Kids with portable DVD's at restaurants!!!

[MoniqueU]

Coming in late here. But as long as the kids were not disturbing other diners I dont care what they are doing or not doing. IT's their business and their family. Not everyone puts the same emphasis on the family dinner table. I know I don't. My family my choice. I have 3 kids and only one portable dvd player so I never thought to take them out to dinner and usually we are celebrating some event or achievement of my childs so I wouldnt do it. But at home my kids are free to watch tv, work on the computer, listen to their ipod all while they eat dinner. Chances are I am doing my own thing. MY family my choice. Don't feel sorry or shame us, we are doing just fine, thanks.

 

[MELISAZACK]

Everybody has an opioion on this and whatever floats your boat is fine with me...but........for my own family I am PERFECTLY fine with my DS7 taking his DVD, GAMEBOY, PSP, NANNO, whatever with him to certain restraunts...
I say certain cause if the wait is long or the meal will be long - FINE bring it with headphones so no one else is distrupted....does this make me a bad parent -I DON'T THINK SO -- does it mean I don't communicate with my child
NO WAY!! does that mean I don't have to listen to the multiple wines that may or may not come from him about leaving "YES!!!"

Does it make him a bad kid for having Tech..at his hands...NO or me a bad parent NO....Does it keep everyone happy including maybe other customers
OH YEA!! lol.............

Eveyone is entitled to their own thoughts on this and own parenting methods and none of us should be judge on what we do or don't do with modern tech.
There are MUCH MUCH worse parenting disciplens and abuse going on in the
world than this....

 

[lucyblondecat]

OP, take heed, not everyone thinks you are a witch for thinking its rude to sit at a teppan restaurant and watch a DVD player. I don't care what sort of issues the kids have, when you go to a restaurant like that, where the cooking is part of the "show", its rude to sit and watch DVDs. I'd never let my own children do that, if they couldn't pay attention long enough to watch the cooking demonstration, we wouldn't go to that restaurant.

 

[sunlver]

Everybody has an opioion on this and whatever floats your boat is fine with me...but........for my own family I am PERFECTLY fine with my DS7 taking his DVD, GAMEBOY, PSP, NANNO, whatever with him to certain restraunts...
I say certain cause if the wait is long or the meal will be long - FINE bring it with headphones so no one else is distrupted....does this make me a bad parent -I DON'T THINK SO -- does it mean I don't communicate with my child
NO WAY!! does that mean I don't have to listen to the multiple wines that may or may not come from him about leaving "YES!!!"

Does it make him a bad kid for having Tech..at his hands...NO or me a bad parent NO....Does it keep everyone happy including maybe other customers
OH YEA!! lol.............

Eveyone is entitled to their own thoughts on this and own parenting methods and none of us should be judge on what we do or don't do with modern tech.
There are MUCH MUCH worse parenting disciplens and abuse going on in the
world than this....

I totally agree with everything you said.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I don't care what sort of issues the kids have, when you go to a restaurant like that, where the cooking is part of the "show", its rude to sit and watch DVDs.

Well I totally disagree with you there. If a child does have some sort of Autism Spectrum Disorder and having a DVD player along is the accomodation which makes it possible for his/her parents to get out of the house and semi out of his shell -- if it is the object that allows those parents to go to a restaurant and have a meal and for one brief moment in time act like there is some semblence of normalicy in their lives...

Then I say bring the DVD player and go for it. In fact, bring two of them. I'll just sit quietly over in my own chair, eat my own meal, mind my own business and THANK GOD that social anxiety disorders are one affliction that I have never had to face in raising my children.

 

[HayGan]

Well I totally disagree with you there. If a child does have some sort of Autism Spectrum Disorder and having a DVD player along is the accomodation which makes it possible for his/her parents to get out of the house and semi out of his shell -- if it is the object that allows those parents to go to a restaurant and have a meal and for one brief moment in time act like there is some semblence of normalicy in their lives...

Then I say bring the DVD player and go for it. In fact, bring two of them. I'll just sit quietly over in my own chair, eat my own meal, mind my own business and THANK GOD that social anxiety disorders are one affliction that I have never had to face in raising my children.

Couldn't have said it better myself

That dvd player maybe enabling the child to engage themselves in an atmosphere that they otherwise wouldn't be comfortable in. Who knows after a few times without the dvd player they may just be able to enjoy the meal/show without it. I'm sure that many of the people who were appauled by the dvd player would be even more upset if they were exposed to a fit of an autistic child who was over stimulated or didn't get their way right away. I'm also sure that they would have been called a horrible parent for not being able to control their child.

I love the attitude that if someone can't do things your way then they shouldn't do it at all That's a real great attitude to have in life Glad I'm teaching my kids to get to know people before judging them!

 

[princess pooh]

When my brother and I were kids our family would go to a restaurant that had free video games. We'd order and then play until our food arrived. Even though we'd go there every week we still communicated as a family, and my brother and I know how to behave in a restaurant .

I have no idea what I'd do with my own kids, but at least I know they won't be scarred for life if I need a little quiet time during a meal.

 

[va32h]

Whew! I'm exhausted just reading this thread. Is it still about DVDs at the dinner table, or is it about recognizing special-needs children or whether it is or is not rude to critique the parenting styles of strangers?

If it is still about the DVD thing - I have to say, I've never eaten anywhere where there was room for a DVD player on the table! It's usually all I can do to keep my hot fajita skillet away from little fingers or clear out the drink menus and condiment bottles to make room for an extra basket of fries!

We do have a DVD player in the car, and I do use it.

I wouldn't let my kids bring any type of electronics into a restaurant. My oldest DD is always listening to her CD player with earphones at home, and I find it annoying enough to have to poke her, or shout, or jump up and down in front of her to get her attention in the privacy of my own house, much less doing it in public.

But I have let them bring books, Hot Wheels, dolls, or other small toys to keep them occupied.

One thing I have discovered about the portable DVD player is that it loses it's appeal if it is used all the time. If the kids can watch a movie any old time, eventually they will get bored with it, and it will no longer hold their attention. At least that's the case with my kids. I try to save it for special occasions so it stays special.

 

[U2_rocks]

OP, take heed, not everyone thinks you are a witch for thinking its rude to sit at a teppan restaurant and watch a DVD player. I don't care what sort of issues the kids have, when you go to a restaurant like that, where the cooking is part of the "show", its rude to sit and watch DVDs. I'd never let my own children do that, if they couldn't pay attention long enough to watch the cooking demonstration, we wouldn't go to that restaurant.

I would agree with this. Generally I don't care what others do in a restaurant as long as it's not disruptive, and every meal doesn't have to be a model of communication (especially if eating out is commonplace for that family). At the moment we don't talk much at our dinner table b/c I find that if the kids are talking they stop eating, and dinner takes forever! We only have that time luxury occasionally! Instead we talk at other times. But, the in case of a meal where there is entertainment (teppen tables, a luau, a dinner show etc.), it does seem rude for the diners to not be paying attention, unless they are very young or have serious attention issues. I don't care about the lack of communication among the family (they may talk at other times like we do) - I care more about the blatant ignoring of the "show" that they came to see! I find it hard to believe that all 4 kids of that teppen table family had serious issues that precluded them from paying attention and watching the "show"!

This issue isn't a biggie for me one way or the other, but i can see the rudeness issue where a "show" is involved.

 

[chobie]

I'm going to argue that table side cooking is more of a gimmick then a show. The tableside cooking may part of the fun for many diners but it is not the focal point like a dinner theater. The main point of a teppan resturaunt is to feed people, not to act.

Either way, even if one serioulsy doubts that a family has 4 special needs kids, you still never know and as long as they are not bothering you then, MYOB. IMO.

Besides, the OP was engaging in a general rant about parents who let their kids watch DVD's in resturaunts and that is what most people are responding to.