy, drink her milk or sit quietly on my lap looking at her toys. No bother to anyone 🤷🏻‍♀️

Absolutely YANBU.

Maybe your the one that needs to stay at home.
Babies/children need to learn how to behave in these environments so unless exposed are unable to adapt their skills.
Much rather have a child kicking off than a completely judgemental adult sat along side me.

No, nor mine (Italian family, go most years). Children everywhere, including at 1am. Babies carried around by waitresses when they're fussing so mom and dad can eat. Kids given plates of pasta and tomato for free. Random people talking and interacting. That is my experience of the Lazio region.

Becoming a parent involves making sacrifices.

It'd be fine if people would take a baby out if he/she starts screaming, but they typically don't. And a baby isn't going to get much out of the experience at that age, and will probably be tired if they've been dragged out to an evening mea;. It's selfish for someone to ruin other people's dining experience, people who also 'might just want to step out and have a meal at a restaurant for a change', just because they can't get (or can't be arsed getting) a sitter - and, imo, not even in the baby's best interests.

The current thinking on this is that parents have the right to ruin other people's nights out by inflicting their screaming kids on anybody and everybody.

Anybody who doesn't agree to having their evening ruined is somewhat akin to the childcatcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Oh and in case you didn't notice I was being sarcastic!

I have no issues if they are quiet. It’s when they’re not, lol. Must be a pain for the parents too although that’s obvs not my problem. I just eat later to help avoid the issue!

There were 2 babies in the beefeater we ate in last month, the were both good as gold not a peep out of them.

Went in on Friday for my free birthday meal and the 6ish year old was pretending to be a ballet dancer in the aisle. One of their party took her outside for a runaround. The dancing was more off putting than the babies the previous month.

Guess is just depends on the child.

I'd rather share a dining space with a young family than a group of foul mouthed/pissed up/obnoxious adults. So no, doesn't bother me at all.

If I do want a romantic, quiet, baby/child free dinner with DH then I choose the right time and place (and hope the pissed up/obnoxious/foul mouthed adults are not among us 🙄

DC (2.5) often comes out to dinner with us. Somehow none of the restaurants have gone on fire or had anything terrible happen and nobody's complained that we know of. We bring a couple of books, some colouring in and a (quiet) toy, and DC's usually fine to sit and enjoy things with distractions available as required. Children have to eat too, and they'll only learn about eating out if they get to practise it. If they get cranky or at risk of being disruptive, they can be taken outside if necessary.

Babies should not be allowed in fancy restuarants.

Babies are too young to learn correct etiquette for eating out, anyway.

I think children should be more exposed to everyday things, not less. They need to learn, and that happens best by being guided through it from a young age, by parents who correct them and remove them when necessary but keep on exposing them to things and helping them learn over time.

Depends what kind of place your talking about a family restaurant during the day absolutely a nice restaurant at 9pm absolutely not. To be fair babies aren't really an issue it's more toddlers and young children and their not really the issue it's parents who allow them to treat it like a playground and run around getting in everyone's way or squealing

Agree.

OP YABU

In the case I mentioned above, the restaurant has maybe 20-25 seats for customers and a tasting menu only with option of wine pairing. They've closed now so I can't check but I'd say £100 per head before drinks, and that's in NI where costs are low. No kids menu, no highchairs. No one would bring small DC there for dinner at 8pm on a Saturday night. We had two preschoolers and no family nearby so a night out was rare and we chose a grown-up setting intentionally.

A newborn arriving at the table next to us wasn't the vibe we expected, or had experienced on previous nights there. In a more casual place, sure, fair play to them (and casual doesn't mean shit, there's loads of lovely places here I'd bring DC to at any time of day or night that they were likely to enjoy). The mum (only the mum) did bring the baby out when she started fussing but even that is disruptive in a tiny quiet room.

Quiet babies are better than squads of teens squawking, doing full blown photo shoots for TikTok on the stairs and shouting at the top of their voices.

Guess who’s nice Saturday lunch in Roka was ruined by the Essex Express

I think they should. I've got 2 good babies. Who don't scream so my parents don't mind and enjoy having them there

It depends. Obviously it’s a good thing to teach children how to behave in a restaurant and develop their social skills, but you can do that in Pizza Express or other family friendly places and there’s no need to have babies or small children in fine dining establishments where inevitably they just get bored. If the restaurant doesn’t give out crayons then it’s a signal that it’s not the place for kids.

If you want a peaceful meal, go to an upscale restaurant or go out in the evening. It's actually really important to bring little ones out from tiny to teach them socialisation in more formal settings.
I love taking my little one out for lunch or tea and cake. That said, the parent shouldn't let the children run wild or screech / scream.

I was so embarrassed when my friend let her 16 month old crawl around a restaurant floor to keep him quiet during our main courses. I had a 13 month old who was asleep in the pram at the time so hadn't considered how I'd handle a toddler who didn't want to sit still. Everyone was looking and in the end I said I don't think they want him crawling under their tables, shall we ask for our food to go?! I mean he was literally by people's feet.

I do think this trend for allowing toddlers and young children to "pick" and graze rather than sit for an entire meal is partly to blame for poor behaviour of some children in restaurants. They then have an expectation that between food you wander around playing rather than sit at the table playing/chatting. I now take playdoh, colouring and puzzles (all mini things) to restaurants with my under 3s. So far so good. We don't go anywhere that fancy and leave by 8.30 and it's fine.

Its not children who are the problem, its inconsiderate and entitled parents who don't chose an appropriate time, venue, and who don't think about other diners. Provided they do those things, I'm fine with it!

But some people do take their children to those kinds of restaurants. You may not (and I wouldn’t because I don’t like them) but some people do. And, as long as the restaurant allows it, they are free to do it.

I remember being in that position many years ago and how hard it was to feel welcome anywhere , so I have no issue

What a grinch. It’s hard enough being a parent without society making us all feel so unwelcome and such a burden on everyone else for wanting to continue to procreate.