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kids in restaurants
So DH and I have been debating this, and we disagree...
I think...OK when they are infant and asleep, and then not again until they are school age (old enough to behave)
He thinks...any age is fine
What do you think and why? I just know how much sitting next to crying/messy/loud kids ruin my dining experience.
My Favorite Part of Spring~Red Sox Baseball!
Re: kids in restaurants
I agree with this. I wouldn't expect to see toddlers/schoolage kids at a fancy steakhouse, but at someplace like Tullys, I have come to expect it.
That being said, my DH is on the same page as you....He doesn't want to take Baby K anyplace after it's born that it might make too much noise or upset anyone.
I agree, it depends on the restaurant. I think you'd almost need to give children the experience of eating out in public so they can learn the right behavior,etc.
That said, I get so mad- not at the kids, but the parents- when there are meltdowns not being addressed. I really have no problem if the parent is at least paying attention/trying to soothe the kid, but lately I've seen some real winners out in public texting or talking on their cell when their poor kid is in distress over something.
I think any age is fine as long as the parents agree that if that the child is fussy/misbehaving, you will leave/go outside or to the car to settle down, etc. I don't think restaurants aren't places for kids (bar the fancy ones, of course) so I don't mind them there at all as long as they are well-behaved and if crying incessantly, etc., they are removed/leave with the parents.
I'll just add this, too: I think putting an age on it is a bit silly bc some kids are very well0behaved at 3 and others couldn't handle it at all...ever. Depends on the kid and the parenting, IMO.
It does depend on the restaurant.
But kids will never learn to behave and control themselves in public if they are never taken out of the house. There isn't a magical transformation that happens when they celebrate their 5th or 6th birthday that they just know how to behave and act.
I also agree that it depends on the restaurant, and parents also need to be responsible for their own kids, and take them out of the restaurant to calm down when they are acting up/fussy.
But I dont think kids should be banned from most restaurants until a certain age - they'll never know how to act!
Confession: I also get mad when Im with my nieces and they might be a little loud and someone gives us a dirty look - i mean, Im paying to eat there just as much as this other person is!
I think kids should go to restaurants, but the parents need to stay on top of their kids behavior. If the kid is having a meltdown and screaming their heads off they need to walk around with the child and take turns eating or pay the bill and leave.
I actually brought the baby to a restaurant the first time last week. (Friendly's) A couple of of my old coworker friends wanted to meet her. We usually met up once a month there for lunch. I was so worried that the baby would get upset and I would have the screaming child of the restaurant that I actually had set it up ahead of time for my Dad to come and pick her up 45 minutes into lunch. She slept the whole time and only woke up right before she left with my Dad after everyone held her. She did very well.
I was quite proud of her. lol
Next time the group said to just bring her b/c she did so well and if she gets upset we will all take turns walking the floors. (We actually dicussed children being in restaurants.) I might still have my Dad on call.
And Tiffgoddess is right her sisters were awesome in restaurants! They were pretty amazing! I always fear I am going to have the child with a meltdown, but if it happens I will make sure to pay the bill and get out of there quick! It makes me nuts listening to screaming children and the parents that scream back at them in restaurants.
My MIL used to flip out if she saw a kid in a restuarant. She would make a huge deal to get moved to the other side of the restaurant, so I didn't want DH to go overboard with not going anywhere wtih our kids!
When my DD was a baby, we took her out lots of times, timing it so she would sleep. Not only did I want her to be quiet for the sake of others, I did't want to deal with a fussy or crying baby while I am going out to eat.
It was actually a little tougher when DD was around2, because she didn't want to sit still, so we didn't take her out as much. We always made sure she wasn't crying, kicking the seat, climbing all over.
We never went to a fancy restaurant, but we went to regular places (like Ichiban, Indian restaurants, etc.
That being said, it doesn't seem like most parents are as diligent with their kids. I get really annoyed a lot of the time when I am out. With the two kids now, I basically never get out, unless it is Moe's or Brueggers or somethign!
Nest Bio ~ ~ Baby Food Blog
I will say it depends on the kid, and not necessarily the restaurant.
Now, would I take my kid to a romantic restaurant on a Saturday night? No. But I don't think we only have to eat at Friendly's if we have a kid with us. I have taken my daughter to "fancier" places that did not have a kid's menu and she has always been perfectly well behaved and quiet. I don't think it's acceptable for kids to scream or throw food in a restaurant, no matter what kind of restaurant it is. We are lucky in that our daughter is well behaved, if she was a high energy kid who needed to be loud and run, we wouldn't take her out.
We take Evan to all kinds of restaurants. He is (usually) really well behaved, and loves to be in new environments. He makes a big mess, but we always tip well, and try and clean up as best we can.
We are taking him to a nice restaurant next weekend for DH's birthday (Black and Blue Steakhouse). My whole family got gift cards for Christmas, and we all want to go together and I haven't been able to find anyone to watch Evan... so he's coming with. I was kind of against it at first, but we are going early on a Sunday... I wouldn't take him on, say, a Fri or Sat evening.
Depends on the restaurant, child and parent.
We take DS to restaurants so we can start to teach him what is appropriate and not appropriate public behavior. We remove him or distract him if he acts up. We clean up more than most parents (I literally will wipe the floor beneath his chair if he spills food).
I think if I waited until he was 5, then we'd have to start over in a sense. They need to practice and practice early - kids learn pretty fast. (exactly what Cutemin said).
That said, I wouldn't take him to a really really nice restaurant unless it were a special circumstance. Partly because I don't want to pay $15 for a meal when he might only eat 1/4 of it and partly because if I'm spending a lot of $$ on dinner, I want to relax and enjoy it without being on constant Mom duty.
m/c 1/2/08 and 3/12/08
Eve Amelia- Born 2/24/09. 6lb 9.9oz
Natalie Ruth - Born 6/13/11 7lb 6.6oz
I think it depends on the restaurant, and the kid. We've been taking ds out to various restaurants since he was an infant. I think the exposure, plus the luck of him being a really good eater and a people-watcher like his mommy has helped us enjoy dining out as much as we do. Does he have perfect table manners? Not yet, but he does know to sit quietly and eat (with the help of some fun distractions when needed). We have to be flexible, and if that means getting up every now and then when he gets fussy, so be it.
As long as parents are consistent on what is expected when out to eat, kids will get the message. Those parents that allow excessive crying/messiness/screaming probably are not dealing with it just in restaurants.
well I would avoid prime 677 this coming year...cause I'm taking DH & L...(lol)