Please don't bring kids to restaurants, Part 1

[LoZoccolo]

At least nice restaurants where there are waiters. When we go out to eat, part of what we pay for is so that there is a nice place to eat, not one where kids are yelling and screaming and fighting and crying that they don't want to order off the kids' menu. And we don't want to hear you yell at your kids either and cause all sorts of drama. Take your kids to McDonald's where they'll at least be happy with the food and we can go through the drive-thru so we don't have to watch how gross it is when your kids play with thier food and junk.

[vivalarev]

1. AMEN!!!!!!!

[Wickerman]

2. yeah, but my kids are sweet

little demon children. :evilgrin:

[sakabatou]

3. Right on!

[KitchenWitch]

4. I respectfully disagree

My children are very well behaved. While I would not even think to bring my kids to a 5 star restaurant, I do bring them to moderately priced table service restaurants. Not only are they well behaved, but I have had many waitstaff types tell me I could bring my kids back there anytime.

Only taking the kids to McDonalds and other fast food type restaurants limits what a family can eat, and taking well behaved children to table service restaurants give parents an opportunity to show children how to behave well in public.

[xmas74]

10. I do agree with that.

If parents are teaching their children manners at home, they will know how to behave when going out. Most of the children that act up in public seem to have behavior problems at home.
My daughter, at a very young age (infancy) went out with me to family style places. She knows how to sit at the table and behave herself. She uses her utensils properly. We speak calmly to each other about how our day was. We keep our table tidy and if she has a spill, we both clean it up together (instead of expecting a waiter to do it for us).
There are some children who do not know how to behave. But the same can be said for some adults.

[Carla in Ca]

45. I would be happy to sit by you

but it seems to me that well behaved kids are becoming the exception, instead of the rule. Why has good parenting become obsolete for so many? Eradicating child abuse is fabulous, but why did discipline have to go with it?
I am happily childless by choice (I have fostered/rescued dogs for 26 years) so my tolerance level is low to begin with and I have worked on that and I don't get angry like I used to.
I wish more parents were like you.

[xmas74]

47. I was raised with the idea that

good manners would is not only polite, but it will open doors of opportunity for you. Some of the upper echelon believe that you can tell the difference between those who were raised by wealthier families and those who were not by their manners. Since this used to be the case, my family drilled the ideals of common courtesy through my thick skull until I finally gave in.
I have done the same with my own child. Sadly, this idea of manners and common courtesy is no longer exhibited in any class of people (perfect example is Paris Hilton).
I do not know why this has happened. I just know that my daughter will not follow the example set by others today.

[cornermouse]

12. Exactly right.

[LoZoccolo]

25. Everyone thinks that their own kids are well-behaved.

Especially the people I am complaining about in the original post.

[cornermouse]

29. You know your children are well behaved when strangers

tell you that they are.

In conclusion, I've seen adults do things that were far, far worse than anything I've ever seen children do.

[LoZoccolo]

36. So they acted well with that one stranger.

That doesn't mean that they'd do it all the time.

[KitchenWitch]

37. Children tend to behave better around strangers than they do around

their parents at home.

[LoZoccolo]

38. Or in a restaurant.

Which is why people should not bring their children to a restaurant!

[KitchenWitch]

40. Not true

my children behave better out in public than they do at home, at home they know they can "let down" and we will still love them, out in public, they do not have that guarantee. If my children even look like they are going to act out, it is right back to the car, and we change our plans.

[JitterbugPerfume]

5. I agree

I love kids but there are certain places they should not be until they are tamed


before you say anything I am the mother of six the grandmother of twelve

[xmas74]

6. If I take my kid to a restaurant

with waiters, it is something family-oriented (like a Country Kitchen or something). She gets her crayons and she is very well-mannered while there.
Actually, I have had more waiters bitch about the high school and college students in my town than ever complained about the kids (maybe because, as a former waitress, I leave good tips).

[Beaverhausen]

7. Oh you've done it now. Get ready for indignant moms to bash you

how dare you not want to eat with their little angels???

[cornermouse]

8. You can either

take them out when they're little and not as loud and easier to shut up

or

wait till they're big and capable of making a LOT more noise and less mallable, shall we say...

In all honesty, the kids don't usually bother me.

[Goathead]

9. Thank you!

I can't stand it when people get in an uproar over the fact that I don't want to hear their kids screaming in public or parents who think that they have special privileges because they have children.

[McKenzie]

11. I'm with you on this one

It's not the child's fault, it's the bloody parents who allow their kids to run riot. We've all been kids (I still am one!) but inflicting kids on people is impolite and rude.

[LisaM]

13. OTOH, I don't think you should teach kids to go to fast food drive-ins

I think that sends a terrible message.

I think it's like any other situation. I noticed a few years ago that people bring their kids to church, loaded with toys and games and other activities. I have heard people defend this on the basis that kids need to learn to be at church. Well, they probably do (if you feel they should be going to church) but they're never going to learn to pay attention if they get to bring a bunch of toys with them.

Make going out a special deal. Dress up and talk about how you are going to behave, and the correct way to order or ask questions. Make it enjoyable and they will behave. Teach them how to act, and most importantly, REMOVE them from the situation if they can't act nicely.

I have eaten out with adults who dress and act like children - going to nice restaruants in baseball caps, snapping their fingers at the waiter, pointing at the menu, stiffing on tips, you name it. It's not just kids who act badly at restaurants.

[Padraig18]

14. The problem isn't the kids, it's the parents.

The kids behave the way they do because the parents don't bother to train their little darlings. If you ever want to smack someone upside the head, start with Mom and Dad.

[cags]

15. Please don't go to nice restaurants if your ugly. Consider my appetite

:evilgrin:

[fishnfla]

18. Yeah no fat people either just the sight of them makes me ill

Same with facial hair, tattoes and body piercing, yuck . Just stay home.

[cags]

21. LOL

[blondeatlast]

31. And for pity's sake, if you are wearing perfume, stay home!

:eyes:

[fishnfla]

35. also if you are color blind and you clothes dont match, stay home

No fashion clueless people in restaurants. dress the right way or stay home

[the Princess]

16. I agree 100%

I hate it when we go out to a nice restaurant and some irresponsible parent has brought the brats they refuse to discipline and they invade my space and my dinner.

Amen!

Now if the kids are well behaved and have good manners - I welcome them! :)

[Lerkfish]

17. should reword title to: don't bring misbehaving children....

we have a very well behaved son that we can take anywhere without problem.
Misbehaving in public is something that is the fault of the parents.
When our son was very little (about 4), the first time he attempted to throw a tantrum in a store, I simply picked him, without saying a word, carried him to the car, belted him in his child seat, belted myself in, and had a little talk with him. I made it clear, in no uncertain terms: misbehave and earn a trip to the car, no ifs ands or buts, no matter where it is, no matter what is going on.
Next time he pushed the envelope, I did the same thing. No speaking, simply took him to the car.

I've only done that twice. I've never had to again. He's now 6.

Set boundaries that are realistic and proportional to the offense, and stick to them.

Children misbehave in public quite simply because they are allowed to.

However, I think people who think other's children should be "not seen and not heard" are missing a great deal of the reality of life, as well.

[Skittles]

19. I don't mind children in restaurants

what I dislike is undisciplined little brats in restaurants whose parents find their horrific behavior "cute".

[Kathy in Cambridge]

24. And in my waitressing and bartending experience, there are plenty of those

:eyes:

I started a thread earlier that got deleted where I gave an example of parental NEGLECT where the kid was hurt very badly in a restaurant where I worked. The motto of the story is keep an eye on your kids in public places, and try to be aware that you are not at home, and others are paying for the privilege of witnessing your child's obnoxious behavior.

Back when I was a kid, we went out to eat. If we acted up, we either went outside with one of my parents and got a talking to, or my parents packed up the food in takeout containers and left.

How did people today get so clueless?

[Skittles]

34. you know it, Kathy

it just took one LOOK from our dad for me and my brothers to behave right

[CBGLuthier]

20. Just more good old fashioned internet generalizations

All children suck.

All red staters suck.

It isn't that far removed from the roots of bigotry.

[blondeatlast]

23. But this might be the time we SOLVE IT!

After 671 times on DU.

:eyes:

[fishnfla]

30. *Gasp* You mean Liberals can carry prejudices?

Get out! I'm shocked

In fact I think I hate you for pointing that out to me. ;)

No pratical people allowed in restaurants either!

[blondeatlast]

22. For the 671st time on DU--but this time we'll solve it!

:eyes:!

[donheld]

26. I've seen many kids act better than Adults

not just in restaurants.

[Kellanved]

27. that's a great idea

And later as adults, they will know exactly how to behave at McD's. That's an extremely useful skill which can't be learned early enough. :thumbsup:

[rtassi]

28. How do you feel

about subjecting restaurant patrons to the Oh so important cell phone conversations we are forced to endure?

[JitterbugPerfume]

32. Bratty kids on cell phones

OH NO!!


cell phones were spawned in hell in my opinion

[Skittles]

39. see Jitterbug, I find the adults more annoying on the cell phones

that cell phone curse seems to have hit all generations; all rules of common courtesy seem to go out the window when people have one of those g.d. things in their hand.

[LoZoccolo]

33. I am an important international businessman.

The phone call I miss could be the one that sends the stock market tumbling, and us plunging into a depression. Please let me take my important call.

[webjamn]

44. I hope you're joking

what did "important" businessmen do before cellphones?

[American Renaissance]

41. How about misbehaving adults?

I was recently at a nice resturant with my girlfriend and another couple and while we were there we got to enjoy a group of 7 or 8 women who all appeared to be professionals well into their thirties having a loud and detailed conversation about cocaine, oral sex and public urination among other topics.

We actually saw some parents with two kids who were perfectly well behaved get up and leave.

I overheard the manager tell a waiter "they ordered $400 worth of food, plus god knows how much booze, they can burn the place down for all I care"

[LoZoccolo]

42. You should have followed the adults outside...

...and told them they could come back and burn the place down if they wanted to. You should have let them know of their priveledge.

[miss_kitty]

43. hmmm should I bring the corn already popped,

or should I let the flames pop it for me?

[prairierose]

46. When I was a kid....

we traveled with my Dad on business in the summer. Fast food restaurants had not yet been invented. McDonalds was actually very new and in very few places. So we got quite a bit of experience behaving in "adult" restaurants.

We knew that we had to behave or we would be in very real trouble. We learned to behave. We knew that if we did not behave there would be consequences. We would not be allowed to do something that we wanted to do or the favorite book or toy would be taken away for some period of time. To this day, I can't stand to be in places where children do not behave.

Now I'm not getting into the child bashing thing. I understand that sometimes they have trouble behaving because they are tired or hungry. I believe that it is cruel to drag children around as if they have the stamina of adults. Unfortunately, I believe that much of what we are seeing today has to do with the fact that parents are both working trying to make ends meet. But I also think we have seen a decline in civility that makes me sad.

Last week at the Library, a boy shoved me out of the way so that he could get through the door before me. I called him a "rude young man". He was shocked that anyone would say anything to to him. I can't seem to keep my mouth shut in these situations. :shrug: I feel like some mean person and yet I think that people should be called on their bad behavior in public. And I don't care about their age. Whether they are 5 or 55, what is wrong with courtesy and civility? Oops!! this just struck a nerve I guess. /rant

[ScreamingMeemie]

48. Sorry, I'm bringing my kids. We're paying for a nice place to enjoy

ourselves with our kids. We put up with your ringing cellphones, your guffawing laughter, your disgusting noseblowing at the table...Eat at home if communing with your world neighbors, both big and small, is too much for you. :hi: I'll look for a table right next to you otherwise.

[sleipnir]

49. I think this has been discussed to death.

I see this thread locking in five...four...three....two.....

[ScreamingMeemie]

50. I hope so, because this response will be deleted. The original

poster is an ass for bringing this up again.

[Democrat Dragon]

51. are you talking about family restaurants or fancy restuarants?

If you are talking about formal "fancy" restaurants, I would agree that such a place isn't suitable for small children.

unless of course the small children involved are very well behaved.