Posted on 11/14/2005 5:51:48 AM PST by Cagey
Parent Says Restaurant Offers Kid Food, So It Should Cater To Kids
"We were surprised at how many times we would see children really out of control," McCauley said. "And we actually had people leaving the bakery because the children were so out of control."
So, he put a sign on the door at kids' eye-level, asking children of all ages to use their "indoor voices."
"We thought it was just a friendly reminder to people that when they come here, just be considerate of the people around them. We had no idea the kind of controversy that was going to explode out of this," McCauley said.
But some parents who spoke with NBC5's Natalie Martinez took immediate offense to the sign. The angry mothers said there are plenty of places in the Andersonville neighborhood where they can take their kids, even if they're acting out.
"I've e-mailed friends and said, 'Just so you know, this man has a sign up. I know there are lots of other options, and I'd encourage you not to go there,'" parent Kate Bremmer said.
When she spoke with Martinez, Bremmer and her kids were picking out goodies at a Swedish bakery, where all kids are welcome.
"Our custom has been to offer a cookie to every child that comes into the store for as long as I can remember," said Kathy Stanton-Cromwell, the co-owner of the bakery, which is just a few doors down from A Taste of Heaven.
Stanton-Cromwell said the cookie serves as "a good calmer" for kids who are acting up.
Bremmer said A Taste of Heaven "is not a five-star restaurant," so she thinks it should cater to kids, not the other way around.
"They offer ice cream cones and cookies and lots things that kids love, and therefore, I don't think that they should make such an issue of it," Bremmer said.
Other parents enjoying lunch with their kids at A Taste of Heaven were more diplomatic.
"I have mixed feelings about it. It's a little off-putting," one mother said.
Linda Wallace, also a mother who eats at A Taste of Heaven, said she thought McCauley was "sort of brave" for putting up the sign.
"It did cross my mind that he might offend some people," she said.
McCauley said he loves kids, although he has none of his own. He said he has no immediate plans to take the sign down.
We went back in and she sat still,quiet, and ate her breakfast.
as we left the waitress and some customers thanked me and told her she was a good girl for behaving.
I never had a problem after these lessons, I could take my 5 year old to 4 star restraunts without a worry.
Well, this is not just limited to restaurants either or toddlers or young kids, but the point is still the same.
Took the family to a small circus over the weekend and noticed that there was an individual who appeared to be special needs. She was originally sitting behind us in the bleachers but I noticed that she was all over.
In the ringside seats, standing up in front of others in walkways. At one point she was even standing where some of the performers were doing an act that took them into the crowd a bit. I think someone pulled her down into a seat, otherwise she'd been hurt.
Where were her parents/guardians? Do rules change just because someone is special? You know that if she'd been hurt the parents or guardians would have been there in a flash wondering why the circus was negligent.
Now there was a small child about 3-5 who was acting up and the parents did give him the 'butt in seat' treatment and 'the look', and there might have been 'the pinch' too. He did finally quiet down.
Oh well...
I have a 21-month-old and a four-and-a-half year old, and neither would be allowed to be have in such a manner -- I don't think it would even OCCUR to my daughter!
CPS is inherently evil. The misery that CPS would inflict upon the woman with the out of control child would be completely out of proportion to the offense. It would be akin to capital punishment for speeding.
Agreed. Most public school administrators cringe when the typical parent 'speaks' with them about a child's recent school discipline. A great many parents are disrespectful, loud, angry and unwilling to hear a truth about their child. Parents just like the one in this story. I'll wager we'd hear stories of similar child/parent behavior from the kid's teachers.
Wait for me, I'll go with you! And the coffee and cookies are on me. :)
Thank goodness. Will now be a nice place to eat.
My Pastor tells a story of a trip to the grocery store. He told his kids they were going for three items and nothing else would be bought. Sure enough, one of his daughters started throwing a fit over a candy bar. He raised his voice and said, "Excuse me, everyone? My daughter wants to throw a temper tantrum, and she'd like to have everyone's attention." All eyes went to her...and she melted into the background.
I don't really suspect you really want an answer about disciplining a 1 yr old. But we had a very well behaved (for his age) 1 yr old who we were able to take to restaurants, on aircraft flights, etc.
First we recognized his age and behavior limits and chose our restaurants and the times we went and the time we spent there accordingly. No fine dining with 8PM reservations. But we did go sometimes at 5 or 6PM, when we knew we could be served and done within an hour or so.
We knew our child's bedtime and his fussy time and avoided public places at those times. For the sake of others.
We considered restaurant meals with the kid as social training time as well as recreation. Not a leisurely let-down-our hair time to drink and talk while the kid screamed, yelled, jabbered loudly, threw stuff or did anything to inconvenience or disturb the pleasure of other paying customers.
When we ordered we asked that the waiter bring the check with the meal, to save restless time at the end of the meal and to help if we had to make a quick departure.
We had a bag full of little quiet toys and books and used diversions that kept him quietly entertained in his high chair. From the table, bread crumbs and little coffee creamers were offered as treats (we cleaned up the mess on his tray). We had fun playing together at the table. He learned to like restaurants because he got positive attention fro interaction. He was not left to fend for himself and get bored and be disruptive to others while we dined.
When all failed and the baby whimpered or fussed or squirmed, it was time to take him out of the high chair, If the lap didn't settle him, we walked him. If he still fussed, we took turns taking him outside.
The older he got, the better he got about the restaurant routine and how to behave. He was also a champ on long distance travel. Easy to soothe, not anxious about crowds and noise.
Do you get a picture of parenting techniques that consist of something besides saying "shhh" and throwing up your hands if that doesn't work?
Ah, so you're a coward? You sucker punched the guy. What a class act.
If this is the situation that was discussed in some earlier threads, I'll say the same thing now that I said then. I don't think it's realistic to expect kids to be Stepford kids, but IMHO there's a massive difference between kids being kids and kids who are out of control.
ping
I wonder how big a percentage of this generation of parents were actually disciplined and controlled by their parents. How many of them actually have a frame of reference for proper parental discipline?
Maybe 'Angry Moms' will become a new Democrat target group for 2008.
Mothers: Are you tired of right-wingers telling your little ones how to behave? Have you had enough of Republicans allowing only perfect children in their establishments? Aren't you angry that such child-behavior discrimination is occuring in this great land? You should be! Tell holier-than-thou Republicans that you won't tolerate it anymore! Your $100, $200 or even $500 donation to the Democrats can make all the difference for your child's self-esteem. They're worth every penny, so contribute today!
I think we would agree on most things regarding childraising. JILL
i think one difference is that people don't see their kids behavior as a reflection of their parenting skills. they don't take it personally if their kid misbehaves, it is as if the kid sprang up, fully formed from the earth. i have seen this attitude with even good friends of mine, raised in the same era by similar parents. it always astounded me. if and when my kids misbehaved i was always embarrassed because i realized it WAS a reflection on me. too often now, parents will just look at you and shrug as if to say, what can you do, kids will be kids. that is just a total abdication of personal responsibility for your children.
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