# Are you allowed to take your baby to a bar? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 23, 2014, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017 "2014-12-23T16:08:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/21 "2014-12-23T19:31:49Z")
[You have a baby. In a bar!](http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi4056720665) ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/22 "2014-12-23T20:01:21Z")
No smoking in any restaurants or bars here anymore, BTW. (This place used to be the WORST for smoke before that. Of course, this is also the kind of bar in which, when I was there with my ex filming a bit for his old YouTube show and had movie lights on, the bartender said “Huh, I never knew those booths were blue. Always thought they were black.”) ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2014, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/23 "2014-12-23T20:16:07Z")
Possibly relevant thread, from New York rather than SC: [An infant walks into a bar](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=595773) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2014, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/24 "2014-12-23T22:30:48Z")
He’s 5 months and you’ll be wearing him, if it’s no smoking and not too loud go for it! We took my kid to Karaoke with us every week until he was about 9 months old, since he didn’t settle into any kind of normal sleep schedule until then. Got some weird looks from non-regulars, but screw them! Early parenthood is all about survival, gotta have some fun when you can. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/25 "2014-12-24T00:39:24Z")
It’s cool if you take your baby with you to a bar, early as has been mentioned. Or in the afternoon. Not that you are planning to get crocked, or even have more than a couple. But please, if someone isn’t interested in holding your baby, please, don’t ask twice. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/26 "2014-12-24T01:10:38Z")
I like to go to a bar in DC that is popular with young families. Kids are not allowed to sit _at_ the bar. They can sit at tables. I’m assuming it’s some stupid district law. The bartenders keep having to remind people. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/27 "2014-12-24T01:23:54Z")
the reason bars have shorties is for the kids. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/28 "2014-12-24T01:44:55Z")
Bring the baby, but… if he/she starts crying, get the little monster out of there IMMEDIATELY!! No ifs ands or buts about it. OUT!! And figure that’s it for the evening. Do not even think about bringing the kid back in. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/29 "2014-12-24T01:49:48Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Bring the baby, but… if he/she starts crying, get the little monster out of there IMMEDIATELY!! No ifs ands or buts about it. OUT!! And figure that’s it for the evening. Do not even think about bringing the kid back in. :rolleyes: What the fuck is wrong with people on this board regarding kids? ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/30 "2014-12-24T01:53:58Z")
Phone the bar and ask them. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/31 "2014-12-24T02:09:15Z")
It would never occur to me to subject others in a bar or restaurant to my crying child unless I were in some sort of obvious family establishment. That seems to be pretty standard practice, including the bar I just mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Rattle\_and\_Hum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Rattle\_and\_Hum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rattle_and_Hum)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/32 "2014-12-24T02:24:05Z")
Give him some whisky to keep him sleepy and calm. Don’t bother with single-malt… he probably won’t appreciate the quality anyways. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/33 "2014-12-24T02:26:40Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > :rolleyes: > > What the fuck is wrong with people on this board regarding kids? Some people do not enjoy the sound of screaming children. Sorry about that. And a bar is a place we I mean they might expect I mean hope to be free of screaming children. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/34 "2014-12-24T02:31:24Z")
I have been bothered by screaming children exactly zero times in my life. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/35 "2014-12-24T02:35:41Z")
Our friends have and as babies we were sometimes in bars – and these were the smokey mine and mill bars way back when. I’ve never seen a social issue to it as long as its the normal baby and not the constant screaming baby. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/36 "2014-12-24T02:40:57Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I have been bothered by screaming children exactly zero times in my life. Yeah, while the _idea_ of a screaming child is certainly unpleasant, I can’t say that I can recall any particular time when I was bothered by one. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/37 "2014-12-24T02:58:45Z")
OK then the next time I find one near me I will mail it to either \*\*Leaffan \*\*or **Ambivalid**. Please send your addresses to me by PM immediately. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/38 "2014-12-24T03:17:55Z")
if the kid is screaming or crying then just put them under a loud pinball machine. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/39 "2014-12-24T03:26:23Z")
When I tended bar in Indiana, no one under 21 was allowed in view of the bar by state law. In my current state of Tennessee, the only public places where smoking is permitted are restricted to those 21 and up. So, fo me locally, a non-smoking bar could conceivably allow your infant. Many of the patrons, however, would appreciate it if you sprung for a sitter. ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jake\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_Jones)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017/40 "2014-12-24T04:55:48Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I have been bothered by screaming children exactly zero times in my life. > [@Ambivalid](#): > > Yeah, while the _idea_ of a screaming child is certainly unpleasant, I can’t say that I can recall any particular time when I was bothered by one. For me it was the last time I was on a plane, which was two days ago. Babies are always screaming on planes. Babies have to get places too, and they don’t understand changing air pressure and you can’t just say “Hey Baby, force a yawn and it will equalize the pressure in your head” so I get it. I don’t complain about it. Last year, I was vomited on by a toddler on a plane, who then burst out in a screaming fit of tears. I wanted to be like “Hey Toddler, you just puked on me. If anyone has the right to be having a tearful screaming fit right now it’s me, so knock it off!” But I didn’t. The father apologized profusely. What can you do? It wasn’t his fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. Fortunately we were getting off the plane and I was already standing up, so she only got one leg below the knee. I completely empathize with what parents have to put up with, even though I’m not one myself. At the same time, if you are never subjected to screaming, crying, vomiting babies, toddlers or young children in public, count yourself fortunate. To insinuate that this is the normal experience of all other people, that people with tales or implications of unpleasant experiences with small human beings are being dishonest, is uncharitable at best. It’s at least as bad as the dickheads who think they have the right to live their lives without ever having to be in the presence of children. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-allowed-to-take-your-baby-to-a-bar/708017.md?page=3)