# Another "screaming kids in a restaurant" thread. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 7, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125 "2012-04-07T22:22:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/101 "2012-04-10T20:25:57Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > You know what I hate? Old people in restaurants. > > They often smell bad. They hog tables with their chit-chat. We aren’t all retired, you know, some of us have real work to do. They take too long in the toilet. And the worst is if you are behind them in line or walking through the restaurant. COME ON FOLKS, MOVE. If you are too freaking old to walk without tying up traffic, you need to deal with the fact that you are only fit for the old folk’s home, and not make decent people like us have to deal with your disabilities. And for god’s sake, stop blocking the aisles while you deal with your walkers and wheelchairs. If you can’t sit down in a booth like a grown up, you are too old to be going to restaurants. Old people have perfectly fine nursing home dining halls and can order pizza. Why do they need to go to places that are clearly for young, able folks. > > I especially hate going out on Sundays and mother’s day, when everyone thinks it’s a great idea to bring their folks who are way too old to be outside of the nursing home to breakfast. These people are just not in a state to be out in public- especially if they are drooling or have dirty colonospocty bags- can you imagine, that stuff is right under the table where people eat! It’d disgusting. I’ve even seen people going out to brunch with people who clearly had Alzheimer’s. Imagine what could happen- they could run into traffic! They could mistake the waiter for their long-lost worst enemy and deck one of them. It’s a safety situation. > > And then they think they can just get the waiter to bring them water right away, because they “absolutely can’t live without taking their medicine.” Why don’t they plan ahead for that? What’s someone who needs medicine all the time doing in such a dangerous situation anyway? They have hospitals for that stuff. > > There are plenty of places that are appropriate for the elderly. But I don’t want to have to see one while I’m sipping my Mango-Passionfruit frozen Margarita at TGI Fridays. Caregivers to mentally incompetant adults have the same responsibilities towards their charges and the general public as the parents of small children too young to control their own behavior for an hour at a time. You’re absolutely correct that I do not want to see an elderly person with dementia being ignored in a public setting. You’re right that I don’t want to them throwing food or running around a restaurant in danger of injury and causing a hazard. If they are screaming hysterically in a tantrum they need to be attended to and/or removed. If they have nutritional needs someone should be paying attention to them and providing them with what they need. If they reek of shit someone should be cleaning them up. Maybe all this sounds crazy to you. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/102 "2012-04-10T20:29:39Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > This post is pure genius. I think the screaming kids in a restaurant thing is overly complained about and I can’t stand kids. Having said that, the word genius no longer has meaning if you truly mean this. This is just another of her “let me show you the error of your ways” in a long line of her Nannying history. Genius? Yikes. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/103 "2012-04-10T20:38:05Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > Except that old people don’t normally scream in your ear, stand up in the booth behind you and fuck with your head or thump, thump, thump on your back, or run around the restaurant endangering waitstaff that are carrying hot pots of coffee. At least, not in the restaurants I frequent. Really, this happens to you all the time? I’ve seen kids screaming, or on occasion running around, but I must admit I’ve never had a kid ‘fuck with my head’ or ‘thump my back’, let alone consider it a big, major concern. Maybe my head and back just isn’t very attractive. ☹ And don’t even get me started on teenagers. I’ve never seen a little kid loudly yakking to their friends on a cellphone while not looking where they are going, and little kids don’t usually move in loud, intimidating packs. And young professionals - they are the worst. Full of entitlement, they are. But somehow, with a bit of goodwill, we survive such things as people different from us who are sometimes minorly annoying. Amazing, that. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/104 "2012-04-10T20:41:50Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Really, this happens to you all the time? I’ve seen kids screaming, or on occasion running around, but I must admit I’ve never had a kid ‘fuck with my head’ or ‘thump my back’, let alone consider it a big, major concern. It has happened, though not very often. This is mostly in the theatres, though, where kids are allowed to kick the back of the chairs ahead of them. The touching thing has happened on rare occasion (kid stands up in the booth behind you and touches your hair). I’ve never had it where the parent didn’t stop the kid as soon as I said something, but really, it should not get to that point! I understand kids are crazy little shits, but your kids should not be touching people! But yes, it is very very rare. Still, one maple syrupy-grab for your hair and you won’t forget it quick. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/105 "2012-04-10T20:52:19Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > It has happened, though not very often. This is mostly in the theatres, though, where kids are allowed to kick the back of the chairs ahead of them. > > The touching thing has happened on rare occasion (kid stands up in the booth behind you and touches your hair). I’ve never had it where the parent didn’t stop the kid as soon as I said something, but really, it should not get to that point! I understand kids are crazy little shits, but your kids should not be touching people! > > But yes, it is very very rare. Still, one maple syrupy-grab for your hair and you won’t forget it quick. I’ve seen elders break down with angry ranting at waitstaff presumably caused by dementia on two memorable occasions in restaurants I’ve been in, causing great disruption, but I’ve never even once had a kid grab my hair in a restaurant. Though I’ll readily admit, parents should not allow kids to grab other people’s hair. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/106 "2012-04-10T21:26:37Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Really, this happens to you all the time? I’ve seen kids screaming, or on occasion running around, but I must admit I’ve never had a kid ‘fuck with my head’ or ‘thump my back’, let alone consider it a big, major concern. It does happen to me all the time. In fact, if I’m sitting in a booth, and there’s a small child behind me, it’s gotten to where I expect that eventually, they’re going to stand up and start shit. Maybe it’s the restaurants I go to- family ones, mostly. I have nothing against children, or children going to restaurants. I just think that parents should control them or leave them elsewhere, that’s all. And I have never seen an old person cause a problem in a restaurant. But then, I avoid places like Country Kitchen Buffet. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/107 "2012-04-10T21:36:56Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > It does happen to me all the time. In fact, if I’m sitting in a booth, and there’s a small child behind me, it’s gotten to where I expect that eventually, they’re going to stand up and start shit. Maybe it’s the restaurants I go to- family ones, mostly. > > I have nothing against children, or children going to restaurants. I just think that parents should control them or leave them elsewhere, that’s all. And I have never seen an old person cause a problem in a restaurant. But then, I avoid places like Country Kitchen Buffet. Uh huh. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/108 "2012-04-10T21:53:12Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Yes, because growing old is a choice that only some people make, then inflict their choice on other people. It’s _completely_ the same thing as having kids. You DO fucking choose to grow old. It’s pretty much exactly the same as choosing to have kids. Responsible people kill themselves before they ever burden the all-important Middle Aged. If you choose to continue living after 55 (60 at the latest) you deserve all the abuse you get, as a disgusting old person. Yuck! I mean, damn, at least kids will grow out of it and become productive members of society; old people are completely used up. They should either shut themselves up somewhere where no one has to see/smell them, or die. It’s the only polite way. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/109 "2012-04-10T21:55:10Z")
See why it saves time to hate everybody? ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/110 "2012-04-10T22:53:00Z")
Haha. I’m the judgmental, condescending “nanny” here. Not the people who think that all parents can and should have a perfect track record of never having a cranky kid in public, and offer helpful let-them-eat-cake style advice (“just hire a baby sitter every single time you need to get shit done!” for every situation where a parent might end up in a less-than-ideal spot. And it’s the kids who are the entitled “special snowflakes.” Not the people who think wide swathes of America should voluntarily ban themselves from public establishments, even establishments that welcome them in and gladly accept their money, so that _they_ can go out where and when _they_ want without the danger of sharing a public space with someone not in their preferred demographics. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/111 "2012-04-10T23:06:24Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > And it’s the kids who are the entitled “special snowflakes.” Not the people who think wide swathes of America should voluntarily ban themselves from public establishments, even establishments that welcome them in and gladly accept their money, so that _they_ can go out where and when _they_ want without the danger of sharing a public space with someone not in their preferred demographics. Mother of toddler says: yaaaaaaaay! Seriously, losing 50% of your brainpower to the constant monitoring of an un-housebroken little monkey (albeit a very cute one) will make you waaaaaay more tolerant of children behaving in sub-optimal ways, and waaaay less tolerant of the self-absorbed schmucks who are irritated by them. I will keep my child contained and make best efforts to keep her quiet and her fingers out of your hair. If you expect her to sit still, speak in dulcet tones, and sip tea with her pinky up though… well, you aren’t going to be happy. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/112 "2012-04-10T23:06:24Z")
> [@champkind](#): > > I wonder if this sort of behaviour happened fifty years ago, and if so how was it dealt with ? > I assume though, that this is a more modern phenomenon aided and abetted by liberal parenting. First, most people didn’t eat out as much back then. Going out to eat was an occasion, even if it was only to the neighborhood diner. You might go out to eat ONCE a month, if that. Second, many parents had some pretty strict expectations of how kids were supposed to act in public. Third, I remember being left to heat up a can of tamales or ravioli and being expected to eat that along with my siblings on occasion, while my parents went out to eat. If I was under about 10, we had a babysitter, but after I was 10 or 11, my parents expected me to be able to watch over my brother and sister for a few hours while they went out. So even when the adults went out, the kids might be at home with a can of Spaghetti-Os or mac’n’cheese. Sure, there were kids who acted up back then. But social disapproval was much, much more united when those kids were yelling, and a restaurant (or store) was far more likely to ask the parents of problem children to take their business elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/113 "2012-04-10T23:15:42Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > Haha. I’m the judgmental, condescending “nanny” here. Not the people who think that all parents can and should have a perfect track record of never having a cranky kid in public, and offer helpful let-them-eat-cake style advice (“just hire a baby sitter every single time you need to get shit done!” for every situation where a parent might end up in a less-than-ideal spot. > > And it’s the kids who are the entitled “special snowflakes.” Not the people who think wide swathes of America should voluntarily ban themselves from public establishments, even establishments that welcome them in and gladly accept their money, so that _they_ can go out where and when _they_ want without the danger of sharing a public space with someone not in their preferred demographics. No, you batshit wannabe martyr. _I_ am the person who said you were nannying and I also said that I think the screaming-kid-at-a-restaurant thing is overly complained about so please save your “O I am sooo right and you are alll soooo wrong” for another thread. I’m quite sure you’ll find a place to insert it super soon. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/114 "2012-04-10T23:30:43Z")
Whoops, I thought for sure this was in the Pit as most of these threads usually are. I withdraw my batshit comment. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/115 "2012-04-10T23:52:08Z")
Heh. This thread just got awesome. FWIW, we take Junior most everywhere although we specifically choose kid friendly places. We’ve had total strangers come up and tell us how well behaved he is mostly because we don’t let him act like a little shit. So, if his talking in regular toddler talk or giggling and coloring causes someone conniptions - well, tough shit. It’s a family oriented, kid friendly restaurant and if you can’t handle a kid don’t come here. And I’m saying that as someone who is irritated by parents not parenting as much as anybody. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/116 "2012-04-10T23:53:20Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > …I remember being left to heat up a can of tamales or ravioli and being expected to eat that along with my siblings on occasion, while my parents went out to eat. If I was under about 10, we had a babysitter, but after I was 10 or 11, my parents expected me to be able to watch over my brother and sister for a few hours while they went out. So even when the adults went out, the kids might be at home with a can of Spaghetti-Os or mac’n’cheese. So basically, parents used to abuse their kids at home to keep them from crying in public. Yeah… the _good old days._ ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/117 "2012-04-11T00:15:06Z")
Eating that stuff wasn’t abuse. My mother insisted on serving liver at least once a week. THAT was abuse. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/118 "2012-04-11T00:22:23Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Eating that stuff wasn’t abuse. > > My mother insisted on serving liver at least once a week. THAT was abuse. Leaving a 10 year old in charge of younger kids while mom and dad go out to dinner is abuse in my book, and neglect in most places legally, but I don’t really want to argue about it. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/119 "2012-04-11T01:17:38Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > Leaving a 10 year old in charge of younger kids while mom and dad go out to dinner is abuse in my book, and neglect in most places legally, but I don’t really want to argue about it. I think this is stretching what the word abuse should conjure in your mind. Sometimes we stretch words so much they become meaningless. **Lynn** said that when she was OVER 10 or 11. Also, a couple of hours isn’t that long. When I was 11ish I watched my sister for an hour or so if my parents went somewhere. She was only 3 years younger. Some 11 year olds are more mature than your average 14 year old. I’m assuming **Lynn’s** parents knew what she was capable of. Also, where are you finding the information about that being legal neglect in “most places” because I’m not finding that information to be true from the quick search I’ve done. My Googlefu may be far weaker than yours. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125/120 "2012-04-11T01:28:14Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > Leaving a 10 year old in charge of younger kids while mom and dad go out to dinner is abuse in my book, and neglect in most places legally, but I don’t really want to argue about it. Since when does “your book” define anything? I don’t give a rip about “your book” and neither should anyone else. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-screaming-kids-in-a-restaurant-thread/618125.md?page=7)