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

Babies are completely different to toddlers. When I had my first and she was tiny we took her to restaurants all the time - a number of michelin starred places and smart central London places, often with a fairly late (8ish) table reservation. Slept, woke up for a quick feed, slept again. I felt really smug and couldn't understand why people said dining out had to end. Then she got to about 9 months, started screaming and throwing food and I now if we manage 45 mins in Pizza Express at lunch I count it as a win. Toddlers in smart restaurants I probably agree but babies are great.

When mine were younger my rule of thumb was anywhere less than a tenner for a main was fair game. Probably 15 now!

They never know which cutlery to use first. It’s embarrassing.

AGREE! 😂

YABU.

We've brought our son to restaurants since he was a baby. Now he's 2, nearly 3. If he's ever making lots of noise, we are conscious of that and make sure nobody is disturbed (we distract. If it doesn't work, we remove him). We don't just leave him crying and ignore it. He's generally very good at sitting at restaurants. I think to get them used to being well behaved in restaurants, the more you do it, the better they learn to behave when in one.

Depends on the restaurant. I went to the Oxo tower for an anniversary meal and there was a couple there with a toddler a baby. I’m glad we weren’t seated near them. At the time we had a toddler and a baby and there was a good reason we didn’t bring them with us. Nandos would be fine.

Ifs a tricky one. I would choose where to go carefully when my kids were young and I’d take them out if they started crying. However some parents are very blasé about the children making noise and running around.

So babies ie small humans shouldn’t go to restaurants but dogs can?
And anyone who has a baby can’t go out?

Yes, you’re right, children should absolutely not be seen in public.
As a new mum I used to get quite anxious if my baby was being loud or fussy, but I soon realised she wasn’t misbehaving, she was just being a child, and now I quite enjoy it if she annoys people.

I don’t mind so long as everyone’s behaving themselves!

You’d hope they’d take baby out if screaming for ages as no that’s not fair on fellow diners but otherwise a bit of crying doesn’t bother me. I didn’t eat out much at all when mine were little, reasons I wont go into incase anyone is having a late dinner! Now that they’ve grown up i’m always eating out with friends / grown up kids. I definitely did not enjoy eating out with them one bit when young. If i wanted a break from cooking I got a take away, and met friends / colleagues for lunch etc

That’s… nice of you.

Do you realise that your loud or fussy child’s noise amplifies 10 fold in the hearing aid of someone who is partially deaf?

@SwingTheMonkey im not being funny but why should your disability take precedence? We all share this planet and public spaces, babies are vulnerable too, you know. As someone who id think understands vulnerability, you should know how alienating it can be to feel excluded. It's important to foster an inclusive environment for everyone.

I'm wondering where everyone eats in company if drunk adults? I can't ever remember seeing drunk adults in a restaurant? And I've eaten out quite a lot in the last 25 years!

I took my daughter to restaurants when she was a baby, but I went to relatively quiet places and went either at lunchtime or very early evening. She generally slept through the meal but on the odd occasion she woke up and cried, I took her straight outside to settle her. I would never have been so disrespectful to have allowed her to disturb people who were paying for a nice meal out.

Babies and small children won’t feel alienated by being taken outside to calm down if they’re being very noisy. What an utterly stupid suggestion.

I’ve never had a child present at the restaurants I’ve eaten in over the last few years….probably down the cost and the time I eat.

Shouldn't.

My evening in a German, high class, all expenses paid restuarant was ruined by my baby crying.

I ended up back in my hotel room, with a takeaway pizza. 🙁

AGREE 👍

@SwingTheMonkey
Don't be daft, of course babies aren't concerned about alienation- that's the parents job! Babies may not understand the concept, but their parents certainly feel the weight of judgement in public spaces which is incredibly isolating. Perhaps it's worth considering the whole family's experience instead of just focusing on your own. Bloody hell, where's the compassion gone in this world

What else are they meant to do with them?

Some of us don’t have any family or help at all so have no choice if we want to celebrate an occasion! 😅

Having said that though we always eat very early - 5/6pm and try to entertain our babies and toddlers with colouring/sticker books where we can rather than screens!

When we were childfree we’d deliberately eat out after 8pm and in nicer places to avoid children so surely this is an option if you really don’t like them?

I don’t have an issue with this as long as the parents are aware and not letting their kids just run around and do whatever. If you have a problem with it then just don’t eat out or at adults only places - the children have every right to be there and so do the parent . People’s tolerance levels are so low these days

I have nothing against it! I'd rather eat my meal next to a baby than a dog 🙄

It depends.

5pm at the local pub restaurant, no problem.

8pm at a fancy Italian, completely inconsiderate.