General Chat

whats your view?

I personally cringe if we out out for a meal in a classy place and see children. I hate kids running about when I am trying to eat an evening meal say in the Chinese.
Now I appreciate that if you don't allow children in restaurants then they will never know how to behave ....mmmm that reminds me of some adults ! lol
BUT I do believe that there has to be a limit for childless couples and those who have paid for a babysitter to eat in peace.

As kids we had to behave at the dining table (rather than the kitchen quick eat) which was sat at every sunday for dinner. After that we were taken out for meals at cafe's etc and progressed from there.
Never as a child were we allowed to run around and cause havoc at a meal table....if it was early then we had crayon books or other things to amuse us but it was all no elbows on the table, request to leave the table (not away from home).

What do you all think?

Well IUzzi
I think you have answered your own question. As a child your parents obvioulsy new how to control their children whilst teaching them good manners at the same time.
I have 4 children of my own plus two step children who I have also brought up.
We normally took the children with us to any class of restaurant and we simply did not allow bad behaviour.
However in my view the TV ruined a lot about manners, meals in front of the TV on childrens laps or god forgive them on the floor.
Then came Comps in each childs room and I have met one family where the children cannot remember when they all last had a meal together, they each have their meal in their bedroom whilst on the computer.

My view on children in restaurants is that the parents should be asked by the manager to stop them running around. I don't have a problem with them actually eating in restaurants, I do have a problem if they are not taught how to behave. Little Johnny may be cute and make his family laugh but other people who pay good money should be able to expect to enjoy their meals in peace.

We often used to have our daughters three boys from a very early age, for a weekend. We always took them out for meals (ages say 5,8 and 9 or even younger). We always had compliments paid to us by other diners on their behavious. And the same thing has happened with our son's two, although our granddaughter gets bored and 'flops' but never disturbs other people.

I do hate to see toddlers running around with chips in their hands. Why don't they use the high chairs these days? However, watching some of the child parents eat I can see why the little ones have no table manners.

As with all things, there are exceptions.

id go mad ...mine have been told from an early age that 2 think off others. "its not a play ground it's...." is my fav sayin to them & it works

I think,if people want child free dining, they should chose adult only restaurants. Or restaurants who stop admitting kids after a certain time.

why should families be brushed aside from places if it spoils your enjoyment ?
After all, like you they are paying to be there, with their kids instead of palming them off somewhere else.

If you pay for a babysitter its your choice, take your chance or as said, go to a kid free restaurant

I do agree that children shouldn't be running around in any restaurant. For a start it could be dangerous if they bump into someone carrying hot food.
Also I wouldn't find it fair on other diners, with children or without.

I know exactly where your coming from Uzzi,

I sometimes go to Pizza Hut, basically because I cant cook..lol.
Often there are children actually running around the tables, or standing on the chairs generally making a bloody nuisance while their mothers and now and then, fathers take no notice.

The parents seem to just allow their darling little brats run amok, and when I have said something to them regarding their kids bad behaviour they think I am being rude.

I never allowed my children to be badly behaved when out anywhere, they were taught manners and to respect other people, which I am glad to say has rubbed off onto my grand children.

I expect half of the time its not the childrens fault, but just bad up-bringing by the parents.

Mildred,
not saying that parents shouldn't take their children to restaurants, far from it, it is part of the child's education of life.

Basically, parent should teach their children how to behave and show some sort of respect for other people who are using the resturant.

Mildred, I don't think anyone is saying they shouldn't be there. At least I am not. I am saying they should be under control so that we can all enjoy our meal. Why should people eating without children have to go to special restaurants is the counter argument to yours. I Love children but it is so dangerous and not fair on others when they are allowed to be disruptive.

Mildred I am not saying children shouldn't be in restaurants and I personally for a "romantic" or "business" meal would choose a restaurant that doesn;t allow children ie not Pizza Hut ! but in this day and age restaurants don't have that choice they need all they can get and it should be up to the parents to teach children manners.

Spanisheyes yes I knew my point of view just wondered about others. You like I do live in a very family orientated place but are they as well behaved as we would hope ..these days No Also I do agree that TV dinners have taken away teaching table manners to children

Ann in Glos we are very much in agreement

Motown believe me I know it's some of the "yummy mummies" at fault OH works at a prestige *wiggles fingers there * club and they are a nightmare !

Foggy thankyou

I was in Pizza Hut on Tues' lunch time for a bit of a 'treat', the children that were there, not many, were fine but the music! Tribal screaming from the speakers up above , we changed table just to be able to hold a conversation.

It seems impossible to go anywhere now that is not blasting music out at a level which drowns speech?

I don't like to see children running around, and I can't believe parents walk out without making some effort to pick up the bits that their children have dropped at least.

Rose that is another point of restaurant eating do we put up with the music etc lol

Having been management and waitress for a well known chain the offers a carvery and its sister company that has a salad cart, kids were a nightmare at times.

This company only offered a colouring in sheet plus crayons if they had some (not to keep) and a balloon if they were lucky when they left.. Why do parents expect gifts for the kids to keep them quite? do they eat at home whilst colouring in a pitcure ? I doubt it

jax

My 2 grandchildren have always gone out to eat with us My 4 year grndson was taken out of the pub we were in my his mun at christmas and was told if you are going to run around the pub we will go home. When she come back in with him he had to say sorry to us who were with him, then he had to say sorry to the table next to us. We took him out last weekend and he said i will be good this time or my mum will take me home and we will never come out again, and he was a good boy all the time we were there

Good points made here already.

TBH, none of mine were taken to a classy restaurant when they were young. That was our treat while they were home being baby sat. It wouldn't have bothered me if other children were there - as long as they were quiet and sat at the table.

But we did take them to places such as Litttle Ch** where they learnt to sit still - aided by crayons and paper carried in 'Mummy's' cavernous bag...trading up to better classed places when we were confident they would behave.

And they were also taught 'eating out' manners such as although it was OK gnaw at a chicken leg at home, a knife and fork had to be used when out or in company. They were amazed when they did see other children running, but accepted that they were 'naughty'.

I'm sure that some of the poor behaviour is, as has been suggested, not being used to sitting at a table for at a least one family meal each day. And asking if they may be excused/get down when everyone has finished eating.

I too do not mind children in restaurants cafes etc but I do object to them running around screaming and generaly being a pest.
I have take my children and my grandchildrern to such places and can honestly say that none of them have ever done that..
They can do that at home but not out it's just not the done thing.

Even at home my daughter's children in the 90s would eat all their meals at the table away from the TV. They would stay at the table until everyone had finished and would then be allowed to leave the table. And none of the boys ever complained because it was what they were used to. I am not saying they were angels and they would argue amongst themselves while having their meals but they grew up having good table manners and, incidentally eating what was put in front of them, with a few exceptions.

all children have to learn how and when to behave
and i think there is a diffrence from children runing around to fidgerting
weather it be dirty harrys cafe to a posh restaurant

me i think there is a time diffrence as when i was little we was not alowed to move from the table when out
but i think now not all but some of the perants dont seem to want to learn there children table manners

and i also dont like to see children runing up and down and around the chairs and to me it just shows that the perants dont have any manners to alow it and it dont show respect for other

It all depends on whether they encroach into your space doesn't it? When I go out for a meal I don't want to be irritated by loud rude bad mannered children running about but then I don't want to be irritated by loud rude bad mannered adults either. I think the problem is that the kids we tend to notice most in restaurants are the ones whose parents haven't got a clue how their kids should be behaving - I wouldn't be seen dead in a proper restaurant with some of the kids in my family.

Having said that, I was in a proper grown up restuarant on Saturday and noticed a woman with a kid (about 5ish?) who was beautifully behaved sat there crayoning with all her mum's attention and there isn't anything nicer to see I don't think.

What about children in 'Pubs' being fed crisps and soft drinks - running around while some of the parents oblivious to what their little darlings are up to????

Drives me to drink when I see this!!!!!!!

I don't have a problem with children in restaurants as long as they are well behaved, and don't run around. Too many people these days let their kids do as they want so you end up with kids who don't know how to behave in public. I can't stand rude bad mannered people... children or adults.