Parents, what's your line for behavior in a food court?

[Ember]

I was at the mall yesterday and got a quick bite to eat. Now, I'm pretty relaxed when it comes to kids, particularly in a food court. However, there was one precious snowflake who was a total brat. The boy was about 5 or 6 and he was screaming, then running around, then going up to strangers and interrupting them / touching them / touching their things, and finally went back to his own table and started throwing food! When mom tried to discipline him he went back to screaming.

I must admit, the running around would have been my limit. Food courts are busy places and it would have been so easy to trip over this kid. The harassing strangers and throwing food was just unbelievable.

I will own up that I caught mom's eye and gave her a good frowning. (Haha, that sounds very Grandpa Simpson!) Had her brat touched me or my things, I would have taken him back and actually said something. Then there could have been a nice long tread about how I called someone's child a brat at the mall.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

If it were my kid...

The boy was about 5 or 6 and he was screaming, then running around

About here from about the age of...I don't know...walking...I would be getting them to stop.

, then going up to strangers

about here, my kid would be strapped to the stroller frmo about the age of walking...at age 5 or 6, they'd be sitting in their seat at the table and me mortified at their behavior....

and interrupting them / touching them / touching their things, and finally went back to his own table and started throwing food!

Not everyone is a spanker--but I would have yanked my kid out of their so fast...and a spank would occur.

When mom tried to discipline him he went back to screaming.

IMHO mom did not try hard enough.

Perhaps the kid has issues--but his issues should have been dealt with much earlier and his behavior was certainly "removal worthy".

Not judging her parenting--but this is what I would have done in her shoes.

Location is irrelevant. He was in a public place and behaving like a holy terror and she totally allowed him to do that.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

As long as the child is only throwing food at the parent then I'm okay. While the yelling and screaming would be annoying, I wouldn't mention anything (but would eat quickly and leave). However, approaching me, touching my things or heaven forbid my food would have resulted in a comment to the parent.

Wanted to add that there is no way in hell that I would permit my DD to behave like that in public. She would have been removed if she behaved this way.

Didn't want anyone on the Dis to think that my child is a special snowflake. LOL

 

[ckay87]

I don't think you'll find anyone here disagreeing with you. It's all common sense.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I misunderstood I think--if I was you...I'd think lots of bad thoughts but not say a word. But if the brat infringes on my territory--I will politely correct them (i.e using my nice words) and if mom says a word, then she will soon thing her child is the Redeemer after she sees the tantrum I will throw. KIDDING!!!

It takes every ounce of restraint--but I only speak up when my personal space is physically invaded.

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

What would I have done if I was the parent....I have no idea. That NEVER happened to me. By the age of 5 or 6 my kids were old enough to look at other children behaving badly, shake their heads, and say....Wow! Bet they're glad You're not their Mommy!!

I do have a friend whose child behaves like this....we never go out in public together. Strangely her second child behaves totally different. She has realized that her mistakes started YEARS before and by the age of 5 she had lost complete control of this child. Not that she's given up...but she's doing things much differently with the younger one.

 

[luvmy3]

I don't see a food court as any different from any other place so the behavior I expect from my kids there wouldn't be any different from anywhere else. I assume that parents who allow their children to run around screaming there, allow them to do it everywhere else.

 

[pooh4evr]

Sounds like the kid seated near us at CRT!- Yeah that's right - running around the tables, crawling under them laying in the middle of the floor, kicking, screaming-- what are mom and dad doing- NOTHING!! Now granted it was a little funny because it wasn't my kid- but really?? Come on.

 

[Gabes_mommy]

Eek! I alternate between feeling sorry for the mom and wanting to slap some sense into her.

If your child is out of control - it's your fault. I understand some children are more challenging than others, but that doesn't mean you can stop trying.

When my DS was going through the "terrible 2s" we had a few bad situations in public. I always immediately left and took DS to the car to work with him to get him to behave. He has made a lot of progress now and I can trust him to behave almost all the time. It takes work, but the rewards are worth it in the long run.

 

[cheermom1]

I have taught me kids that a public place is NOT the place to play ..you need to act like you are in public period!! I would have never let me kids do that and if they tried I would have taken them to the bathroom and if that didn't work I left!

I would have said something only if that kid came and touched my stuff but I would be trying my best to not say anything even if they didn't ..i mean it is not doing that kid any good by letting him do what he wants

 

[davidsprincess]

This is funny because I was at the theatre yesterday and while waiting for the movie to start a mom was letting her kid run all over theatre. I personally wouldn't let my DD do this, but I figure that it was better to do it then verses once the movie started.

Now for at the food court.......if it was my dear snowflake doing that I would have hauled her out of there so fast and it would be a lonnnnnnnnnnnggggggg time before I took her out to the mall again.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

As the innocent person trying to eat, I would have gotten up and move far far away.
As the mom, toss the food, snatch the kid, and a firm lecture all the way to the car. Mommy doesn't do temper tantrums.

Now I will say that as a mom of 4, it is hard to keep all 4 of my kids going in the same direction at the same time but they will never, ever, get up and run around at the table. That crap doesn't fly with me.

 

[Pigeon]

Any kind of outburst that would disturb others was enough for me to pack the child up and leave. We didn't have special foodcourt rules.

 

[disykat]

Obviously inappropriate behavior IMO.

I have to admit I thought it was really cute when my then almost 3 year old got away from me in a fast food restaurant (I was juggling the baby's carseat and paying) yelling "run run as fast as you can, you can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man." That didn't stop me from snatching him up, telling him he needed to stay with mommy and be quiet enough to not bother all the other people in the restaurant!

 

[stashbin]

A meeting in the restroom stall for a swift swat on the behind is what my child would have gotten. I have only had to do it once and now they know not to behave that way or they will get a meeting in the ladies room.

 

[cheermom1]

A meeting in the restroom stall for a swift swat on the behind is what my child would have gotten. I have only had to do it once and now they know not to behave that way or they will get a meeting in the ladies room.

I did that once with my son after he kicked me with his cowboy boots...he got the point but there was this lady that was in there and she gave me this look and said I shouldn't be spanking my son...I looked at her and said you would too if he kicked you with his cowboy boots in the shin!! I wasn't about to let that fly with me ...kick your mom just b/c you want to play instead of eating??? NO way!!

 

[glitterkittyy]

Sounds like the kid seated near us at CRT!- Yeah that's right - running around the tables, crawling under them laying in the middle of the floor, kicking, screaming-- what are mom and dad doing- NOTHING!! Now granted it was a little funny because it wasn't my kid- but really?? Come on.

Hey those kids must've followed us to the Coral Reef. We had kids running up and down the aisles, blowing into this whistle thing that made a horrendous noise and screaming/laughing while chasing each other. And these kids were old enough to know better. They looked to be 7-9ish. My 9 year old glared at them then turned to me and said "You'd KILL me if I acted like that!"

The parents just sat there and ignored their little snowflakes. I sure wish I could've ignored them. Ugh.

 

[Gabes_mommy]

I did that once with my son after he kicked me with his cowboy boots...he got the point but there was this lady that was in there and she gave me this look and said I shouldn't be spanking my son...I looked at her and said you would too if he kicked you with his cowboy boots in the shin!! I wasn't about to let that fly with me ...kick your mom just b/c you want to play instead of eating??? NO way!!

****Disclaimer - I am so not trying to start a debate****

I hate how the non-spankers judge the spankers. Honestly the wooden spoon is such a valuable tool for my DS. All I have to do is mention "the spoon" and he cleans up his act pronto. We don't hit him hard, just a quick swat on the bottom but boy is it effective for him.

I never have to yell at DS - we have clear expectations and consequences and it works for us.

 

[cheermom1]

****Disclaimer - I am so not trying to start a debate****

I hate how the non-spankers judge the spankers. Honestly the wooden spoon is such a valuable tool for my DS. All I have to do is mention "the spoon" and he cleans up his act pronto. We don't hit him hard, just a quick swat on the bottom but boy is it effective for him.

I never have to yell at DS - we have clear expectations and consequences and it works for us.

Just to clear things up i don't spank anymore but when I was young I started out raising the way i was raised (nothing wrong with that at all) just that it didn't work for my kids so I had to do other things...

awww the wooden spoon! I remember that and I will tell you it only takes a few times and you are done

 

[Gabes_mommy]

Just to clear things up i don't spank anymore but when I was young I started out raising the way i was raised (nothing wrong with that at all) just that it didn't work for my kids so I had to do other things...

awww the wooden spoon! I remember that and I will tell you it only takes a few times and you are done

Exactly! I never even have to use it - the threat alone is enough.

I don't see us spanking past 5, but it's hard to use reason to convince a 3 year old of anything.