I think you were horribly rude. Perhaps they could have chosen not to continue their meal, but perhaps they weren’t from near there and needed food. Perhaps their child had autism and there was nothing they could do. I know badly behaved children are horrible and I remove mine when they are loud, but when a child with autism or other special needs starts to lose it, sometimes you are in a bad situation and people in public will be affected. My heart goes out to every parent in such a situation. Children and parents do not need to be whipped, nor does violence bring about better behavior in kids with disabilities. Give parents a small break. It can be very hard especially when the child has neurological damage, as one in 50 have now.
Maybe so.
BUT the manager and waitresses, who were there,
OBVIOUSLY didn't.
In the end, your what if's and perhaps' mean nothing. Your OPINION that I was rude, is built completely on the ASSUMPTION that the child had a problem and that I have no understanding of kids whatsoever.
I have MANY years of volunteering with kids. I'm talking HUNDREDS of kids. I am by no means an expert, but I have a fair amount of experience differentiating between a bratty kid and autism. I know FIRST HAND what ADD and/or ADHD is like, and what can be done to deal with it.
I was the one watching the kid climb on the bench and doing whatever he wanted, while the parents did little more than talk calmly and sigh when their "pleadings" went unanswered.
You formed an opinion based on perhaps' and what if's. Your tender sensibilities were offended :(
Meanwhile, the manager WHO WAS THERE, not only didn't do anything about THEIR complaint and leaving, BUT...picked up my check and gave us dessert, without my ever saying anything .
SOoooo....
Who do you think PERHAPS had a better grasp of the ENTIRE situation?
You, sitting, reading black letters on a white screen, possibly 100's of miles and years away from the situation?
Or the manager, who was right there when everything was happening?
IF...the manager hadn't been completely aware of the situation, and had chalked it up to customers getting into a squabble, he wouldn't have addressed the situation at all. The fact that he did address it, VOLUNTARILY, speaks that he was aware and either appreciative of my handling the situation or, sorry for my inconvenience.
What I didn't mention, was that the restaurant WAS NOT empty except for our 2 tables. There were other tables in the general area.
No...the manager was basically making a statement without having to say it.