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Frankly, I believe that if you can't control your children when dining out you should lose the privilege of going out to eat until they can behave. Ever stare in disbelief as some random diner points out to a awe-shocked parents just how horrible their children are acting? I'm that guy. *thimbs up*.
lol
I better retract the drink offer or I'll end up needing a keg or something. And yes I have given more than a few glares and purposely loud-enough-to-hear disparaging remarks (often despite protests from guess who) - and I think more people need to do this (ie show disapproval in some way which will assist in their embarrassement etc), because tolerating obnoxious/stupid behavior only allows it to further flourish. If it's made unpleasant enough (not suggesting starting a riot), at least some will finally start to "get it" and teach the kids to behave. That's my dream anyway.
Seriously thx to so many of you who get it and pardon if I don't reply to each that well deserves it - it's encouraging to know I'm not the only one, although it feels like it sometimes.
I was a much better parent before I had kids. Now things are harder.
Count me as another person here who does occasionally go out to eat with a child, not usually to really fancy places (altough he has eaten at some very nice restaurants when the Great Grandparents are visiting). I just generally assume that when I'm going out to eat with my son, there is the possibility that I am not actually going to get to eat. I'm kind of hyper vigilant about him making noise or being disruptive, though. He sits in his seat and colors in his coloring book or plays with a quiet toy we bring. If he gets antsy or starts to get noisy, we go for a walk outside and I get my food to go. He doesn't wander the restaurant, he doesn't scream. He eats neatly, with better table manners than I've seen in some adults. If he didn't, we wouldn't go out. I think a lot of parents out there are like us.
I think it would be great (although it's probably not legal) if, similar to family-friendly restaurants, there were a few to specifically cater to those who want to eat in a child-free setting. Then maybe I wouldn't get glares when I walk into a restaurant with my (well-behaved, quiet) child; those who are bothered by children could choose to eat where they know they're "safe". Heck, I might even get a sitter and go myself sometimes!
To answer the original question, though, there are a few restaurants now that are actually prohibiting children after a certain hour. A few of the childfree websites maintain lists of these restaurants, sorted by state, if you want to search. Unfortunately I didn't see any listed here, although I did find one in Charlotte (and a movie theatre as well). This could be a growing trend. Now if only I could find similar relief from other patrons. Children are not the only ones who create disturbances in restaurants.
I would like to add a different perspective to this thread as well. When my son was about 18 months in New York, I was there on business, and brought him with me, (nursing), he stayed during the day with a friend of mine's son and nanny. Her son was about 6 months my son's junior. The kids had a blast during the days. One evening we decided to grab some chow. We went to a diner. A DINER. It was touted as family friendly. There was an old bitty getting perturbed by our two sons, who were banging spoons on plastic drinkware, or playing with sugar packets, or what have you. She asked that we make them stop. I was pretty annoyed with her and cautioned, it's much less annoying then when they scream. Which they started doing pretty well immediately after taking away the "toys" they were playing with awaiting their dinners.
She continued to glare.
We left, my friend was mortified and apologetic. On leaving I laid into her. If you don't want to hear the sounds of the public -- STAY HOME! This was a DINER. Not fancy, just a freakin' Diner. I can understand wanting to go to a tragically hip, dark, romantic place with candles dripping all over the place and soft or soft house (or whatever) music playing with some other ephemeral settings where kids simply don't belong. But as for the rest of it - if you want a nice, quiet dinner with your beloved, eat at home. Because if it's not some screaming brat, it's some obnoxious man next to you blowing his nose in his dinner napkin or some woman eating like a fat cow, or someone else being an inebriated idiot. There will always be something to irritate you, Mr. John Q Public. It's the nature of the beast. Why are kids in the US little fat butterballs? Because too many people bring them to McDonalds and feed them frozen chicken and other disgusting food in inappropriate portions. Why not teach them that food is more than just sustainence? That it is an experience of sight and sound and taste?
Yes, I will bring my children with me wherever I choose. And if I want a child-free night, I'll go to a place I KNOW neither encourages their presence or has priced the parents out of bringing them ... [bring on the intermezzo]
Finally, I hate to break it to you, but being or not being a parent does not have some automatic and direct correlation to being knowledgeable or "wise" about it. I hated that gross illogic when I was single and hate it no less today as it is condescending and simply makes no sense whatsoever. The parents I am discussing here are a perfect example. So while I agree that experience is the best teacher, this "if you don't have kids you don't know" is utter nonsense.
Exactly. None of us in this thread has ever been President of the US (I think that's a fairly safe bet) but how many of us regularly criticize him for things he does? It's the same thing--you do not have to be X to point out criticisms of X.
I would like to add a different perspective to this thread as well. When my son was about 18 months in New York, I was there on business, and brought him with me, (nursing), he stayed during the day with a friend of mine's son and nanny. Her son was about 6 months my son's junior. The kids had a blast during the days. One evening we decided to grab some chow. We went to a diner. A DINER. It was touted as family friendly. There was an old bitty getting perturbed by our two sons, who were banging spoons on plastic drinkware, or playing with sugar packets, or what have you. She asked that we make them stop. I was pretty annoyed with her and cautioned, it's much less annoying then when they scream. Which they started doing pretty well immediately after taking away the "toys" they were playing with awaiting their dinners.
She continued to glare.
We left, my friend was mortified and apologetic. On leaving I laid into her. If you don't want to hear the sounds of the public -- STAY HOME! This was a DINER. Not fancy, just a freakin' Diner. I can understand wanting to go to a tragically hip, dark, romantic place with candles dripping all over the place and soft or soft house (or whatever) music playing with some other ephemeral settings where kids simply don't belong. But as for the rest of it - if you want a nice, quiet dinner with your beloved, eat at home. Because if it's not some screaming brat, it's some obnoxious man next to you blowing his nose in his dinner napkin or some woman eating like a fat cow, or someone else being an inebriated idiot. There will always be something to irritate you, Mr. John Q Public. It's the nature of the beast. Why are kids in the US little fat butterballs? Because too many people bring them to McDonalds and feed them frozen chicken and other disgusting food in inappropriate portions. Why not teach them that food is more than just sustainence? That it is an experience of sight and sound and taste?
Yes, I will bring my children with me wherever I choose. And if I want a child-free night, I'll go to a place I KNOW neither encourages their presence or has priced the parents out of bringing them ... [bring on the intermezzo]
Just because a place is a diner doesn't excuse children from not behaving or their parents from justifying it.
Certainly you can continue to be rude and bring your badly behaving children where ever you want, but don't expect a medal for it. If they are too young to handle a situation, then you are doing them and the rest of polite society a disservice.
There are times that I really dislike that the Triangle is always touted as 'family friendly'....for some reason this means to some parents that they don't have to discipline or teach their child proper manners.
I would like to add a different perspective to this thread as well. When my son was about 18 months in New York, I was there on business, and brought him with me, (nursing), he stayed during the day with a friend of mine's son and nanny. Her son was about 6 months my son's junior. The kids had a blast during the days. One evening we decided to grab some chow. We went to a diner. A DINER. It was touted as family friendly. There was an old bitty getting perturbed by our two sons, who were banging spoons on plastic drinkware, or playing with sugar packets, or what have you. She asked that we make them stop. I was pretty annoyed with her and cautioned, it's much less annoying then when they scream. Which they started doing pretty well immediately after taking away the "toys" they were playing with awaiting their dinners.
She continued to glare.
We left, my friend was mortified and apologetic. On leaving I laid into her. If you don't want to hear the sounds of the public -- STAY HOME! This was a DINER. Not fancy, just a freakin' Diner. I can understand wanting to go to a tragically hip, dark, romantic place with candles dripping all over the place and soft or soft house (or whatever) music playing with some other ephemeral settings where kids simply don't belong. But as for the rest of it - if you want a nice, quiet dinner with your beloved, eat at home. Because if it's not some screaming brat, it's some obnoxious man next to you blowing his nose in his dinner napkin or some woman eating like a fat cow, or someone else being an inebriated idiot. There will always be something to irritate you, Mr. John Q Public. It's the nature of the beast. Why are kids in the US little fat butterballs? Because too many people bring them to McDonalds and feed them frozen chicken and other disgusting food in inappropriate portions. Why not teach them that food is more than just sustainence? That it is an experience of sight and sound and taste?
Yes, I will bring my children with me wherever I choose. And if I want a child-free night, I'll go to a place I KNOW neither encourages their presence or has priced the parents out of bringing them ... [bring on the intermezzo]
I love you.
You could have really annoyed the diner lady by nursing your son!
While most parents do try to control their children's behavior in public, it only takes one to completely ruin a dinner out or a movie. Just the one. And I believe we have certainly reached a critical mass of lazy parents in this area who simply don't/won't deal with their children's behavior problems in public.
While most parents do try to control their children's behavior in public, it only takes one to completely ruin a dinner out or a movie. Just the one. And I believe we have certainly reached a critical mass of lazy parents in this area who simply don't/won't deal with their children's behavior problems in public.
It only takes one person of any age to ruin any experience (dining, theatre, concert) for all.
Where can I go and be assured that no cell-phone talking, racist-comment making, offensive smelling boor is going to be seated next to me. Life is hard--we have to put up with so much.
our two sons, who were banging spoons on plastic drinkware
Well, this sounds pretty annoying, quite frankly.
Quote:
I was pretty annoyed with her and cautioned, it's much less annoying then when they scream. Which they started doing pretty well immediately after taking away the "toys" they were playing with awaiting their dinners.
Sooooo, why didn't you bring actual QUIET TOYS if you have a kid who is so young that you're still nursing him?? This is what I'm talking about -- not planning ahead when you take kids out, not dealing with an issue that has arisen.
Quote:
She continued to glare.
I'm with her.
Quote:
On leaving I laid into her. If you don't want to hear the sounds of the public -- STAY HOME! <snip> Yes, I will bring my children with me wherever I choose.
You sound like a real gem. Please post your eating out schedule in advance so we can avoid your little darlings.
You could have really annoyed the diner lady by nursing your son!
Why are you equating bad child behavior and lack of parental displine with nursing a child?
Two VASTLY different things.
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Now things are harder.
