A Nice evening spoiled.

[elizabeth]

Last night we went out to our local Indian restaurant for a meal with friends who are visiting, we were a little surprised when we saw that the place was decorated out in a Scottish theme but then we saw a large party all dressed up in their kilts and regalia looking very smart.
Throughout the evening lots of Scottish music was played and a few songs were sung, it was the eve of the Referendum so it was understandable and no problem at all.
What spoiled the evening were the three children from this group who spent all evening running around, shouting and squealing, in and out of tables and even inside the building itself, I wonder who's fault it would have been if they had bumped into a waiter carrying hot food or a tray of drinks !
I guess I sound like a miserable old beggar but why do some people think it's acceptable for their children to spoil someones evening when they seem to just sit back and carry on regardless. Rant over.

[charliebhoy]

One of the things I like most about TRNC is that children are allowed to be children. It has never bothered me seeing kids running around, being loud and enjoying themselves when I go out anywhere. It is unlikely children could sit quietly among adults for several hours when they could be having fun instead. Let them enjoy themselves, that's what I think. you could have said something to the group if it bothered you that much, or had a word with the Owner who was walking around all night and had no problem with the children playing.

[wanderer]

It happened to us in March a large party ignoring their kids they set up camp by our table
End of holiday special meal expensive restaurant in Skopelos 12 hooray henries dumped little Henries and Cressida by us and ruined our night
Wife does not allow me to complain
But I did on wednesday by myself when a heard of toddlers(30) and not enough control staff for their numbers I asked the one who kept wiping his feet on my trousers(3x) to stop When his teach sat down she was politely made aware of her duties

[muffin]

What happened to the good old saying "children should be seen but not heard". 100% agree that screaming children charging around a restaurant can ruin a night out. Why do parents no longer seem able to control their children? Incidentally I have two grandchildren but certainly would not allow them to annoy other people when in a public place. Total lack of consideration for other people.

[Bonnie]

Agree with Elizabeth.
Children should be allowed to play, have fun, enjoy themselves. There is a time & a place. A restaurant where folks have gone for a meal with adult company is not one of them.
One of the worst things is a child kicking the back of your seat in an aircraft on a 4 hr flight. There's no escape, you can't get off.

[Owl Lady]

Can't remember who said it, he was either a writer or actor. When asked if he liked children said " I couldn't eat a whole one". I fully agree if you have to take your brats into a restaurant, I don't mean a burger bar, please control them.

[elizabeth]

One of the things I like most about TRNC is that children are allowed to be children. It has never bothered me seeing kids running around, being loud and enjoying themselves when I go out anywhere. It is unlikely children could sit quietly among adults for several hours when they could be having fun instead. Let them enjoy themselves, that's what I think. you could have said something to the group if it bothered you that much, or had a word with the Owner who was walking around all night and had no problem with the children playing.

I doubt very much if my saying anything would have gone down too well, obviously the attitude of the parents was, as long as they don't bother me it doesn't matter if they bother other customers, besides that it's not my place to have to ask people to control their children.
I don't expect children to sit quietly all evening but I do expect parents to show some consideration for other people, as for the owner saying anything, would he really want to upset a large group of customers, again, why should he have to, they weren't our children that were being a nuisance to others.

[Marions]

Sadly, it is really down to the owner of the establishment as to what he will allow, and how important each and every customer is to him/her.

Times may have changed, and the Med is full of families who take their children out with them in the evening (which I think is smashing0 but I think that consideration for everyone needs to be taken into account. If your children are to enjoy a meal in an adult place in adult company, then they must conform to some rules. One is not leaving the table andrunning around, and if the parents do allow it, again it is up to the person in charge to ask the parents to control their children.

Of ocurse if no one complains to the patron, then they maynot realize that some people are being upset.

At the end of the day of course, it all depends as to how concerned parents are for the happiness of those aroundthem . I would not even stayin a hotel when we went on holiday as a family of six, as I felt my four children were best contained in self-contained accommodation. Not that my children were worse than any others (I think) but because four of them together can spark eachother off. We did eat out, and if my kids did not behave they were frog marched out! Didn't happen much because they wanted to enjoy their food and I made sure they understood that so did everyone else.

I dothink that when confronted with an uncomfortable situation, one should have a word with the boss man to discover their policy. If at the end of the day youdon'[t like their policy on children, then yu don't have to go back.

But at least I knew that the other diners

[kaiserphil]

Can't remember who said it, he was either a writer or actor. When asked if he liked children said " I couldn't eat a whole one". I fully agree if you have to take your brats into a restaurant, I don't mean a burger bar, please control them.

Owl Lady, I suspect that was the actor WC Fields. He was renowned for hating children.

[Lottidotti]

Elizabeth, Can I ask what time of the evening this was.I know it should not matter but if I go out I book a table at 20.30 hrs or later to avoid this problem.
I think one of the problems of mis behaved children is the fact that their parents are young and that they too (the parents) have not had much discipline when they were young because of the political correct do gooders who see a parent chastise their children as child abusers.This problem has been on the cards from the late seventies when even teachers were stopped from disciplining out of control children.
When I got into trouble at school I was always given the option of some sort of punishment or alternatively the Headmaster would offer to inform my Father,I chose the punishment.Now fast forward to the political correct society,
the child will tell the teacher ' inform my Father if you dare ' who would turn up at the school,throw insults or worse at the teacher/headmaster in the presence of the child,(nice parents)
To sum up its lack of discipline,which is only going to get worse because those children in the restaurant will think its normal to be disrespectful to other people ,they were not told to kerb their behaviour so when they have children,well you can see what I am getting at.
Don't get me going on children in cars without seat belts while the parent wears one,I am not on about locals either.
A lot of people sign off these sort of post as 'rant over' not me what I have stated above is a general decline in society
which is not going to get any better.

[TB10pilot]

I totally agree with the main thread of this banter. Why should other people have to put up with kids not controlled by their parents?
However, it is not only children who sometimes misbehave. At a local restaurant very recently, where they serve an excellent three course Sunday lunch for just 20TL, some grown up Brits did not behave too well either. At this establishment, you help yourself to deserts, coffee and brandy.There are normally a couple of bottles left out, so you can actually have a second glass if you wish. However, one British man took one of the bottles to his table for the sole use of his party! Now how badly behaved is that? Why do some folk just let us down? it is such a shame that people have to be so selfish.

[Lottidotti]

Yes we have all seen that but it's nowhere near as bad as brats running round screaming and shouting in a restaurant.
You usually find that the inconsiderate adults have even worse children.
In any case most of the ones who are greedy at functions are usually the most unhealthy and won't be around for much longer.

[geroff]

Just get up and walk out. Tell the selfish group they have spoilt your evening and the kids need feeding to the sharks.
So many expats only enjoy their selves when boozed up. Dont think they know the way to enjoy any thing unless a glass is in their hand.

[TB10pilot]

Love replies 12 and 13 and agree!

[ozankoys]

Try sticking your foot out so they trip when they run past, this is usually quite effective!

[Ragged Robin]

I had Italian(another Med.race that takes their children with them) visitors with two young grandchildren, who had of course to accompany us to dinner. To my surprise and relief they were beautifully behaved, and never left the table,let alone ran around shouting. But they had spent full days seeing new sights and taking long walks, or swimming in the sea , and always had a dip and a play in the Pool before changing for dinner, so had worked off any excess energy before they went. The trouble with children today is they spend too much day time sitting down with their electronic toys instead of getting physical play and exercise to use the energy any healthy child has, so it is no wonder they are restless when required to sit still and listen to adult talk in the evening.

[Owl Lady]

Ozankoys, I was on boat in Venice going to one of the island and this child kept running around my seat and banging my shoulder each time. In the end I timed it beautifully and when he past my left shoulder I stuck my foot out, Oh dear! did you trip over my foot. He measured his length on the deck, left a groove in it and I never saw him again!!Try it!

[Groucho]

What happened to the good old saying "children should be seen but not heard". 100% agree that screaming children charging around a restaurant can ruin a night out. Why do parents no longer seem able to control their children? Incidentally I have two grandchildren but certainly would not allow them to annoy other people when in a public place. Total lack of consideration for other people.

Sounds like it should have been "children should be seen - but not in a herd"

[Grockle]

He measured his length on the deck

I think this would have put me off my food too!

[Soner]

Could it be that many couples do not take their children to restaurants and teach them how to behave from an early age? My wife and I did not have much help with our little one, and never expected it. Since birth (my child's birth - just in case Philoz decides to jump in at this point) we would still go out every now and again to our local restaurant, baby in carry cot and at table with us, then later in high chair until big enough to sit on normal chair. Luckily she never cried as we would continually pay attention to her. Throughout growing up she had always come with us to restaurants and so it was a pretty normal family affair. Now at 23 she still knows how to behave in a restaurant.

OK, in UK some parents take their children to fast food restaurants, KFC, MacDonald's etc., but would not dream of taking them out to a restaurant in the early evening, until of course they end up on holiday and then this is where the problem arises.

I too can not stand streaming children running around freely in a restaurant - it would definitely ruin my evening and I would put me off going back to that restaurant again, even though it was not the owners fault.

Teach children how to behave in a restaurant at an early age, and do not throw them in the deep end by suddenly introducing them to restaurants when on holiday.

That's my tupence thrown in.
Sorry you had your evening ruined - totally understand.

[elizabeth]

Try sticking your foot out so they trip when they run past, this is usually quite effective!

I must admit I couldn't do that to a child, however obnoxious they were, but I did have a few evil thoughts about the adults in charge of them.
If children are not taught to behave properly when out in a restaurant, or to have some regard for other people, then the fault isn't down to them, I always thought that's what parents were for.

[Ragged Robin]

This thread reminded me of the old joke about the Air Hostess who got fed up with children running up and down aisles and generally misbehaving and upsetting the passengers: she suggest they went outside to play

[jofra]

What happened to the good old saying "children should be seen but not heard".....

Nowadays seems to be more "children are usually obscene when heard"......

[topten]

I also had the memory of a wonderful evening spoiled by a child, 9 months after said evening

[Groucho]

I also had the memory of a wonderful evening spoiled by a child, 9 months after said evening

Just be thankful it wasn't quads!

[davedee]

I am with Soner with this one ,my children knew how to behave in a Restaurant for the same reasons ! also as a (retired) Restaurateur I welcomed well behaved children( which means considerate parents really) badly behaved children upset fellow diners and are an accident waiting to happen.