Sure I’ve overstated it and no one posting here is calling for a ban on children in public-- yet. But these are the first steps. Just in this thread we’ve gone from people wanting small children banned from “nice” restaurants to people wanting **all **children banned from not just “nice” restaurants but hotels, grocery stores have been suggested and even a movie theatre by implication. The list will grow. I simply think it is a sad commentary on the state of our society. Children used to be a blessing and people liked to be around children. Today children seem to be seen as a burden and increasingly more and more people want to get away from children–including, sadly, the children’s own parents. I am amazed by the number of my childrens school mates who’s parents take an annual vacation without their children. I can hear the calls already–lets make this area of the city a “children free zone” an area where I can shop and eat and hang out without the threat of seeing a child – the mere sight of which will somehow ruin my day. Maybe those children who misbehave would behave better if the adults in their life and society weren’t fleeing from them or ignoring them or shoving them off to “child friendly” places by which I gather you mean places where they can misbehave–which shouldn’t be allowed anywhere. Children can sit still at the table without fussing–it is a matter of training and expectation.
And please lets stop with all the “a business should have a right to cater to who ever they want to” talk. Those saying this seem resistant to the idea that restaurants should be able to exclude african americans, catholics, jews, homosexuals etc. claiming that somehow that’s just unreasonable. Why? What if the owner gets complaints? That was the original justification given for banning children–the owner had complaints. Guess what I bet the owner gets complaints about his food and service–all restaurants do no matter how good they are–yet they don’t stop serving food and providing service–and lets be honest lousy service or a bad meal ruin the outing a lot more than a fussy child at the next table. Complaints come with running a business and all businesses get them. Customers will not stop patronizing the establishment if they have a reasonable policy for dealing with problems–like unruly customers additionally a well stated policy will minimize those problems–and patrons will appreciate that.
No one has explained how the well behaved child sitting at the table next to you ruins your experience? How does it bother you? Why does it bother you?
Finally what you experienced at your local version of Hooters was not a child problem but a parent problem–parents who took their children to the type of place that no adult should patronize let alone where a parent should take their children --parents who by your account ignored their children–and you’re blaming the children for this–as if it is a child problem. Further you describe the place as “loud and crowed” like that was a reason the ladies shouldn’t have brought their children there saying the kids did “pretty well” despite that fact. If the place is already “loud and crowed” how could a couple of kids being “fussy” be what ruins the expenence. It would seem a loud and crowed place would be just the place for children–it is the “Hooters” aspect that makes the place unsuitable for children–in my opinion–though in this society I seem to be in the minority on that.
I am not a big “family and kids” restaurant type of person and if my kids can behave I don’t see why they shouldn’t be able to eat out with us and if they behave I don’t see how they ruin your experience or why it should bother you that they are there.
Scoff and attack away
Peace,
Mark
