Kids in Cafes

Keane2baMused

The fact is I always believe a child should be respectful, courteous, and as well behaved as they physically can be.

I will correct my children when we are out and tell them the behaviour I expect (ie no running around getting in people's way). Mostly all is ok and we can get through a meal or a coffee without ruining someone's life. If we do though, I'm sorry in advance

Surreptitious

Kids are always approaching me smiling and chattering. It's not nice to ignore them as they aren't used to the world yet. Give them a little piece of happiness at least. I can't understand the sentiment of some people.

andekwarhola

Any other parents deliberately encourage their kids to misbehave in the vicinity of hungover hipster types for laughs on Sunday mornings?

Grayditch

andekwarhola wrote: »

Any other parents deliberately encourage their kids to misbehave in the vicinity of hungover hipster types for laughs on Sunday mornings?

You're really fighting the good fight here. :rolleyes:

Pac1Man

As Mahatma Gandhi once said:

"Shur places like Costa are getting a bit too expensive for what is fairly average coffee. I like Esquire meself."

Robsweezie

Pac1Man wrote:

"Shur places like Costa are getting a bit too expensive for what is fairly average coffee. I like Esquire meself."

"bitta hash and a snack box, be grand"

learn_more

ThisRegard wrote: »

It's great being in cafés with your kids and watching angry strangers glare at yours kids but are afraid to make eye contact with you. You know they're raging within themselves and possibly rant on the internet about it.

Well this is the only reply I have any respect for whether you jest or not because at least you admit that you couldn't care less if your kids were disturbing anyone. At least you have the balls to admit it in stark contrast to the majority of the responders who have come up with a variety of lame reasons to justify their selfishness, not least suggesting that most kids are autistic or have mental problems that make them 'frappy'. Funny responses, but pathetic also.

caille

Surreptitious wrote: »

Kids are always approaching me smiling and chattering. It's not nice to ignore them as they aren't used to the world yet. Give them a little piece of happiness at least. I can't understand the sentiment of some people.[/QUOTE

Well said. Whatever is going on in my life, whatever the parents are like, I would never, ever ignore or be rude to a child of any age or capability. The world is just waiting to kick them to the kerb as they get older and I certainly am not going be helping with that.

I don't have kids and I have sensory and other issues going on with myself. I also remember what it was like struggling in the world as a child and older and the adults who were mean and cruel to me left lasting scars and the ones who were kind (very few) made life a bit brighter.

I love kids and have a lot of patience with them and when I go to cafes, hotels, pubs on a Sunday etc and the smallies are out as well and if they are making their prescence known, its up to me to decide whether I mind or not (and that can vary, depending on the mood I am in myself). Sometimes, it's not always possible for a parent to calm a toddler down who might be teething or a smallie who is done eating but her mother is still trying to bolt down the last of her scone. I get that. And sometimes, I have witnessed and heard the sweetest and cutest things out of the mouths of babes, which more than makes up for the shrieking babes at other times.

The main point I am making is, how can children learn to behave in public if they aren't taken out to begin with.

Give and take, people, give and take.

metaoblivia

I really don't mind kids when I'm out and about. I can't recall ever having come across a terribly behaved child - not enough that it stuck with me. I don't think kids are for me, personally, but I do love interacting with them, especially at restaurants. I like to get into funny face contests with them. It's a habit I picked up from my dad.

videopirate

andekwarhola wrote: »

Any other parents deliberately encourage their kids to misbehave in the vicinity of hungover hipster types for laughs on Sunday mornings?

Congrats on being a crap parent. I bet you're one of those saddo's who wants to be mates with his kids.

goz83

syklops wrote: »

The first posters to mention special needs children were the parents of special needs children. Ive seen lots of examples of badly behaved children in the last couple of weeks - none of them were special needs, they were just badly behaved with parents who didnt care to try and do anything. And no-one is talking about a bit of giddiness. Few people would have a problem with kids being kids. Ear-piercing screeching is not ok. Parents who ignore that and think its fine are the problem.

Everyone has things going on in their lives.

syklops wrote: »

I think you are the one missing the point. I can tell the difference between bad behavior and a kid with special needs having a meltdown. Its really not difficult to spot. This is a thread about badly behaved children and indifferent parents. So again, I'm not sure why you are getting annoyed as neither you nor your son are in that category.

syklops wrote: »

A post recommending cop on that seems to ignore cop on. You talk about kids kicking off and having a meltdown. How do I distinguish? Well its pretty damn obvious when a kid is kicking off and when they are just badly behaved.

And again no-one mentioned meltdowns until you did.

OK, I have never before seen so much sh!te talk on boards and I have been around here for a few years. I was going to reply to the posts quoted separately, but to sum it all up....you don't have a fukin clue. If only I had known about you and your expertise in spotting the "obvious" difference between a badly behaved child and a child with a adhd, then I could have saved myself a bundle of stress and many hundreds of euros in private specialists fees in having one of my kids assessed and then diagnosed with adhd and asbergers.

I know this is After Hours, but seriously! WTF are you on?

cournioni

Kids on airplanes are worse. They shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a plane unless 100% necessary. Holiday domestically until they're old enough to be able to handle a trip on a plane ffs.

osarusan

My trip to the ER was ruined by a child who wouldn't stop crying all the time.

Whispered

When I get away from my little fella for a coffee it's rare and I really appreciate a bit of peace and quiet.

In saying that we like to bring him to eat out occasionally so he can learn how to behave in that environment. It would be great for there to be more choice for families and people who want to stay away from them. Love the idea of a quiet zone in a cafe or a family zone etc

Kids can be annoying in cafes but thats why theyre cafes not libraries. Deal.

Its easy enough to get annoyed at oblivious parents, especially as ive never been a parent (or indeed if i am im oblivious to it) but little darlings dont and wont always behave in a manner befitting polite society. What can you do? Its much worse if its a restaurant and you're pinned in having paid the price of a meal in the faint hope of a ride, but in a cafe ffs? Write off the price of the latte and move on if its killing you. Glare if it helps.

I should note that I often enjoy the best of both worlds by being secretly delighted at the appalling behaviour of kids, while demonstrably judging the horrified parents. Its a full life folks, a full life.

Pac1Man

Little ones, little man, darlings, tots, other half, better half, toddler, little angel.

All of those words annoy me.

Summer wind

As it used to say in the ad if you've got kids you'll understand. I've never seen children or parents behave in such an extreme manner as has been described by the op here and I certainly would never allow my child to run amok anywhere. Sometimes children can be tired while they are out and then the tears may start because they are only human. They are not robots. A little bit of common sense on both sides is all that's needed.

bodhrandude

Whats the problem, they are just mini human beings.

bertsmom

Kids are kids it's not a huge big deal when you encounter a child that insists on interaction with you even though you clearly do not wish to. But I do think it's irritating when parents leave their children to annoy people in any situation and just carry on as if everyone should consider themselves blessed to have met the offspring. I know a busy chain cafe is not somewhere one would go for a peaceful cuppa and relax but in other smaller more bijou cafes/tearooms I do think there is a reasonable expectation of peace and quiet without having to be an unpaid babysitter whilst smiling benignly at someone else's little Johnny or Mary

fatknacker

Upstairs cafés with narrow stairs and no lifts are the secret weapon to blissful tranquility...

TheBiz

I went to a different spot with a group of friends one of the days, ground level really is a pain in the arse parents have no problem leaving buggies everywhere.
Kids at the table buggies strategically placed to trip staff.

bertsmom

Estrellita it's not about people being single and angry I am neither it's about having enough on my plate to cope with that if I get half an hour without responsibilities for anyone else to be attended to I am annoyed if parents of any children special needs or otherwise don't attend to their children in a public place and leave the child to be annoying other patrons. If the parent is clearly trying their best and the situation is just difficult then I totally understand

Cienciano

syklops wrote: »

Ive seen lots of examples of badly behaved children in the last couple of weeks - none of them were special needs, they were just badly behaved with parents who didnt care to try and do anything. And no-one is talking about a bit of giddiness. Few people would have a problem with kids being kids. Ear-piercing screeching is not ok. Parents who ignore that and think its fine are the problem.

Everyone has things going on in their lives.

Are you Santa? Going around taking note of childrens behaviour?

Keane2baMused

learn_more wrote: »

Well this is the only reply I have any respect for whether you jest or not because at least you admit that you couldn't care less if your kids were disturbing anyone. At least you have the balls to admit it in stark contrast to the majority of the responders who have come up with a variety of lame reasons to justify their selfishness, not least suggesting that most kids are autistic or have mental problems that make them 'frappy'. Funny responses, but pathetic also.

Can I get a reality check on aisle 3? Reality check...anyone?

inforfun

Apparently every kid nowadays is not complete unless it gets a special needs label or acronym stuck on it and then can do as it pleases.

The workforce will be fun in about 10/15 years.

PowerToWait

Estrellita wrote: »

Who need your help to grow up to be wasp-faced patrons too. Please donate just €5 per month to support these poor children. Please text SINGLEANDANGRY to 50102 before it's too late. Thank you.

2 rite hun der only prx nobody wants anyways. Spektin me 2 keep me angles quieh.

Ave Sodalis

Both sides on this thread are laughable. No, not every child is badly behaved. If you are out in public, you will come across hyper/upset children and it's often one of those things parents can't control.
But not everyone likes children, and that's okay too. It's doesn't mean (as someone earlier suggested) that that person is miserably single and the only reason they don't like kids is because they cant find someone to have kids with. And not every parent has gives a single care for the rest of the people in the place as "my precious angel" types do exist.
One extreme are the reason the other extreme exists, and vice versa. Instead of just compromising and going "well parents should do their best to not allow their children to become an annoyance, but people should realise that sometimes that screaming match is not something the parents can stop despite their best efforts and so, for this lunch time, I need to ignore it".

boobar

I've had a few nights ruined by adults behaving badly in pubs, being abusive, sloppy and a general nuisance.

Why can't their friends/partners/barstaff/management keep them in check?

mahamageehad

I must be the only one that bases my annoyance on the parents behaviour. If the parents are trying to get the child to behave, no problem. It's the rare few, the ones that seem oblivious and even amused as their offspring run wild that drive me insane. I've seen it from the customer side, and the staff side.

Also hate this constant underlying jibe in threads like this that people that complain about kids are only angry because no one loves them enough to have kids with them. Apart from the obvious stab for people who can't have kids despite trying their hardest, some of us just don't want kids!

As a general rule, I don't mind kids in public places and have never had a real reason to complain about it. Usually I find them adorable and amusing. However, I went on holiday earlier this year to a child-free resort and it was a great decision. Would look for that in future. People are allowed to have preferences without making them child-hating-trolls. So I see all sides, except for the fèckers happy to let em run wild.

Grayditch

Yep.

You're not allowed to even casually complain about unruly children or youre a BARREN, BITTER, WITCH WHO DESPISES THE MIRACLE OF CHILDBIRTH!

It seems like a comment about one kid is an attack on all them sometimes. Hilarious defensiveness!