Screaming Baby/Toddler Etiquette

[lovinmaryland]

What do you all think is proper screaming baby/toddler etiquette at a restaurant?

My friend and I were out to dinner this weekend in Waldorf and a few tables over from us was a couple and there toddler. I would say 80% of our meal was spent listening to their child scream and sob (and i mean bloody murder scream) They didn't try consoling the child at all. They just continued on eating their food, it was like they were oblivious to him screaming and crying.

 

[smoothmarine187]

What do you all think is proper screaming baby/toddler etiquette at a restaurant?

My friend and I were out to dinner this weekend in Waldorf and a few tables over from us was a couple and there toddler. I would say 80% of our meal was spent listening to their child scream and sob (and i mean bloody murder scream) They didn't try consoling the child at all. They just continued on eating their food, it was like they were oblivious to him screaming and crying.

Quietly remove the child from the table, take him/her outside and then kick that little screaming bastard like a football through a goal post!

 

[aps45819]

Walk over and ask them to pick up your check since they have chosen to ruin your plesent evening at a resturant.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

What restaurant?

 

[workin hard]

What do you all think is proper screaming baby/toddler etiquette at a restaurant?

My friend and I were out to dinner this weekend in Waldorf and a few tables over from us was a couple and there toddler. I would say 80% of our meal was spent listening to their child scream and sob (and i mean bloody murder scream) They didn't try consoling the child at all. They just continued on eating their food, it was like they were oblivious to him screaming and crying.

The kid should have been removed. I haven't gone out to dinner in a good month or so b/c my boy has just started teething and can be a little fury when he wants to be and I choose to not subject myself and everyone else to a ruined meal.

 

[MMDad]

The parents should have been considerate of others and removed the child. If that means they cannot eat, so be it. We had to give up eating out until our kids were old enough to handle it.

You should have said something to your server, and they should have asked the parents to quiet the baby or leave. If the restaurant refused to do anything after being asked politely, I would have made an appropriate deduction from the tip.

 

[smoothmarine187]

What restaurant?

You think it was Cici's pizza?

 

[Toxick]

What do you all think is proper screaming baby/toddler etiquette at a restaurant?

They shouldn't do it.

They didn't try consoling the child at all. They just continued on eating their food, it was like they were oblivious to him screaming and crying.

This is just messed up. The parents should be euthanized to put them out of everyone else's misery.

We occasionally took our little guys out to dinner with us, and I'm not going to lie and say we had the best behaved kids in the world, but when they started to become disruptive, one of us quickly and quietly took them somewhere private - usually back out to the car.




All I can say is thank God those days are over.


I often wish that I could freeze time. All my booger-pickers are out of diapers, have stopped random projectile barfing, can behave reasonably well in public, and none are teenagers. These are the beautiful fleeting moments I cherish.

 

[lovinmaryland]

The kid should have been removed. I haven't gone out to dinner in a good month or so b/c my boy has just started teething and can be a little fury when he wants to be and I choose to not subject myself and everyone else to a ruined meal.

Exactly i have 4 kids so i know they can be little terrors at times. I have always practiced the lets get up and try some fresh air and see if that calms them down. These parents kept on w/ their conversation the didn't miss a beat and the kid screamed and screamed. It was a high pitch blood curdling scream.

I wasn't sure what we should have done. I had never seen that before ever. But then again I don't eat up in waldorf to often so maybe that is how parents roll up there.

 

[itsbob]

Exactly i have 4 kids so i know they can be little terrors at times. I have always practiced the lets get up and try some fresh air and see if that calms them down. These parents kept on w/ their conversation the didn't miss a beat and the kid screamed and screamed. It was a high pitch blood curdling scream.

I wasn't sure what we should have done. I had never seen that before ever. But then again I don't eat up in waldorf to often so maybe that is how parents roll up there.

Next time just come up and talk to eithe BG and me, and tell us to shut him up!

 

[PJumper]

The kid should have been removed. I haven't gone out to dinner in a good month or so b/c my boy has just started teething and can be a little fury when he wants to be and I choose to not subject myself and everyone else to a ruined meal.

I agree! It should be the same common courtesy practice at church. If you can keep your child quiet, then take them to the quiet room so you don't disturb the service.

 

[vraiblonde]

I don't even hear screaming children anymore - it's like selective deafness or something.

But if I did hear him, I'd have called over to the parents, "Do you mind?????" It's not unreasonable to want to enjoy your mean without some screaming toddler going off.

 

[MMDad]

It's not unreasonable to want to enjoy your mean without some screaming toddler going off.

Freudian slip? You enjoy being mean?

 

[lovinmaryland]

But if I did hear him, I'd have called over to the parents, "Do you mind?????" It's not unreasonable to want to enjoy your mean without some screaming toddler going off.

That is what I felt like doing, but I was in Waldorf so I opted to try and enjoy my meal screaming kid and all.

I was once at the Leonardtown Library and there was a woman on the computer and her toddler was sitting next to her throwing a fit screaming crying. This went on for a few minutes, then a amish woman who was holding her own baby walked over and said "maam would you like me to walk him around the library while you play on the computer"... lets just say that woman left real quick.

 

[barncat]

My 14 month old did not use her "inside voice" when we were at Pizza Hut last week. I was very conscious that she was being a little too gleeful and loud and tried to find activities that would keep her interested but to no avail, so I ate light and got out. I guess my eating out days are done for awhile unless I can find some kid friendly places where toddler noise level is expected. Am I limited to McDonald's till she can act like a normal person?

 

[Toxick]

This went on for a few minutes, then a amish woman who was holding her own baby walked over and said "maam would you like me to walk him around the library while you play on the computer"... lets just say that woman left real quick.

This is precious.

What an utterly perfect display of tact, elegance and brute-force.

 

[vraiblonde]

This is precious.

What an utterly perfect display of tact, elegance and brute-force.

I love it!

 

[ginwoman]

screaming child

What do you all think is proper screaming baby/toddler etiquette at a restaurant?

My friend and I were out to dinner this weekend in Waldorf and a few tables over from us was a couple and there toddler. I would say 80% of our meal was spent listening to their child scream and sob (and i mean bloody murder scream) They didn't try consoling the child at all. They just continued on eating their food, it was like they were oblivious to him screaming and crying.

Could you have asked to be moved to a different table farther away from the noise?

 

[lovinmaryland]

Could you have asked to be moved to a different table farther away from the noise?

It was Ruby Tuesdays in the mall (its not the largest)... and believe me when i say the screams could be heard throughout the ENTIRE resturant.

 

[poster]

I was once at the Leonardtown Library and there was a woman on the computer and her toddler was sitting next to her throwing a fit screaming crying. This went on for a few minutes, then a amish woman who was holding her own baby walked over and said "maam would you like me to walk him around the library while you play on the computer"... lets just say that woman left real quick.

That's a great one! The parents should have gotten carry out or tried walking the child outside. I've had a similar experience but we asked for the manager - cancelled our order and got our check. He immediately went to the other table and moved them out the door, they where actually finished with their meal and chating will the child screamed!