So this couple walk into a restaurant with an oldish toddler......

[Flum]

... sit down at a table, get out a portable DVD player, plonk it in front of him and switch it on.

Is this normal behaviour? Would you do this?

Judge, Judge, Judge away.....

What is the problem??? Sounds fine to me (we don't have one of these but DS would love it).

it's obviously "normal" for them

where's the art of dining/conversation gone?

my dd's love nothing better than Dining Out

Well, it all depends on whether the child in question had the sound up at mega-levels or was listening quietly via earphones.

keeping him occupied while they wait for the food? Bril idea. Kids get VERY cranky between ordering and eating.

Flum -- "He didn't have autism. he was nice." made me piss myself! - I know for a fact you did not mean it to come out like that, but

occupied?

errr can't they talk to him?

Kerry, now I want to go to Denny's. I want a family reastaurant.

I don't think I ever said anything about training our 12 week old - he's just interested so we try to include him, and we have our conversation about our day in a way that he finds amusing (e.g. silly voices, comments addressed to him)

Similarly my nieces (now 5 and 10) have always been included in family meals out - to a whole range of restaurants. Sure, its not easy when they're weaning, throwing food about etc, but they've always enjoyed it and cause very little disruption!

Of course maybe this couple had been out every night on their holiday and wanted as much peace as they could get / some time to themselves, but if it was a regular thing, my opinions stand!

Yup. Talking to them is good.

"I want chips"
"Ok, they have as well, wouldn't that be nice?"
"no. chips."

"I'm bored."
"It'll be along in a minute. Have you seen this?"
"I'm huuuungry"
They're cooking it, why don't we play rock paper scissors?"
"It's booooring"
"Remember when we went to "
"I need the loo"
"Shall we play a game?"
"I'm booooored"
"Look at this"
"I'm SOOOOO hungry"
"They've got to cook it, shall we play I spy"
"I want to go over there"
"No, that's the staff area"
"I'm fed up"
"Look at this, I made a swan"
"how much longer is it going to be?"
"Let's sing a song"
"Don't want to."

Now, I don't know about you, but half an hour of that and they're going to need to bring my a bottle of vodka with my jacket spud!

ffs you don't have to talk to a child (or anyone for that matter) about what they're doing right then.

i think it's rude to watch tv while you're in a restaurant

I think they're bloody sensible! Anything to get a bit of peace in some circumstances is my motto. I let my son watch shameful amounts of TV on long haul flights. Not a huge deal

Of course it is not right/proper/manners/ decent to watch a dvd in a restaurant.

genius

I was being general.....mine would go like this....
"Clifford the big red dog and tasty food now at mcdonalds"
"BEEEEE-babababa"
"two"
"What time is it?"
"Who's first?"
"glubradweechaglubre"
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"
"two"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWH"
"Who's first?"
"Two"
"BEEEEEbababa"
"Who's first?"
"Two"
"GRAWHOOOOOOOLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"
"papapapapapa"
"Two"

Gotta love asd!

Since when do toddlers have 'proper manners' anyway? My 3 yr old usually wriggles around like he has ants in his pants, gets up halfway through the meal for a wander (me chasing him around tables and squawking like harassed harpy), spills half his drink down his front and orders chips then says he actually wanted pasta. We avoid anywhere posh and regularly get out the colouring books, sticker books etc...

I wouldn't judge, really I wouldn't...

Bugger. No the autism comment and the nice comment were completely unrelated.

hope no one thought I meant people with autism not nice. oops. in fact he could have had autism but Idon't thinks so, mind you my experience of autism very limited.

They were also black and nice. only joking.

they weren't that nice really

i was just being nice

they weren't black either actually

i was just being black

oh dear

It's a great idea on the days you want some peace and quiet.

Maybe it was one of those days.

yeah sure in a perfect world Persephone and Tarquin would be conversing about world politics over a froot shoot and caviar but sometimes you want to eat your dinnerin peace - this would not make you a bad mummy or a slummy mummy or a bqfh (bitch queen from hell) but a normal person who I would like to be friends with.

They were nice. I think I was just jealous that I would be too scared of being judged by people like me to do it.

I'm gonna get one, and not speak to my kids again until they are 25. I'm sure they will have lots to tell me by then, and may even buy me dinner, hoorah.

PMSL@Laurie and Flum

I wouldn't judge someone who did this. But I know it is possible to do good conversations in restaurants and keep kids interested. My Mum was a genius at this. (well, somebody who took their 2 yo on the train from Sweden to Greece would have to be).

Sadly, I don't quite have her patience, it has to be a good day for me to come up to her level.

Video iPod with wonderpets is excellent for DS age 3, keeps it all nice and calm till dinner comes.

we always used to take gameboys or PSPs when the kids were small and there might be a long wait for food. In one hotel they played battleships whilst we were having a 3 course dinner (they had eaten earlier at 'high tea')

It's not a problem when we go to Wagamamas as the food is invariably at the table within 10 minutes.

Now my kids are 8 and 6, these days we can usually entertian them with conversation.