Were we BU asking to move tables?

[FurFangsPawsAndClaws]

As today was a lovely sunny day me and DP went to have lunch in a pub and sat in the small beer garden.

The pub was busy and we were sat next to a couple with 3 children, two girls around 4 and 6 and a boy of around 8/9.

The parents were chatting and the kids were running around the tables, shouting and fighting with each other and at one point picking flowers until they were asked to stop. The staff came over in the end and asked the parents to try to keep them sat at the table because staff were bringing food out.

We were just trying to ignore them, there was another table to move to but we decided to wait until our food arrived first as staff knew where we were sitting.

The kids started coming to our table when their parents still weren’t interacting with them after they had been told to stay by their own table, we had a quick conversation but then said they needed to go to their own table as we were going to have our lunch. The eldest girl said that they would just sit and share with us because their parents wouldn’t mind. We were trying to be polite but at that point I just said we wanted to sit by ourselves.

When our food came out the kids all came flocking back over to the table and I knew we weren’t going to get any peace so I said to the staff we wanted to move, they were completely understanding and it was obvious why. We moved to a different table and more people arrived and sat where we had been sitting, the children carried on hanging around them instead.

It was a bit annoying but I didn’t think it was a big issue and wouldn’t have thought anything of it but as the family were leaving the dad came over and told us it was incredibly rude how we’d behaved by being rude to his children and then pointedly asking to move. He said the kids had been trying to make friends with us and had been made to feel like a nuisance.

DP said they were his children and it wasn’t our job to entertain them, I was worried it was going to get heated but his wife came and pulled him away, she mouthed “sorry” as they left.

I don’t really think I am BU but at the same time DP said afterwards he felt a bit guilty in case we had genuinely upset the kids and it wasn’t their fault they were being ignored by their parents.

I think it wasn’t our job and I wasn’t spending my afternoon babysitting someone else’s kids because they couldn’t be arsed!

A similar thing happened to me last year. I’d gone camping for the weekend and walked over to the local pub for lunch and a beer. Sat outside with my kindle waiting for my food to arrive and a couple of kids kept coming over and draping themselves over my table while their parents gazed indulgently at them.

I said hello to them then went back to reading. Bugger me if one of the parents then shouted to the kids ‘why don’t you show the nice lady your toys’! Cheeky buggers. Fortunately my lunch came out at that point and I sent the kids back to their parents with a cheery ‘no thanks, I’m eating’.

Why do some parents assume that other people are interested in entertaining their bloody kids.

Kids running around are health and safety risk. Staff are carrying plates of food/drinks!

No wonder the country is in the state it is. Lazy parenting. Aggressive attitude. Kids who’ve been taught they come first and can therefore do what they like. Truly appalling

So had the parents eaten but not fed the kids?

Or were they just having a drink?

But in no way, shape or form were you unreasonable.

YANBU. I work with kids and I genuinely enjoy them and their company. Off duty though, while I might chat or give them a bit of attention it tends to be very brief and on my terms. I’m out and about doing my own thing, not to parent/entertain other people’s children.