Do you bring your babies to the restaurant?

maden2629

I take my 2 year old. He's actually quite mannered in there. He just sits there and eats and watches other people and ocasionally he will say something, but he's not loud.

MustangSally74

I swear everytime I go out to eat, there is always some crying baby or kid! My joke is the restaurant pipes it through the speakers to get peeps in and out! LOL!

But I do have 2 kids and I don't take them to a nicer place, not because they scream, but just because it's nice to get away and enjoy the evening w/o kid hassels. Parents should be more considerate about other people around them and use some common sense and at least take them to the restroom or outside until the child is under control.

I don't think your way of thinking is out of control. Good qustion!!

Rosa1213

I think it's all part of common courtesy, and the Golden Rule. You wouldn't want your meal being disturbed by a person (of any age) who was screaming and being very loud.

So, you try not to be loud and for your kids not to be loud, so as to not ruin everyone else's evening.

I've never had this happen to me. Usually, if a kid is being loud, the parent takes it outside for a few minutes and then they come back. I do think I'd speak to a management person to relay the message of "You are being inconsiderate to others (especially your kid) because you are ignoring your child's wails."

IrishHarpy1

Sorry but I brought my daughter everwhere with us. I work full time and I would never leave her to go out to eat. I spent enough time away from her. And If I am paying $25 a plate then they can put up with my child is the way I see it. She never had crying fits however she was good even as an infant and I think in that case I would of brought her outside till she calmed down. But yes I would bring a child to a high class restaurant.

You're not paying the other customers that $25 - they are paying that much per plate too, so it could be turned around to say that they should deserve an enjoyable meal without screaming or squealing.

This. Completely.

No, I do not have children of my own (7 years of infertility treatments and four miscarriages, so don't tell me I hate children and/or parents), but when I want to spend a quiet -- note the word QUIET -- and expensive evening out with my husband, I expect a nice night. Not everyone is enchanted by the sound of a squealing and/or screaming baby when trying to have a romantic dinner for two.

Perhaps I should ask the parents who insist on taking a baby out of his/her comfortable environment for a 9:00 PM dinner to compensate me when their child ruins my evening.

TundraTed

Children are a part of society. Everyone complaining about children was a child at one time. People seem to forget this.


No, I don't take my kids to fancy restaurants.

Yes, I do take them to Chili's/Applebees, etc. They are family restaurants and cater to families, including those with children. My daughter is well behaved, but even the most behaved children have their days.

daffodilsoup

I would never take my infant to and upscale restaurant if I'm paying $25 just for the entree then that's obviously not an infant friendly place! But, I wouldn't get worked up over it the baby is just doing what it does crying. I think because you don't have children you find it annoying once you have your own trust me you just kind of develop Mama ear filters you can just drown out what you don't wanna hear!! lol

Whether you hear it or not, your screaming child is f***ing annoying.

Look, a well-behaved child in a restaurant is just fine - it's not as though the presence of a child is upsetting. However, the screaming, crying and mess are just a handful of reasons why I don't want kids. Just because you have to suffer through your kids' tantrums doesn't mean I do, especially not in an upscale place catering to adults.

The parents have just as much right to be there as you do. I don't have kids, but I don't get upset at babies being babies. If the kid is five and running around, that's different. But an infant crying--get over it.

They absolutely have the same right to be there, but it's common courtesy. One of the parents has to bring the kid outside if they can't calm them down. Yes it's an inconvenience, but having children is a choice.

I don't get upset at babies being babies. I do get upset at parents who think that just because they've decided to let their little miracle have a tantrum five feet away from me because he's "learning how to behave in public" that somehow I need to be subjected to it.

There are places where the noises a child makes are perfectly fine and acceptable - the park, a "family-friendly" restaurant like Chili's or Applebees, etc. However, this is within reason - I can "get over" a certain amount of screaming or crying from a fussy baby, but parents who let their children carry on and on without taking them outside are just being plain rude.

My boyfriend and I are just not kid people, so we try to plan our activities around prime kid hours and locations. We take our vacations when kids are still in school. Sure, if we ate at 5:30 in a Ruby Tuesday's, sure we're kind of asking for it, but at 9pm at an upscale restaurant, or at the movie theater, or at an art gallery, it's the parents' responsibility to calm the child down or remove them.

steadk

I would bring my baby to any restaurant i went to. However, if they were being as fussy as you are portraying, i would take them out, as to not disturb any other guests.

MaryB2

The way you describe your experience sounds pretty awful.


However (and I'm not saying this is the case with you) I hate it when a kid is being a kid, and someone is rolling their eyes or sighing or whatever. My children are BEYOND polite and behaved in public. And I'm not sure I remember anyone doing this to us. But I have witnessed a kid be a kid, not overly obnoxious or anything close to that, and someone having a flipping fit about it.

THIS
A few nights ago we were out, and my son was kicking his feet on the booth. He had no clue, he's a kid. It's what kids do. The woman at the table behind us TOUCHED HIS SHOULDER and said "STOP KICKING THE BOOTH". And spent the rest of the time glaring at us, meanwhile my poor three year old was sitting indian style so he wouldn't accidently kick anymore.

This was at Texas Roadhouse. A place where you can throw peanut shells on the freaking floor.

That would have pissed me off! I don't have kids but if that had been a niece or nephew that woman would have gotten an earful from me. If someone is going to be stuffy enough to say something it should be to the adult at the table, not the child.

AliciaStinger

The worst is when the child is screaming and everyone else notices but the parents are either ignoring it or not doing anything about it.

EXACTLY. I'm 21 years old, no kids of my own, but I remember when my brother and I were young (he's three years younger than I am). IF one of us threw a fit, mom or dad would take us back out to the car -- but usually we followed the rule "however you behave in the house/car STOPS the second you're in public." If we misbehaved in public, we knew we'd be grounded, and my parents knew exactly what to take away to make us regret bad behavior.

I understand when kids are being kids, like when they get excited and say something a little too loud before the accompanying adult tells them to speak more quietly, or even when kids argue or cry. I don't understand parents who think it's okay to pay attention to their electronic gadgets, friends, or older siblings and ignore the child who's crying or screaming or running around the store knocking things off of shelves. It doesn't matter if it's a family-friendly restaurant; if someone takes on the responsibility of raising or looking after children, then it's their responsibility to make sure they behave in public - and that means they keep their butts in their seats, and use their "indoor voices." Like I said, I didn't have children, so whether it's a crying baby or an obnoxious brat, it's not my problem; take the kid outside until they calm down or behave, but don't ignore them and let them keep crying or inviting themselves to others' tables.