Do you let your toddler walk around in the restaurant?

[Anonymous]

No, we do not allow our children to walk around a restaurant alone or with us. It is rude, dangerous, and simply not appropriate. I am always amazed at how many parents do not appear to have a clue when it comes to appropriate behavior in restaurants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely not. It's rude to other guests and a tripping hazard to servers carrying food.

Take her out to the lobby or outside if you want her to walk a bit.

Wow, the first response answered the question perfectly.

[Anonymous]

Nope. Never.

[Anonymous]

NO - before I had kids it used to drive me nuts when other people's kids were running around; would never do that now that I'm a parent. If nothing else works, one of us will take him outside until food arrives.

[Anonymous]

No. And if you are talking about by himself, heck no. We go to dinner early to make sure there is no wait. We order quickly. We ask to sit by a window if possible. We bring toys. And if all of this falls apart, one of us walks my son outside. Even if it is cold or dark. Restaurants have lights on the outside. We bring jackets. And just going outside and looking in the window at Daddy (or Grandma) is highly entertaining. And if none of this works, and my son is at a rough phase - we don't go out to eat.

When we go out to eat with the inlaws - who linger for hours - we take turns going outside with my son. Luckily, this isn' burdensome because my SIL takes a turn and I really can't stand sitting still that long anyways.

[Anonymous]

No. Never.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A restaurant is not a gym. It is a very dangerous place. Kids should be taken outside if they can't stay seated.

If you haven't noticed, its cold out. And when its dinner time, its dark out. I'm not going to stand outside with an 18 month old in a dark parking lot. Or even go sit in the car for that matter.
So, we go early, as to not interfere with the romantic couples and other non-family type guests. And we don't go to upscale restraurants. And we only do it when in order to let whoever isn't done eating to finish eating and pay the bill. Yes, its not a gym. But we don't let him climb on things or pull on things. We don't use it as a gym. Parents who do a lap or two with a toddler aren't using the place as a gym. Parents who let their kids go wild are. Big difference.

Doing laps is something that is done in a gym. You are putting your child in danger. If you feel uncomfortable taking your child outside when they can't stay seated, you should stay home.

[Anonymous]

Why would anyone take the risk of letting their child get burned by hot food or cut by a stray knife? I'm sure that you could attempt to sue the restaurant but your kid would still be scarred for life. It's not worth it. Teach your kid how to behave in a restaurant and you will be fine. And, for the people who let their kids run free during the earlier hours of operation (to not bother the romantics), that is just rude. Everyone has the right to enjoy their meal. Just remember how you felt prior to having kids...no matter how "cute" the parents think their kid is, it's annoying to everyone else.

I think my kid is adorable and I love to hear and see him develop his language and motor skills. However, I understand that DW and I are the only ones who feel this way when we are out in public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the child can't behave, he/she should be removed. Trust me, this is the only way your child will learn to behave.

That might be true for your kid, but my kid seems to be doing ok when we ask for age-appropriate good behavior (which at 2 or 3 might mean being quiet but being allowed to get up once, and at 5 or 6 being quiet and seated).

Walking around a restaurant is not good behavior for any age, especially not for a small child that might not be seen by a server carrying hot items. If you don't feel comfortable enforcing such rules with your under-5 child, you shouldn't bring your child to a restaurant.

[Anonymous]

I'm a little surprised at the comments that it's rude to do this. I'm reacting from a place of "kids should be tucked away and shield the world from them" mentality. Kids are people too, and it they want to walk around a restaurant highly supervised and out of the way of anyone who might trip on them (I don't think anyone was suggesting that a toddler be given free reign to wander unsupervised) I don't see the problem. It never bothered me before I had a child, and it doesn't bother me now. People who say it's rude are somehow implying that children's mere presence is offensive, and I find that offensive. Unless you yourself teleport yourself to your seat, you walk through a restaurant too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A restaurant is not a gym. It is a very dangerous place. Kids should be taken outside if they can't stay seated.

If you haven't noticed, its cold out. And when its dinner time, its dark out. I'm not going to stand outside with an 18 month old in a dark parking lot. Or even go sit in the car for that matter.So, we go early, as to not interfere with the romantic couples and other non-family type guests. And we don't go to upscale restraurants. And we only do it when in order to let whoever isn't done eating to finish eating and pay the bill. Yes, its not a gym. But we don't let him climb on things or pull on things. We don't use it as a gym. Parents who do a lap or two with a toddler aren't using the place as a gym. Parents who let their kids go wild are. Big difference.

Sounds kind of lazy. You can take a kid outside even it it's cold and dark. Or you can wait in the lobby. The other quote, "But we don't let him climb on things or pull on things." If you have a toddler, that's just a lie.

[Anonymous]

Ok i'll be the only contrarian here. My DD is a well behaved child most of the time but asking her to sit for extended period of time is a bit much. And no, I am unwilling to be home bound as some of you suggested.

So we take her out with my purse filled with playgoodies. But sometimes that just doesn't keep her still. We don't want to walk around either because we are eating. We tell her she needs to sit to eat, but she usually finishes eating way before we are done so she is basically bored out of her mind after that. When she wants to get out of her seat, we tell her ..'mommy and daddy are going to stay seated to eat. you can walk about only around our table. Basically she plays under our table or walks around our table. I see nothing wrong with it. She didn't bother anyone, and we got a chance to enjoy our meal and she didn't feel constrained or strapped down.

To each their own but this works for us. We don't feel tied down to only eating at home and it' s a very pleasant experience. We haven't had any negative glances or rude comments made towards us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a little surprised at the comments that it's rude to do this. I'm reacting from a place of "kids should be tucked away and shield the world from them" mentality. Kids are people too, and it they want to walk around a restaurant highly supervised and out of the way of anyone who might trip on them (I don't think anyone was suggesting that a toddler be given free reign to wander unsupervised) I don't see the problem. It never bothered me before I had a child, and it doesn't bother me now. People who say it's rude are somehow implying that children's mere presence is offensive, and I find that offensive. Unless you yourself teleport yourself to your seat, you walk through a restaurant too.

Can you please post a list of the restaurants that you frequent? That would be helpful so I can avoid you at all cost...I don't want DS to learn any bad habits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a little surprised at the comments that it's rude to do this. I'm reacting from a place of "kids should be tucked away and shield the world from them" mentality. Kids are people too, and it they want to walk around a restaurant highly supervised and out of the way of anyone who might trip on them (I don't think anyone was suggesting that a toddler be given free reign to wander unsupervised) I don't see the problem. It never bothered me before I had a child, and it doesn't bother me now. People who say it's rude are somehow implying that children's mere presence is offensive, and I find that offensive. Unless you yourself teleport yourself to your seat, you walk through a restaurant too.

Kids "are" people, too, but they are not as developmentally mature as most much older kids and adults. It's the behavior that needs to be addressed, not the age. And you can do this in a respectful way (like taking the toddler outside).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok i'll be the only contrarian here. My DD is a well behaved child most of the time but asking her to sit for extended period of time is a bit much. And no, I am unwilling to be home bound as some of you suggested.

So we take her out with my purse filled with playgoodies. But sometimes that just doesn't keep her still. We don't want to walk around either because we are eating. We tell her she needs to sit to eat, but she usually finishes eating way before we are done so she is basically bored out of her mind after that. When she wants to get out of her seat, we tell her ..'mommy and daddy are going to stay seated to eat. you can walk about only around our table. Basically she plays under our table or walks around our table. I see nothing wrong with it. She didn't bother anyone, and we got a chance to enjoy our meal and she didn't feel constrained or strapped down.

To each their own but this works for us. We don't feel tied down to only eating at home and it' s a very pleasant experience. We haven't had any negative glances or rude comments made towards us.

Yep...under the table is really clean and totally mutes the noise that a playing kid makes. But I'm sure that she just treats it like a fort and reads quietly.