Child only area in restaurant- discriminatory?

[Buyalot]

I’ve returned from a carvery lunch with DH and DD (14 months).

On arrival, despite there being a lot of seats spare in every area, we were told we had to be seated in the dedicated children’s area - an
absolute racket with soft play etc.

AIBU to find this ridiculous?

Once upon a time, before pubs routinely served food, children weren't allowed in at all under 14. It was accepted that there were places which were more suitable for adults. You'd be able to take children into perhaps a snug area, but mostly it was in the garden. I well remember being about 12 and my father trying and failing to convince the barmaid I was 14.

Why can't we accept that it isn't always appropriate for adults and children to always be sharing every space? It's not just about how children affect adults, it's also the other way around. Some adults swear, drink too much, etc, in pubs that serve food. Isn't it nicer to be able to sit your children with others who are perhaps more careful what they say and aren't out for a booze up because they are also with children?

See I've never really had issues with kids on flights. Once one kicked seat when I was in economy but I turned round , told him stop it and gave the " death stare" and had no more issues.

I'm in my 50s and remember " games rooms" where kids could go in some pubs

But you got a child...yabu.

Yes. I remember those and nobody carried on like it was some sort of apartheid.

Don't remember parents hanging about inthere though. My dad would bring us drink/ crispsand go back to the bar

Yep, true, it was somewhere to put us whilst they had a drink. Still wasn't seen as some kind of anti-child segregation policy, just that it wasn't appropriate for kids to be in the bar. Which it wasn't.

Our local restaurant does the same, it’s brilliant.

You lost me at “restaurant with a ball pit”.

What a brilliant idea!!! Wish they were all like this!

erm no. I have kids, so have to sit in the kid area
i hate it! its loud and annoying but not forever!
But, when I am out without kids, I do not want to sit near them! So yes YABU!

You do sound pretty lost! She didn’t even say that.

I am a parent and I think the idea is brilliant

Think you're missing the point. Not everyone does.

I wouldn't expect someone to take their nuisance child out in to the rain for example but most restaurants have vestibule areas, entrance hallways where the child can be taken until calmed down. I think it's the polite and respectful thing to do.

YABU.
you had a child with you. I went to my local garden centre last week and experienced a family who clearly required education to ensure their children behaved appropriately in a restaurant.
Just for. Context. 3 year old running round and almost knocked an elderly lady over. No apology from the parents.

No but it wasn't forcing the parents to sit with other people's kids either.

And you are missing the point that the decent parents who would shouldn't be treated as the lowest common denominator as if they are Chavs letting kids run riot

If you get 2 groups of adults. One group behaves fine, eats properly etc. The second group are overly loud, use lots of swear words and generally behave like scum them group 2 get chucked out. But group 2 are it automatically banished to a lesser part of the restuarant BEGORE they've done anything wrong, unlike parents with kids

What do you suggest being done? Decency tests on the door? Signing. Contract that they'll ensure their kids are quiet and well behaved, Maybe when parents are forced to sit with constantly screaming kids instead of on the opposite side of the pub,they'll start disciplining. It's absolutely fine and fair for pubs to have child free zones and cater to everyone and not just you.

Also it's high time that parents were forced to sit and supervise their kids in pubs that have play equipment. My old local used to have a play area in the beer garden and the amount of times that my partner and I would find ourselves sat in that beer garden alone whilst other people's kids played unsupervised on climbing frames etc whilst their parents sat inside! Why should I as a child free person have to assume responsibility if someone's kid falls off the equipment and is on the floor crying?

Another bonus of forcing parents to sit with their children in the play area is that it stops the situation where kids are running back and forth across the pub between play area and parents and running across people who are carrying hot plates of food! I've seen young kids dart in front of waiting staff carrying sizzling hot skillets, I've had small kids run across me when I've been carrying a plate of hot carvery back to my table! This has had to happen for good reason!

Maybe they should give diners 2 options

1. all groups with children in this area

2.If your child disturbs other diners we will come over and make you leave especially if you are chatting and ignoring their behaviour then try and negotiagte with the staff that little Petunia or Montague is not being precious and no it is not cute

your choice

Good adults stay, bad adults go - not difficult is it but too many kids aren't disciplined now, too many parents don't care and there's no such world where the pub can issue behavioural tests and assesments of parenting on the door to decide who sits where! You can harp back to bygone eras but kids were disciplined then!

You do understand that you can't have bad behaved family section and good behaved family section! Parents have to change this situation by being disciplinarians that now sit with their playing child rather than as far away from the play area as possible.

Or filled his nappy and instantly ruined everyone’s dinner. By the time you’ve smelled it and taken him out, everyone else has had to smell it too. While they’re eating. 🤮

No just throw the families out if their kids behave badly Same as you would throw out badly behaved adults

Soft play areas ENCOURAGE bad behaviour and kids running back and forth

Breasfed babies poo doesn't stink to high heaven you know. More likely to get a stink from a farting adult

Second option sounds great and literally what I am saying