<p>Our family went our last night to celebrate D’s great spring grades and assessments to a pricy but still family-style restaurant. And once again we saw parents letting their kids do whatever the heck they wanted. In one corner booth that was unoccupied, a brother and sister aged about 2 and 4, ran back and forth yelling and laughing. One almost careened right into a server with an arm full of dishes as she came around the corner. Parents told them without conviction-“come back here”. They didn’t.</p>
<p>I see this sort of thing ALL THE TIME, even in “nice” restaurants. One time a kid ran headlong into the server and to this day I don’t know how he kept his balance and didn’t dump the entire tray on her. Parents made her and siblings sit down for a good 5 minutes before they started running around again.</p>
<p>Nothing will ever top, though, the two boys playing leapfrog in the middle of the aisle while their moms sat eating their salads and sipping wine. People had to step around them-no one did anything to stop them.</p>
<p>Is this common where you live? Why don’t the restaurant staff SAY something? It’s a safety issue on both sides.</p>
<p>I would have asked for the manager and possibly left the restaurant. I have a child who was severly affected by ADHD. For many years, we avoided going out to eat. We would not subject other diners to a rambunctious young child who had no idea that he was wrecking havoc. When we did eat, we timed medication, made sure he had activities that would sustain his attention, (game boy in those days), requested his food or appetizer right away and sometimes ate in shifts, DH would eat first with DS, then if DS became loud, DH would take him for a walk outside. Needless to say, it was not enjoyable for us either. We were very aware of other diners, etc. So, today, I have no tolerance for parents of children who allow them to play in restaurants as if they are playgrounds.</p>
<p>Agree!!! We have 4 kids and if the kids were out of control, we just didn’t go out, or went to a restaurant where they could play outside. If one of the kids acted up, we took them outside. There are definitely restaurants that are more geared to kids than others, but kids should not be running around in any of them as it is dangerous for the kids, servers and patrons. I had my 85 year old mom out at a very upscale, expensive restaurant and a little boy about 5 yrs. old ran smack into her. She has severe arthritis, and I could tell it really hurt. His mom blandly told him to please come sit down- he didn’t . Also, when our kids were little, we would (rarely) get a babysitter and go to a really nice restaurant to get away for a bit. It annoyed me so much if there were kids acting up near us, when we had spent all of that money. I have no problem with kids in restaurants and I understand they can get wound up- I don’t expect them to be perfect and I know they have to learn how to behave. But kids who are screaming continually or running around need to leave!</p>
<p>sseamom…oh, you are dining in San Francisco! ;)</p>
<p>does not matter the cuisine, decor, location or price…parents allow their little snowflakes to ruin many a dining experience for others. </p>
<p>Are parents now just clueless as to proper behavior? Saw a clueless Mom last week at a very busy Happy Hour…brings her 4 & 6 year old into the bar–and sat them on stools at the bar, much to the stares of other patrons. Kids clearly knew they were out of place and looked uncomfortable. Took a few minutes before the Manager came over and reminded her it’s a law that kids can’t be at the bar. And Mom appeared quite offended at this…</p>
<p>Thankfully I haven’t seen too much of this. I would be so full of righteous indignation that I don’t think I could enjoy the rest of my meal!</p>
<p>This may sound strange… but I’m always a little alarmed at the compliments we get from wait staff on our children’s behavior. Sure, I’m delighted to be complimented on my darlings but it’s not like they performed the Heimlich on a choking patron or cleared off all of the tables for a harried busboy.</p>
<p>They’re just being normal… sitting quietly, saying “please” and “thank you” and not being a nuisance. The fact that we are complimented so profusely for that makes me wonder what these poor wait staffs must be dealing with on a frequent basis!</p>
<p>I completely agree. We went out to dinner the other night at one of those Japanese restaurants where they cook in front of you. There was a father with two little boys sitting with us. My first reaction was “Oh, no.” Anticipating what I expected their behavior to be from past experience. But they were so well behaved and ate everything put in front of them without complaint that I complimented the father on their behavior. It’s so sad that seeing well behaved children is now more shocking than poorly behaved.</p>
<p>Maybe I don’t get out enough. I don’t recall seeing problem children either in fancier restaurants (with few or no children) or even our favorite pizza restaurant that is packed with families with children of all ages. I usually make faces at the babies.</p>
<p>I have been known to say (rather loudly) to the offending children (so that the “adults” with them can hear) “There is NO running (jumping, spinning, throwing, leap-frog playing, caterwauling - in a restaurant!” - I have also been known to look straight at a hysterical child and say “SSSSSHHHHHHH! - we are indoors now!” </p>
<p>I fault the parents. Kids are just being kids.</p>
<p>(My brother and I remember being sent to sit in the car when we acted up. Guess that’s off the table these days. )</p>
<p>I see this occasionally. I have no problem going up to the parents and telling them to get their kids under control. I won’t go up to the kids though. They don’t need to be talked to by a stranger. </p>
<p>I used to nanny for five kids. They ran WILD with their parents but sat politely when I was with them. Their mom was amazed and wanted to know my secret. It’s simple. I tell them “no” and engage with them rather than sitting on Facebook during dinner… The opposite of what mom does.</p>
<p>Dining with our 20 & 22 year old last year, kids at a nearby table were unruly, causing a commotion. D claimed that, as kids, they would have gotten the “Death Stare” from Mom. Our S remarked, “gee, you would have yanked our arms out of our sockets if we had behaved like that”. Probably right. Ahh, the things they remember from childhood…</p>
<p>I hope when they have kids, they’ll carry on the family tradition!</p>
<p>One of our favorite restaurants recently expanded their bar to include almost a mini restaurant inside it. It’s quiet, decorated with a modern, calm ambiance, and best of all, off limits to anyone under the age of 21. It’s heaven.</p>
<p>The rest of the restaurant looks like a Disney cruise ship. All having a wonderful time, and we’ve been in that stage before, so no problem. Just glad to have another option now that we’re in a different phase.</p>
<p>Ive seen the scenarios described by OP in restaurants and supermarkets. In Costco, a few times, I would see a young child or two running around the aisle by themselves. Im wondering, Where is the parent? As for restaurants, there are times when I request a different table when I see that Im being seated in a table near fidgety, noisy children. Other times, I dont mind because like NJRes I like to make funny faces with a child to hopefully placate a morose child whose parents look young and helpless. </p>
<p>The restaurant described by Nrdsb4 with an adult-only section is a good solution for adults who want to eat a decent, quiet meal sans the cranky kids and food splattered all over the table and floors.</p>
<p>The only thing that is truly a nightmare for me is when I am on a red-eye business day flight hoping to get some sleep and a child is wailing the entire flight non-stop and for some reason my noise-canceling headphones is not producing enough white noise to block out the whining.</p>
<p>I was on a 15 hour flight sitting in the business class. There were 2 young boys 4-6 who were working up and down aisle snapping other passengers’ eye masks. Meanwhile the parents were having their 5th martinis and watching on flight movies. I did tell the boys under my breath, “If you touch my kids I’ll cut your hands off.”</p>
<p>My D and I stopped into a wine store that does wine tasting on Saturday afternoons. A couple were in there with two rambunctious boys. One would not stop barraging the guy at the counter with non-stop, inane questions, something about cars, over and over again. The guy looked uncomfortable but didn’t want to be rude. Meanwhile the other kid was running up and down the aisles between cases of wine. Parents never said a thing. Just tasted their wine. We couldn’t believe it, except we’ve seen it before.</p>
<p>D has recently moved to this town and plans to start a family there. It’s a mostly upscale town (she moved into the one “poor” section.) I think hers may be the only kids in town who will be disciplined. :/</p>
<p>We started taking our kids to restaurants (nice ones too) when they were only few months old, but we always had plan B, which was to pack up and leave if kids got to be too cranky. When they got older, we would sit them down to explain to them what would happen if they should misbehave. Our girls used to love to get dressed up to go to nice restaurants, so having to leave was a pretty big punishment. On the flip side, I used to get upset if they should seat us in the back because we had kids with us because I knew my kids wouldn’t bother other guests.</p>
<p>Our kids loved dining out and have dined in nice restaurants from age 1 month. They have always enjoyed it and behaved well. It was unspoken that one of us would leave with anyone who misbehaved. We have never had a problem. We used to dine early, often when restaurant first opened as there were fewer diners and we’d get better and faster service. As the kids aged, we had more flexibility on timing but still prefer early dining.</p>
<p>Last evening DH and I were seated in a booth with a family behind us. No problems with unruly behavior, but the kids started talking about throwing up. Parents said, “We don’t want to listen to you talk about throw up while we are eating.” But kids kept at it. One even said, “OK, I will just throw up in your face!” Honestly, an appetite killer for everyone around them. Set limits and stick with it people!</p>
<p>Our kids learned quickly not to act up, because DH would take them outside and give them a LONG lecture! He is quite the lecturer, to the point they would say, “Dad, couldn’t you spank me instead of giving me a lecture?”</p>
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