The main problem is that many parents don’t sufficiently discipline children when they mis-behave or remove them for a time-out. Parents often seem rather defeated or unaware of the annoyance that loud or attention seeking children can have and rather try to ignore the behaviour or “get through it” as quickly as possible – either way it’s not good for the rest of the people in the vincity. Then there are the parents who indulge their children’s behaviour.
A policy of refusing children is easier than one which asks parents and their children to leave half-way through a meal. The policy in this light reflects more on poor parenting or social awareness of adults rather than the children. If parents consistently acted within your “social contract” there’d be no need for the policy.
I’ve brought my daugther a few times to restaurants. We tend to choose lunch over dinner so she is less likely to be tired and over excited, and the atmosphere is more casual. We also try to choose restaurants with plenty of space, baby chairs, etc… Of course, being a child, she gets bored easily and I bring a book or a toy, and if all fails I take her outside for a walk. I’ve seen far worse behaviour from some adults.
Without commenting on whether one side or the other is right (or right-er), I would say that none of the people who support banning children HAVE any. I know my opinions would have been different when I didn’t have children.
Obviously people don’t deserve to have meals spoiled by children acting up and parents should do all they can to restrain them. However, there are also things restaurants can do to help – like serving the children’s food asap, to keep them occupied – there’s nothing more likely to make it all kick off than have trying to keep a child immobile in a restaurant for a half an hour waiting for something that should only take minutes to prepare (as they usually only do cr4p like nuggets and chips on the menu). Some restaurants do appreciate this, and serve the children immediately, or with the parents’ starter (now that I think of it – we wouldn’t risk the extra time a starter would take!) As the previous poster said, an armoury of toys/crayons etc is also a necessity.
In times when restaurants are closing down, I think they should also bear in mind that if they ban children during the day, the parents may be less likely to consider them when (if?) they get out on their own in the evenings too.
I totally disagree with a No Children policy! I don’t have kids myself but if anyone tried to stop me bringing my angelic 5yr old niece out for a nice meal I would be very offended! There’s no way you’d satisfy her with nuggets n chips, seeing as her favourite food is smoked salmon or houmous on brown bread! (very middle class… :D)
Hi. I don’t have kids but like everyone I was a kid once .. and my parents brought us out and thats how we learned to behave properly, to order, to taste new foods and to appreciate the atmosphere and enjoyment of eating out! Its an important part of socialising children I would think?
No more than anyone else I can’t stand really bold, uncontrolled children running amok anywhere not least a restaurant – but like previous posters have said its up to the parents to control them. I do also agree that restaurants could help themselves more … am i right in saying that I’ve seen kids in wagamama colouring furiously? and I was in there on sunday and the waiter/host was really good giving the small people their own menus, they are the paying customers of the future!
An all out ban seems crazy to me, esp in a time when turning customers of any type away would be ludicrous. I did work in a bar in london where children were not allowed in any area that didn’t have carpet – which was around the bar, pool table and front door. I thought that was quite a managable rule.
I think it’s cute to see well-behaved kids having lunch or dinner in a restaurant, they are part of a family after all. The only problem I ever have is with parents. They seem to have a knack of zoning out screaming kids (handy!) and it really bugs me when there’s a racket going on and nobody seems to notice it or try and stop it. That said, I’ve rarely noticed that in restaurants, it’s normally on public transport. Kids will be kids!
I dont have kiddies, but hope to some day. I have no problem with children in restaurants at all. In fact, I had dinner last year in Dromoland Castle where we shared the dining room with two very young but immaculately behaved little girls. Its only by taking them to restaurants that children learn how to behave in them.
Wednesday 17 June, 2009 at 2:23 pm
The main problem is that many parents don’t sufficiently discipline children when they mis-behave or remove them for a time-out. Parents often seem rather defeated or unaware of the annoyance that loud or attention seeking children can have and rather try to ignore the behaviour or “get through it” as quickly as possible – either way it’s not good for the rest of the people in the vincity. Then there are the parents who indulge their children’s behaviour.
A policy of refusing children is easier than one which asks parents and their children to leave half-way through a meal. The policy in this light reflects more on poor parenting or social awareness of adults rather than the children. If parents consistently acted within your “social contract” there’d be no need for the policy.
Wednesday 17 June, 2009 at 2:34 pm
I’ve brought my daugther a few times to restaurants. We tend to choose lunch over dinner so she is less likely to be tired and over excited, and the atmosphere is more casual. We also try to choose restaurants with plenty of space, baby chairs, etc… Of course, being a child, she gets bored easily and I bring a book or a toy, and if all fails I take her outside for a walk. I’ve seen far worse behaviour from some adults.
Wednesday 17 June, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Without commenting on whether one side or the other is right (or right-er), I would say that none of the people who support banning children HAVE any. I know my opinions would have been different when I didn’t have children.
Obviously people don’t deserve to have meals spoiled by children acting up and parents should do all they can to restrain them. However, there are also things restaurants can do to help – like serving the children’s food asap, to keep them occupied – there’s nothing more likely to make it all kick off than have trying to keep a child immobile in a restaurant for a half an hour waiting for something that should only take minutes to prepare (as they usually only do cr4p like nuggets and chips on the menu). Some restaurants do appreciate this, and serve the children immediately, or with the parents’ starter (now that I think of it – we wouldn’t risk the extra time a starter would take!) As the previous poster said, an armoury of toys/crayons etc is also a necessity.
In times when restaurants are closing down, I think they should also bear in mind that if they ban children during the day, the parents may be less likely to consider them when (if?) they get out on their own in the evenings too.
Wednesday 17 June, 2009 at 3:28 pm
I totally disagree with a No Children policy! I don’t have kids myself but if anyone tried to stop me bringing my angelic 5yr old niece out for a nice meal I would be very offended! There’s no way you’d satisfy her with nuggets n chips, seeing as her favourite food is smoked salmon or houmous on brown bread! (very middle class… :D)
Wednesday 17 June, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Hi. I don’t have kids but like everyone I was a kid once .. and my parents brought us out and thats how we learned to behave properly, to order, to taste new foods and to appreciate the atmosphere and enjoyment of eating out! Its an important part of socialising children I would think?
No more than anyone else I can’t stand really bold, uncontrolled children running amok anywhere not least a restaurant – but like previous posters have said its up to the parents to control them. I do also agree that restaurants could help themselves more … am i right in saying that I’ve seen kids in wagamama colouring furiously? and I was in there on sunday and the waiter/host was really good giving the small people their own menus, they are the paying customers of the future!
An all out ban seems crazy to me, esp in a time when turning customers of any type away would be ludicrous. I did work in a bar in london where children were not allowed in any area that didn’t have carpet – which was around the bar, pool table and front door. I thought that was quite a managable rule.
Wednesday 17 June, 2009 at 5:04 pm
I think it’s cute to see well-behaved kids having lunch or dinner in a restaurant, they are part of a family after all. The only problem I ever have is with parents. They seem to have a knack of zoning out screaming kids (handy!) and it really bugs me when there’s a racket going on and nobody seems to notice it or try and stop it. That said, I’ve rarely noticed that in restaurants, it’s normally on public transport. Kids will be kids!
Thursday 18 June, 2009 at 11:31 am
I dont have kiddies, but hope to some day. I have no problem with children in restaurants at all. In fact, I had dinner last year in Dromoland Castle where we shared the dining room with two very young but immaculately behaved little girls. Its only by taking them to restaurants that children learn how to behave in them.