This parent was wrong

[seashoreCM]

>>> please come get your child
There have been times when I was tempted to carry, not walk, the child back.

>>> standing on the airplane seat looking back
There have been times when I reached up and patted the child's head.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[olbear]

There is no way I would have put up with this. You are far more patient then me I must say. I too probably would have "growled" at the child, or at least given them a "look" that said..."go away". Although I have done that and they just grin and do it anyway. This tells me alot in how they are being raised.

Parents need to realize, that their childrens actions are a reflection of how they are being raised...or not being raised. Too sad, but often true. Another thing that bugs me to death, is children that are allowed to scream and/or throw temper tantrums. I notice this alot in the restaurants at WDW. I was there just this past weekend. Now before you flame me, I know this is because they are exhausted from a full day at Disney, and a missed nap they are used to getting. So my question is, why must you subject your child to this, and the entire restaurant? You know you child is tired and needs to rest. Must you insist on eating at a nice restaurant? Why not order something to go from where ever and take it to your room to enjoy, while your child gets a much needed nap???I'm sorry if I seem rude and not understanding, but I think it is wrong to subject an entire restaurant to a childs obnoxious behavior, whether it be because thay are exhausted or just a brat. And face it, that is the case many times.

Sorry to rant and go on, but I have noticed this so much on my visits. I am an annual passholder, and go often. And I have noticed this is a common occurance. In my opinion, children and not being "raised" anymore, they are simply being allowed to sprout where ever and when ever. Such a shame.

 

[CheshireVal]

I'm sorry, but I would have said something. This is one of my biggest pet peeves at restaurants.

I can't tell you how many times I've had toddlers (who were being allowed to toddle all over the restaurant) continuously come up to my table to "say hi." And the parents are just sitting there laughing because it's just so cute.

Not to mention the many times I've been sitting in a booth, only to have a little kid in the booth behind me stand up and lean over my side, dropping toys, food, or just being a nuisance.

It's really not cute!! If I wanted to dine with a 2 year old, I'd have one of my own by now.

 

[Rohde Fan]

I agree 100%! It's only "cute" for maybe a minute or two. Then, the parents should get their kid. I'm not one to make a huge scene, but I would kindly ask the parents to please take their child back. There's no way I would have been able to move from my seat when I was young!

 

[AKLRULZ]

Wow, I'd have made mention the first time it happened. It's amazing how much parents let their kids get away with these days - actually it is quite scary to think of how this kid will behave 20 years from now given that he never had any boundaries.

 

[minkydog]

You should have had the child removed. If you are not into confrontations (like me) your server could have said something. You should have charged the parents at least $50 for babysitting

Hey, why didn't I think of that! Drop Christian off on the nearest table and eat my meal in piece, all for the price of a babysitter

 

[bell.of.the.ball]

My Husband Has Sat In The Car With My Son A Couple Of Meals When He Was Acting Up So Everyone Else Could Enjoy There Meal

 

[Lori2816]

This is absolutely in no way the childs fault! What is wrong with parents today? My DD is 17 and in no way perfect. However, she knows how to act in public (at home is another story, lol). The reason for that is because she wasn't allowed to get away with obnoxious behavior when she was little. YOU are the ONLY ONE that thinks YOUR child is "cute" for more than 2 minutes!! The worst part about parents letting their little ones behave so poorly is when they are teens they will have lost control completely. You should have just said, "You're right. We are trying to relax and enjoy our meal and it's best if your son sat with you".

 

[chigirl]

How is this even a question posted?
There is only one answer:
no, the child SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO SIT AT YOUR TABLE OR CLIMB ON THE CHAIRS! WERE THE PARENTS ON CRACK? WHY WAS "SHOULD WE GET HIM?" FROM THE FATHER EVEN A QUESTION...YES, DUMBO, YOU SHOULD GET HIM!

The poor OP didn't want to be rude, I am sure, or risk being told off by the parents, I totally understand OP's lack of saying anything, but that is a sad state on parenting that they felt they couldn't say anything.

What the hell era were these adults raised in who let their kids climb and jump all over restaurants, run all over stores, disrespect people and their time and belongings? I am 38, I was raised in the 1970's and a teenager in the 80's, I am as liberal as all get-out and a parent of two children. What happened to manners? Plus why do people use the "you must not like children" excuse to anyone who expects parents to PARENT their children and teach them how to act in public?

I have 2 friends with autistic children who are FINE in restaurants, but the parents eat at counter-service places because they can make a hasty exit if they have to. Yes, my friends yee gads, SACRIFICE eating at table service places because their children might get out of control due to their autism. yes, it sucks that they don't get to experience Le Cellier, etc but my 4 friends are too respectful of other diners to intrude on their experiences, but they want their sons to experience WDW.

I think it all comes down to the fact that so many people are self-absorbed and concieted these days, they think they are better than everyone else. WHY SHOULD I CONTROL MY CHILD, I PAID JUST AS MUCH TO BE HERE AS YOU mentality. Screw you if I am ruining your dinner.

Whatever...when it comes to kids, nobody on this or any board will ever agree!

 

[pilferk]

"Eh hem....excuse me...my babysitting fees start at about the price of our dinner and continue to around the price of our vacation. Charges start (looks at watch).......now"

or:

"If I'm babysitting, you're buying dinner, right? In addition to dinner, I also charge $8 an hour."

 

[Scraper]

I wonder now if maybe the child was autistic. My SIL has two boys who are. She struggles with them to no end to set down. They end up screaming and she leaves the reasturant. However she does attend to them and does not let them spoil other peoples dinner.

 

[momomonster]

A lot of these situations are "darned if you do, darned if you don't". Y'know, HOW DARE you tell me how to raise my child!?!

These clueless parents are probably the *first* ones to sue if their kid harms themselves by falling off the furniture they're climbing on or gets something spilled on them by a waiter that didn't notice the little knee-high human toddling around their feet. It truly boggles the mind. The clueless parents seem to think they're "loving" their children by letting them do whatever they please, but we're the ones showing actual concern.

 

[nicolemomof4cuties]

I am the mother of 4 children ages 7, 5, 4, and 2. We go out to eat quite often at nice restuarants and always have. Last year at Disney we ate at a nice sit down each night and only had one bad experience. I truly believe that it was because the children were upset that we were leaving the next day. I was mortified, however. I run a home daycare and my husband and I have taken 1- 6 year old 1- 5 year old 2- 4 year olds 4-3 year olds ands 2-10 month olds to Golden Corral with not a single out burst or nary a problem. No mess was left behind either. Or children running around helter-skelter like heathens. If I was the poor lady at Cape May I would have turned around and told the mother in no uncertain terms that yes, she was correct I was trying to relax but that did not involve her 3 year old crawling all over me and my table and invading my personal space and would she pretty please with a cherry on top corral her friggin monkey because if that problem was solved I would be 99% closer to my relaxation goal. Not all people with children are bad. We do not all let our children run wild, I promise. Some of us are of us are even embarrased for those that do.
Nicole

 

[momrek06]

OT OT OT but this reminds me so much of where I attend MASS.

Every Sunday there are many parents (at our church) that will walk in with their child under age 4 and seems that child will be quiet UNTIL Mass starts...then these parents cannot seem to control their child OR rather choose NOT TO.

Our Pastor has lovely "crying rooms" in the back of the church so parents can see and hear everything. NO ONE WOULD USE THEM.

He then decided to wire a huge plasma TV set in the church hall right below the church itself and allow parents to take their children down there and the children can run around and scream and cry and NOT BOTHER ANYONE all the while the parents can still see everything going on up at Mass.

NO ONE, I REPEAT NO ONE WILL GO DOWN THERE. Instead, every Sunday, we have to listen to screaming, crying, loud talking.

MOMS AND DADS...take shifts at Mass while the kiddos are young. DH & I did that for YEARSSSS. It just is not right to impose your out of control children on other people coming to spend one day a week, one hour a week at Mass.

SORRY, OP, for the OT!!!

 

[Sammie]

First off, surely no one thinks this is acceptable behavior.

Secondly rather than confront another guest I would have simply gone to the front and told the hostess, either speak to the parents about keeping their child at their table or move me.

 

[srgibbs]

I totally agree with all the posters. I cannot imagine letting either one of my children ruin someone elses meal. Our dd2 cannot always sit still for the whole meal but I would never dream of letting her bother someone elses. My husband or I would take her out to the lobby or at least make her stand by our table. If she starts making a scene we always take her out. Nothing makes me more irrated than people that do not control their kids. Kids will be kids and I do love kids but I know other people don't want to be bothered with mine. I think a lot of people today could care a less how rude they are as long as it satisfies them. At our local amusement park I am amazed how many parents just watch their kids skip ahead in line or are to busy on their cell phones to even watch or keep up with what their small children are doing. My husband usually does line control since no one else does. Back to the subject, I know my husband would have picked up the child and took him over to his parents and asked them to please keep him away from our table as we are trying to eat and enjoy our family time together.

 

[jjarman]

I guess I couldn’t say exactly what I would do in that situation. I know what I would want to do, tell the child to go back to momma and if that didn’t work look at the parents and smile in a kind of put out kind of way and if that didn’t work, carry the heathen back to his parents. DS16 would just die if I did that but I have already warned him that I will not tolerate rude behavior from people on this trip. DS is not perfect but he was raised to behave in public and I can honestly only think of one time where he was really loud. Even that time he was not crying just an exited baby at a restaurant who would not stop squealing at the top of his lungs. He was just not allowed to misbehave in public.

 

[splashmtnman]

I think I would have offered to buy the child a beer or a rum and coke!!! Ha!Ha! Really though I don't think it is the child that would have bothered me but more so the arrogance of the parent who said that. Anyway DRINK UP!

 

[PlutosFriend]

We were at Cape May when a child of about 3 was climbing on the back of our chairs and setting in the chairs that were not accupied at our table. I over heard the father say should we not make him set down. The wife replied these people in here have been going all day they are just relaxing they don't care. Well I did care, realy runied my dinner.

The nerve of some people! They ruin it for those of us who are trying to teach our kids the right thing!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

It seems to me that if the OP was bothered, she should have said something. It's a little late to be bothered by the situation now.

Last time we were at the Mouse, a little girl came over to our table at dinner from the next table over. Admittedly, the parents weren't being especially vigilant, but the little girl was just being curious and friendly. She smiled, we smiled, she asked what we were eating. It was all very cute to us. Granted, she wasn't climbing on our chairs, but I suppose it kind of depends on how you see the situation. Someone else might have been bothered by her actions.

Anyhow, if the OP didn't speak up politely at the time, no sense in letting it irritate them now. I'd let it go.