Yes! To "No Children" in Restaurants
Posted: Thursday, July 14, 2011
by Patricia Barbee
http://www.patriciabarbee.com
I adore most children however, when the parents let them ruin my fun time, I wonder
where I can find a "evil witch".
Decades ago the Marine Corps had my husband at sea and a friend's husband worked evenings. We planned a girls' night out at a nice restaurant. We did not want to cook and eat alone that Friday night.
We were seated in a nice booth across from each other at the table. We were given the menu to read. Behind each of us was a beautiful fretwork wall of living greenery.
We placed our order and after our meal came our chatting slowed and we enjoyed our food.
I felt something on my neck. I swiped my neck thinking maybe a bug had left the
greenery and liked my neck. My friend asked what just happened. I told her. We
kept eating. I felt a pinch and swiped my neck and turned around and saw nothing.
There were other people in the booth behind me. I saw four adults.
I continued to eat then I felt another pinch and a yank of my hair. I hit whatever it was with all my might. The people behind me had a brat of a boy sitting between them that screeched in horror as he slid his little butt down into their booth.
We heard them asking the imp, "What is wrong?" He never told them. We were
waiting for them to come to us. They did not and that booth soon emptied.
Another time when Americans were free to travel without the hassle of the TSA, I left
the USA on a long wished for holiday. The flight was to be a long one. LONG it was!
I knew, I'd get a good sleep on the flight. The plane had a few empty seats. The
flight attendants were "stewardesses" then. I had an aisle seat. I was sleeping and
"Wham" I got hit on my left arm. A couple with a boy about seven was running the
aisle hitting those he could.
The attendants had a time with the parents and that kid. At one point, I said to an
attendant to tell his parents "to let him go outside and play". I did get a nod of agreement.
At one point near the end of the flight for the first stop for the plane, the mom announced to all that she was sorry if we did not enjoy our trip. "My son, does not like being inside". ["Pow, to the moon Alice!!!!"]
That family got off the plane and we all applauded.
Eight days later after having the best holiday of my life, I get on my plane and walking to my seat, what do I spot? That same irritating kid was sitting between his parents and strapped in the center seat. I was prepared to be annoyed. I don't know what the parents did to that imp, but he never got out of his seat the entire nine hour flight back to New York City.
Patricia Barbee © 2011
Patricia Barbee
SearchWarp.com
Author!
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)My wife and I went to a coffee shop, as we usually do, to enjoy some quite conversation and a change of scenery. All went well until 8 ladies showed up.
We could tell they were having fun. Their laughter and loud voices; the 3 or 4 conversations that intersected their table spanned the entire coffee shop and occupied every square inch of available air space. The only factor that told me they knew they weren't in a club was that nobody used nasty language, nor was their conversations off color. But we left; coffees on the table, crumpets on the plate. There was no room for us to talk between ourselves while they were there.
My wife was disgusted. SHE aid that it's women like them that perpetuate the hen-party cliche. I dared not laugh out loud, but I appreciated her comment.
There was a day when people were aware and considerate of others. We weren't in the club. I was raised that way. Maybe you were too. But we all learned in the same public arena. Sometimes at the expense of the people who were within earshot. But I learned, and so did you. Nobody reading this, or contributing to this dialog was born instantly socialized.
That day, those ladies cared about nothing but themselves.
Maybe their parents kept them from restaurants, movie theaters and the like because socializing their little girls was too much work -or- maybe because enough people gave them dirty looks while their little girls were practising in public, what the were learning at home.
Maybe when those ladies were in their teens, they were the ones texting and talking in the theatre, instead of sitting down and shutting up during the movie.
Maybe those ladies are the ones you've heard dropping f-bombs with children not 5 feet away.
Maybe, Patricia, your reluctance to talk to those parents in the airplane yourself represents a general preference to address the symptom instead of addressing the problem.
The problem isn't noisy, inconsiderate kids (thanks Mr Lewis for reminding us that we all were at one time). The problem is parents/guardians who delay socializng their kids, or deferring that responsibility to society. Again Mr Lewis, thanks for holding that lad's parents accountable!
There is something we can do to support the people we see who are visibly trying. Get off your precious restaurant chair and tell them you appreciate their work and their anxiety!
Saying Yes to no children in restaurants is short sighted and ill placed. Children aren't a social problem.
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