Do you bring your babies to the restaurant?

it would be interesting to see how many of the people who don't like children "spoiling" their meals don't have kids of their own?

I have 3- screaming kids in restaurants is unacceptable- ALWAYS. Take them out- accept you need a time out for a while from certain places while the kids are young. Before you know they are teens who want nothing to do with you- take your dates then or get a sitter. As a mother of 3 I am here to tell you I do NOT want to hear any kids when I am trying to have an adult evening. I dont want to hear mine, yours or any. Love my kids- tolerate others' - but not in adult venues.

OK I'm going to try to sayt his nicely and by no means did we take our son to fancy rest. but.....

Our son had a medical issue that caused him to become feeding tube dependant for a little over 2 years. He never learned to "eat" like a normal child. We did intensive therapy with early intervention and 2 children's hospitals in order to "teach" him to eat again.

ON top of that, he is non medicated ADHD.

Eating out is hard.

When he was little we tried to go out to eat right after a feeding session at home when either he ate enough orall or I tubed the rest into his feeding tube. Then we had to wait about an hour and head out to eat.

I couldn't just drop him off at a baby sitter.....this was a medically complex kid (healthy now thank GOD) on multiple medications that all had to be timed apart.

At one point one of our early intervention goals was to start doing feeding therapy in public because well, people EAT in public. WE all do.

You would not believe the stares we got. To others, it looked like I had the most spoiled kid on the planet. He would kick, sometimes scream, I started out only feeding him a "snack" at the mall in the food court.

Fast foward to now, he's 5.5 (still unmedicated ADHD) but still does not understand all the "social" skills that come with eating out. He still only eats because it's on a schedule. Very rarely does he eat because he is hungry or likes very much the food put in front of him.

If you saw us out to eat, yes I am still feeding him with his fork or mine or whatever I can get my hands on in order for him to eat. That's just how it is. He will be on his knees, under the table, asking about everything around us. His mind runs 100 MPH 24 horus a day.

It's not because he is a brat, it's because he got dealt a ****ty hand in life and we are still paying the consequences to this day.

We are just glad and amazed he eats by mouth at all. The original goal was to have his tube out by the time he entered K5, well, he enters K5 in the fall and got his tube removed before starting K3. He beat his goal by 2 years people, that is amazing.

I also know a HUGE amount of tube fed children on line. He is the ONLY child I know of how has gone from 100% tube fed to completely oral all at home and did not have to be admitted into an intense rehibilitation feeding program at a children's hospital.

So, please be compassionate when you see a family struggling while they are out to eat. I cannot tell you how many times I would go home and just cry. We got horrible looks all the time.

of course sympathy is called for in your case. but Id have to ask anyway- why not make life easier on all of you and use restaurants that are more appropriate for the behavior? If not for him but yourself. Instead of eating somewhere nice or even borderline nice (chain restaurants) why not mc donalds, chuck e cheese or chick fil A etc.
When my kids were out of control (terrible 2s- boys, basically untrained animals til about 2. 5 or 3 yrs old) Id stay home. Simple. In time they grew into humans and we go where ever we want. They act like gentleman at the table and Im not stressed or crying when I get home.
As I said - you have a certain situation that is unlike most of us. Why not take an easy road once in a while- if not for some peace to others- but for your own sanity.

My daughter was completely different. I've been taking her to symphonies since she was not quite three. She sits still and if she starts getting a little loud, you tell her and she immediately takes it down a notch.

This!!! I love Broadway, and I take my daughter to shows with me, she LOVES it, stays in her seat, is quiet and frankly mesmerized by the show.... maybe this year we will try an opera!!!

Its the parents job to teach the child how to behave, was my daughter an angel at 2 or 3, no... but we continue to take her everywhere and she has learned and now at age 5, she understands how to behave in public.

You just referred to someones child as "it"... :huh:

I call my kids "it" matter of fact thats my 9 year olds nickname!

Along with Sponge, Ickybobcrane!

I call mine The Kid, Thing 2 and Painy. Ppl have called me out- move along nothing to see here. "it" is good- when said with love- all these names are cute. Not cute- allowing lil angel babe to cry while Im trying to eat. Then I call it crotch fruit. Rotten crotch fruit at that.

yesssssssssss new moon! thas how i feeel! mine are said with love and feelings!