Businesses saying keep the rowdy children at home.
- Thread starter frankthedm
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Fenris
Adventurer
kenobi65 said:
When my wife and I went to see The Two Towers (we played hookey so the kids were in day care) we could believe how many young kids there were there. We were making all the comments to ourselves. Then the movies started. It was the Thornberrys. We were in the wrong theatre
Of course when we got to the right theatre, there were still too many young kids but they weren't so small.
JoeBlank
Explorer
Crothian said:
Come on, man. No one said you can't have a different opinion. But if you opinion differs from that of others then they just might like to discuss it with you. That is all I see here, people discussing opinions on the subject.
There was one post asking if you were trolling, but I think it was a genuine question, not meant as an accusation.
StupidSmurf
First Post
People, please!!! All this mean bickering is giving me a big case of ambiance denial! 
OK, anyways....for what it's worth, here's my opinion/reactions. Bear in mind I'm a dad/grizzled veteran of four kids....current ages 18-10.
1. I can pay money at a batting cage and swing a baseball bat around to my heart's content. I cannot expect to swing a baseball bat in a restaurant, even if I am a paying customer. There's a place for everything. If I go to a nice restaurant, I expect a relaxing, enjoyable time without screeching noises, flying food, and prone child bodies in the aisles. I'll be disappointed in anything less. If I go to Chuck E Cheese's, I expect a day of living screaming kid Hell, with numerous audio/visual assaults. I'd be disappointed in anything less
2. I for one have been MORTIFIED and EMBARRASSED if my kids have acted rudely in a restaurant or movie theater. If a verbal demand for quiet hasn't been complied with, I've dragged the kid away from the public area, so as not to bother others. Finding a quieter, out of the way private place, I would then be free to administer discipline (or justice...or vengeance...you make the call!).
3. What?? You mean, as a parent, we're expected to make some sacrifices? Our price to pay, so to speak, for reproducing? Damn straight we do! After work today, there's nothing my wife and I would like more than hit Chili's, get a few beers, then check into a hotel and have red-hot weasel sex for 5 hours. As it happens, instead we have to dash out of work and pick up the youngest at her after-school care program, go home, make dinner, and then I have to go pick up my youngest son from someplace else. Sucks to be us, huh? But those are the things you gotta do when you're a parent. We suck up and deal. Why punish those who haven't made the same choices we have?
4. I've seen too many fellow parents who have this bizarre sense of entitlement, almost as if they're taking the whole "We need to get on that lifeboat...we have children!" mentality and applying it with a fire hose to every other situation in life. Hey, parents who have this bizarre sense of entitlement...cut it out, eh? You're making the rest of us look bad, you hosers!
5. Oh, so a staff person complaining to a parent about their unruly child is disturbing the relaxation of the parent? Gee whiz. What about the poor schlub who's paid for his/her meal and just wants an hour of enjoying their food in peace, and instead is subjected to the collateral splash-effects of thrown lettuce, while being serenaded with the 5678th rendering of SpongeBob Squarepants? Where's THEIR relaxation?
6. I'm sure that positive-vibe guy lost some customers because of his policy. But I'll bet you anything that he GAINED some too!
7. This may be preaching to some parts of the choir, but...raising kids is HARD WORK. And that sometimes means making the hard choices, or recognizing your limitations. That means getting off your lazy arse and disciplinging your larvae. Or at least realizing that, unless you have made arrangements, some places simply aren't for you at the present time.
8. Two words: Baby Sitter
9. And yes, while I agree that those unruly undisciplined kids will eventually "pay" their parents back, what do we do in the meantime? Some nebulous future payback that I won't see is scarce consolation for the fact that my dinner's getting ruined because Mrs Baby Factory and Mr DNA Donor can't control their own intimate byproducts.
10. As for kicking out unruly drunks or loudly talking cel phone weenies, I pray that they're next, especially the latter.![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
OK, anyways....for what it's worth, here's my opinion/reactions. Bear in mind I'm a dad/grizzled veteran of four kids....current ages 18-10.
1. I can pay money at a batting cage and swing a baseball bat around to my heart's content. I cannot expect to swing a baseball bat in a restaurant, even if I am a paying customer. There's a place for everything. If I go to a nice restaurant, I expect a relaxing, enjoyable time without screeching noises, flying food, and prone child bodies in the aisles. I'll be disappointed in anything less. If I go to Chuck E Cheese's, I expect a day of living screaming kid Hell, with numerous audio/visual assaults. I'd be disappointed in anything less
2. I for one have been MORTIFIED and EMBARRASSED if my kids have acted rudely in a restaurant or movie theater. If a verbal demand for quiet hasn't been complied with, I've dragged the kid away from the public area, so as not to bother others. Finding a quieter, out of the way private place, I would then be free to administer discipline (or justice...or vengeance...you make the call!).
3. What?? You mean, as a parent, we're expected to make some sacrifices? Our price to pay, so to speak, for reproducing? Damn straight we do! After work today, there's nothing my wife and I would like more than hit Chili's, get a few beers, then check into a hotel and have red-hot weasel sex for 5 hours. As it happens, instead we have to dash out of work and pick up the youngest at her after-school care program, go home, make dinner, and then I have to go pick up my youngest son from someplace else. Sucks to be us, huh? But those are the things you gotta do when you're a parent. We suck up and deal. Why punish those who haven't made the same choices we have?
4. I've seen too many fellow parents who have this bizarre sense of entitlement, almost as if they're taking the whole "We need to get on that lifeboat...we have children!" mentality and applying it with a fire hose to every other situation in life. Hey, parents who have this bizarre sense of entitlement...cut it out, eh? You're making the rest of us look bad, you hosers!
5. Oh, so a staff person complaining to a parent about their unruly child is disturbing the relaxation of the parent? Gee whiz. What about the poor schlub who's paid for his/her meal and just wants an hour of enjoying their food in peace, and instead is subjected to the collateral splash-effects of thrown lettuce, while being serenaded with the 5678th rendering of SpongeBob Squarepants? Where's THEIR relaxation?
6. I'm sure that positive-vibe guy lost some customers because of his policy. But I'll bet you anything that he GAINED some too!
7. This may be preaching to some parts of the choir, but...raising kids is HARD WORK. And that sometimes means making the hard choices, or recognizing your limitations. That means getting off your lazy arse and disciplinging your larvae. Or at least realizing that, unless you have made arrangements, some places simply aren't for you at the present time.
8. Two words: Baby Sitter
9. And yes, while I agree that those unruly undisciplined kids will eventually "pay" their parents back, what do we do in the meantime? Some nebulous future payback that I won't see is scarce consolation for the fact that my dinner's getting ruined because Mrs Baby Factory and Mr DNA Donor can't control their own intimate byproducts.
10. As for kicking out unruly drunks or loudly talking cel phone weenies, I pray that they're next, especially the latter.
JoeBlank
Explorer
I have BEEN an obnoxious drunk throw out of a bar. Physically, on my ass. And I deserved it. I had paid a cover charge to see a band too. It was some time ago, but I don't blame the bar at all, and actually I didn't blame them at the time.
I have also taken my sons outside of a restaurant to calm them down and remind them of the way to behave when they are in a public place, and a guest of someone else. My sons know the threat of being "taken to the van," and they are generally well behaved.
I have also taken my sons outside of a restaurant to calm them down and remind them of the way to behave when they are in a public place, and a guest of someone else. My sons know the threat of being "taken to the van," and they are generally well behaved.
was
Adventurer
-I don't want to jump on the bandwagon here, but I have been to several nice restaurants and movies where I have had the experience ruined by screaming, unruly children.
-That being said, I seriously do not believe it's the majority of parents who allow their children to behave this way, but it is the few that do who ruin it for those parents who teach their children what respect and manners are.
-The problem is, that when the parents of unruly children are confronted, they scream about their rights to raise their children anyway they wish. They excuse the unruly behavior with the excuse that it's just 'kids being kids.' They then organize with others, many of whom have not been to the establishment, under the banner of 'concerned' parenthood. They then rant continuously, telling others that this person or place is despicable and generally not family-friendly.
-I am of the belief that common courtesy means that one should not impose themselves, or their children, on others. When this courtesy is not extended, I believe that establishments have the right to take "reasonable' actions to ensure the comfort of their clients.
-That being said, I seriously do not believe it's the majority of parents who allow their children to behave this way, but it is the few that do who ruin it for those parents who teach their children what respect and manners are.
-The problem is, that when the parents of unruly children are confronted, they scream about their rights to raise their children anyway they wish. They excuse the unruly behavior with the excuse that it's just 'kids being kids.' They then organize with others, many of whom have not been to the establishment, under the banner of 'concerned' parenthood. They then rant continuously, telling others that this person or place is despicable and generally not family-friendly.
-I am of the belief that common courtesy means that one should not impose themselves, or their children, on others. When this courtesy is not extended, I believe that establishments have the right to take "reasonable' actions to ensure the comfort of their clients.
Zappo
Explorer
Hot damn. I can't describe how astonished I felt reading that people would boycott a place for instituing a rule which ought to be obvious. For some people, the world is really "me, myself and I" and the rights are "my rights". The day I see with my eyes a restaurant owner throwing out an annoying kid and all of his family, is the day I've found my new favorite place.
If and when I have kids, I'll be sure to either keep them quiet, keep them at home, or only bring them to places where customers don't expect quiet. That ought to be common courtesy. Kids being kids? They can "be kids" damn near everywhere, give me a single place where I can eat in peace, I don't think I'm asking for much.
And, of course, the same goes for restaurants.
If and when I have kids, I'll be sure to either keep them quiet, keep them at home, or only bring them to places where customers don't expect quiet. That ought to be common courtesy. Kids being kids? They can "be kids" damn near everywhere, give me a single place where I can eat in peace, I don't think I'm asking for much.
I'd pay 50c more for that. And I'd pay 1€ more if the theater had a cellphone jammer and bouncers throwing out anyone who speaks loudly during projection. Families, drunks, and people who go to the theater to socialize already have several thousand establishments from which to choose.WayneLigon said:
And, of course, the same goes for restaurants.
Rel
Liquid Awesome
I was under the impression that if you were a private business you could determine who your clientelle was based on any criteria that you desire. Like for example you could exclude women from belonging to your golf course and that way you could get a big bunch of protesters on your lawn and stuff. If, on the other hand, you were a government facility, you had to take all comers.
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