How should kids behave when they’re taken out for lunch? Do they need to sit quietly at the table with their parents? Or is it okay if they run around and play in between the tables?
UK mum Danielle Styles didn’t think her sons were doing anything wrong at a recent meal at a restaurant. But a fellow diner clearly disagreed, leaving Styles a nasty note written on a serviette.
“CHILDREN SHOULD BE SEEN AND NOT HEARD,” the note read.
Styles was out to lunch with her one-year-old and her seven-month-old baby. Her sister Katie was there with her two-year-old son, as well as her friend Lea with her one-year-old daughter.
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She shot a video of the kids playing together at the restaurant, and it’s been posted online. It shows the kids spinning in circles in an open space between tables, and the mums encouraging them.
Styles says she noticed a woman at a nearby table looking over a few times. When the woman left the restaurant, Styles says she slammed the handwritten note to the window.
“It was shocking, to be honest,” she told The Mirror. “I still can’t believe it.
“I think it’s disgusting how someone can say that about four innocent babies. We were angry and upset that someone would write that about our kids.”
Top Comments
Tough one. I think if the kids are running around tables then yes, it may have gone too far. Crying babies is a fact of life and not something that can be controlled.
As a mum of two little kids I keep to child friendlyish places (ie if they throw crayons and a colouring in book at me when I walk in and have high chairs on obvious display), keep my kids seated either on a chair, high chair or in the pram, try to minimise the kids noise (not always possible), and always bring things for them to do in their seats.
The world does not revolve around my kids, but I am also allowed out in public from time to time. I do my best to keep the kids quiet and contained and I think most reasonable people would recognise this and not mind sitting in our vicinity.
I wouldn't go to an expensive restaurant with my kids. Before kids I enjoyed a lovely quiet meal out and I believe I'll also appreciate it once my kids are grown or if I can secure a babysitter from time to time. Others are also allowed this experience surely? So I guess some places are, in my opinion, allowed to be kid-free. The majority of others should be shared in a considerate way.
I'm kind of with the other diner (although they probably could have gone about it a nicer way!). I think its a bit rude to just expect everyone to be ok with kids up and about in a restaurant. If they were spinning/running around its likely they weren't being quiet and I wouldn't want to put up with other peoples kids squealing/being loud when i'm trying to enjoy a meal!