Children in restaurants

[thedaras]

Any time I have been abroad ,the local parents brought their children to the restaurants,and it was always after 10 at night.They were really well behaved and involved,however some of the parents here,think we are all amused at their kids behaviour,and can use the waitress like a child minder or/and let the child wander off so other diners can keep them amused..
I dont mind other peoples kids in restaurants,as long as they are not mine,Im happy out.

 

[blueband]

when i go out for a meal, not often,.... i pay a babysitter to look after our chrildren ,so i certanily dont want to hear other peoples children causing a racked!

 

[Vanilla]

I dont mind other peoples kids in restaurants,as long as they are not mine,Im happy out.

My sentiments exactly. Couldnt care less if they are screaming their heads off, as long as I don't have to deal with it...having children has given me an inbuilt immunity to noise. I might have a fleeting sympathy for the parents but this is usually quickly followed by relief at not being the target.

 

[liaconn]

My sentiments exactly. Couldnt care less if they are screaming their heads off, as long as I don't have to deal with it...having children has given me an inbuilt immunity to noise. I might have a fleeting sympathy for the parents but this is usually quickly followed by relief at not being the target.

I think that's part of the problem though. A lot of parents, when their kids are small, are so used to noise and clatter at meal times that they take it for granted and fail to notice that their children are annoying other diners in restaurants. The unfortunate restaurant manager then has to deal with annoyed customers complaining about other people's children and indignant parents who cannot understand why the manager is asking them to keep their children under contol or take their baby outside to calm down. You can't honestly blame restaurants for just making a blanket rule that no children are allowed after a certain time. Simpler than trying to act as referees.

 

[Leper]

I'm all for allowing children into restaurants. What better place to have a family get-together.

However, the restauranters are in a Catch-22 situation because many children are not supervised by their parents/guardians and can be left to scream, shout, run, be a general nuisance etc. This minority of parents are a disgrace and couldn't give a "whit" about any disturbances provided it is away from them.

The majority of us look after our children/granchildren and ensure they are well behaved and supervised at all times.

But, if I am to be honest, I am "phissed off" with some of the stupid behaviour of some parents and their children. Sunday afternoons have become quite a chore enduring the "liberties" of rampaging children while their jersey wearing parents ignore them while watching some match on the hotel television.

I'm all for setting up some kind of soundproofed coral and banishing the offending parents into it and let their badly behaved children supervise them.

 

[Niallman]

I think that's part of the problem though. A lot of parents, when their kids are small, are so used to noise and clatter at meal times that they take it for granted and fail to notice that their children are annoying other diners in restaurants. The unfortunate restaurant manager then has to deal with annoyed customers complaining about other people's children and indignant parents who cannot understand why the manager is asking them to keep their children under contol or take their baby outside to calm down. You can't honestly blame restaurants for just making a blanket rule that no children are allowed after a certain time. Simpler than trying to act as referees.

Thats pretty much what Nick Munier was saying on the radio last week when explaining why Pichet will not be taking children after 5. As usual in Ireland, its the minority that refuse to do what they should that ruin it for everyone else. He was saying that his staff have been abused by parents of noisy children, had to deal with people complaining about other people's children, had staff carrying hot food tripped by children and even on one occasion, a staff member had to intercept a child on its way out onto the street while the parents were blissfully ingoring it.

I totally agree with him, there is nothing worse than having planned a night out in a nice restaurant only to have to listen to noisy or disruptive children. Its not their fault though, they're just bored.