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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to let my son lick the table in a restaurant?

64 replies

JellyShoesCrabStick · 16/11/2008 14:17

Went on a picnic with some old friends I haven't seen for a while. Weather forced us indoors to a restaurant. Was staying away from home so wasn't very organised with bibs and wipes and stuff. All a bit of a jumble.

Ds is 2. He spilt a bit of his drink on the table and licked it up. I told him it wasn't nice to lick the table and he said he wasn't ds, he was a cat and cats do lick the table. Made me laugh, and by that time it was all over anyway.

I know it's not desired behaviour, but is it really that terrible? All my friends have since refered back to it in a jokey but horrified way and from what one of them said, they were obviously discussing it after I left. I don't think it's that bad, and preferable to a cross toddler and a big fuss in a crowded restaurant. Am I way off here?

OP posts:

roobarbschmoobarb · 17/11/2008 15:23

The OP did tell him it wasnt nice to lick tables didnt she?

It wouldnt bother me...he's 2 and i think it quite clever that he knew it was ok for a cat to do this but not him and i think i would have reacted exactly as the OP did...if my friends thought it worthy of being dragged up repeatedly in conversation afterward i would imagine they had little else with which to concern themselves.

CoteDAzur · 17/11/2008 15:36

OP: It's not nice to lick tables
DS: I'm a cat (continues to lick)
OP: Ha ha ha (does nothing)

At home, maybe. At a restaurant, no.

debzmb62 · 17/11/2008 16:24

i agree with hecate ! my kids have done so many yukky things its not the end of the world omg some people need a chill pill and please let kids be kids the op son is 2 years old fgs

imnotmamagbutshelovesme · 17/11/2008 16:26

I wouldn't let my children eat anything that had touched the table as I assume it isn't as clean as I would like.

If they licked the table there wouldn't be a lot I could do about it but I would ask them not to do it again. I wouldn't want it done at home nor out.

debzmb62 · 17/11/2008 16:30

ps would.nt knowingly let my children lick the tables by the way and i would tell them its not nice because of germs etc etc and of course its bad manners but again don,t think licking the table killed anyone tbh

meglet · 17/11/2008 16:32

YANBU. He's only 2! It's embarrassing but as long as he doesn't make a habit out of it then I wouldn't worry. As long as you told him not to then it's not an issue.

My 2yo DS had a snail in his mouth the other day. 2 year olds do silly things most of the time.

stillstanding · 17/11/2008 16:35

Agree with most posters on here. Bit gross but not the end of the world. Think it would probably be very counterproductive to make a big scene about it. Better to say not a great idea and laugh it off. Obviously if he persists in doing it you may need to do something more ...

wehaveallbeenthere · 17/11/2008 16:53

You really can't do anything about it after the fact. I wouldn't allow it though (if you can prevent it) because you can't always count on the table surface to be cleaned properly.
That is funny about being a cat. Fortunately your child is too young to realize that cats are very clean (for cats) but not people conditions clean. IYKWIM.

mabanana · 17/11/2008 17:14

My son is seven and has Aspergers and as a result compulsively licks and chews EVERYTHING. His clothes, tables, chairs, gates, shop counters, the letters home from school....and if anyone said it put them off their dinner I would just laugh at them. FGS.

Spaceman · 17/11/2008 17:19

I've just been with my friend and her DS in a cafe and he licked the table when he spilt his ice cream. We were in stitches coz he looked funny, my only concern was that the table was dirty.

juicyjolly · 17/11/2008 17:20

I should imagine this was a one off and the op just let her two year old carry on being a 'cat'. At least there were no tantrums, which is something to feel good about.

I shouldnt imagine the op lets her ds lick every table he sits at, so really dont see the big deal. He is only two fgs.

TheLadyEvenstar · 17/11/2008 22:19

Juicy exactly he is 2 not 10....I would not even bother mentioning it to the LO as it would draw attention to it and make it more fun.

Have been in a restaurant with ds1 when he was younger and allowed him to eat with his hands and when people complained to me I joined him.....he was 19m old at the time....he is 10 now lol

LittleBella · 17/11/2008 22:21

At 7 - utterly unreasonable

At 2 - oh who cares, who needs table manners when they're 2.

wehaveallbeenthere · 18/11/2008 18:06

My youngest is 10 and has autism/MR and will (if not watched constantly) will eat anything (chew to explore it but I think it is somewhat a texture thing too) she can. I have caught her tearing up bits of carpet, toys, even trying to get to the inside of her pillow to chew it.
This comes and goes but I still will prevent it if possible but you can't watch them 24/7 even if you do your best to. So while I still find licking the table unacceptable (whether 2 or 10 or older) I know you can't always do something about it.
Hopefully, the people in the restaurant are responsible enough to keep the tables clean.
Thinking about it though a child is more likely (and adults too) to get sick or catch something from touching common surfaces such as toys or shopping cart handles, TV remotes or keyboards.
Gahh, germies are everywhere....

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