Today's math lesson: A night out on the town + screaming babies ≠ music to my ears.
McDain's Restaurant in Monroeville, PA is doing what a great many of us are in total agreement with. This 'fine casual dining' establishment has decided to ban any and all children under the age of 6. To this, I say 'Yes!' and wonder why more restaurants haven't already done the same.
When my family and I moved to Switzerland in 1996, my kids were (almost) 3, 5 and 7. For an entire month while we waited for a boat to deliver all our furniture and other belongings, we ate in restaurants three times a day. And not McDonald's either. Regular sit-down-spend-a-couple-of-hours-eating-and-talking-type restaurants. Thankfully, I had patient kids but I always made sure my purse was loaded with crayons, colouring books, mini games, books and anything else that might entertain my lil ones while we waited for our meals. My kids' butts stayed firmly planted in their seats and no one hollered or in any way disrupted diners around us. Many a time, people actually stopped by the table to comment on how well behaved the kids were despite being so young. But not everyone's kids were the same. I have seen parents gabbing away to each other while their kids literally race from one end of the dining room to the other, screaming at the top of their lungs. Then there are the babies being brought into a restaurant in a baby carrier; the parents eat with one hand while rocking the carrier with the other - the whole while, the baby screams, barely pausing to take a breath. Not exactly Muzak!
True, there are restaurants that will allow orders to be phoned in; you then show up and while you are being seated, your meal is actually being set in front of you. Nice idea but what are you teaching your kids about patience? Life is not delivered to you when you want it and sometimes, you actually have to wait your turn. It's also important to remember that restaurant hostesses are not meant to tend to your kids while you relax at your table. Neither is it a good idea to have your kid crawling on the floor while the wait staff is hauling a tray of piping hot food above his or her head. C'mon, Mom and Dad ... time to connect those brain cells!
I totally understand the idea of going out 'en famille'. But if your family dinners look like Romper Room on steroids, do us all a favour and stay home. Order the restaurant meal as take out. Hire a babysitter. Go to Chucky Cheese or Mickey Dee's. When you consider the price of restaurant meals nowadays, I think we diners have paid the price of admission and do not want to have our nerves frazzled by the fruit of your looms. Try to remember that some of us actually went out to get away from the very thing that you are subjecting us to!
McDain's Restaurant in Monroeville, PA is doing what a great many of us are in total agreement with. This 'fine casual dining' establishment has decided to ban any and all children under the age of 6. To this, I say 'Yes!' and wonder why more restaurants haven't already done the same.
When my family and I moved to Switzerland in 1996, my kids were (almost) 3, 5 and 7. For an entire month while we waited for a boat to deliver all our furniture and other belongings, we ate in restaurants three times a day. And not McDonald's either. Regular sit-down-spend-a-couple-of-hours-eating-and-talking-type restaurants. Thankfully, I had patient kids but I always made sure my purse was loaded with crayons, colouring books, mini games, books and anything else that might entertain my lil ones while we waited for our meals. My kids' butts stayed firmly planted in their seats and no one hollered or in any way disrupted diners around us. Many a time, people actually stopped by the table to comment on how well behaved the kids were despite being so young. But not everyone's kids were the same. I have seen parents gabbing away to each other while their kids literally race from one end of the dining room to the other, screaming at the top of their lungs. Then there are the babies being brought into a restaurant in a baby carrier; the parents eat with one hand while rocking the carrier with the other - the whole while, the baby screams, barely pausing to take a breath. Not exactly Muzak!
True, there are restaurants that will allow orders to be phoned in; you then show up and while you are being seated, your meal is actually being set in front of you. Nice idea but what are you teaching your kids about patience? Life is not delivered to you when you want it and sometimes, you actually have to wait your turn. It's also important to remember that restaurant hostesses are not meant to tend to your kids while you relax at your table. Neither is it a good idea to have your kid crawling on the floor while the wait staff is hauling a tray of piping hot food above his or her head. C'mon, Mom and Dad ... time to connect those brain cells!
I totally understand the idea of going out 'en famille'. But if your family dinners look like Romper Room on steroids, do us all a favour and stay home. Order the restaurant meal as take out. Hire a babysitter. Go to Chucky Cheese or Mickey Dee's. When you consider the price of restaurant meals nowadays, I think we diners have paid the price of admission and do not want to have our nerves frazzled by the fruit of your looms. Try to remember that some of us actually went out to get away from the very thing that you are subjecting us to!
