Toddlers in restaurant

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:12:27 is the mom who gets slapped by her toddler (NOT kindergartner) and goes "Oh, sweetie/buddy I'm so sorry you are so upset. If you explain to mommy why you are so angry and use your words, mommy will take you for ice cream later." Ugh.

And this the mom at the grocery store beating the sh*t out of her kids for knocking over a box of cereal. Isn't hyperbole just the greatest thing ever?

[Anonymous]

I agree that if the mother of a child is distracted while paying the cashier or grabbing the food and her child does something that could be harmful it would be appropriate to say something. But, the OP said she was standing there for 10 minutes watching the children play on the floor while their moms chatted nearby. That doesn't sound like a situation at all where it is the responsibility of the OP to say something. I would have felt uncomfortable saying something as well. But, as the mom of a very active 2 1/2 year old, first I rarely take my son out but when I do, I can't even imagine letting him play on the floor of a busy restaurant at lunchtime without trying to get him to either sit at the table or packing up and leaving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, did you politely inform the moms that their toddlers were in the way? If it really bothered you, or if the children really were blocking access to the drinks, then I'm sure that the moms would have moved them. You could have also asked the management to speak to the mothers.

As a mom of a 3 year old who goes to Petes, I try my hardest to keep DC in place, but there are moments when DC gets past me. And if DC was in harm's way and I didn't notice, I would absolutely appreciate a notice from a fellow diner.

Oh, please. BE A MOM. It's nobody's job to see what your child is doing but your own. You would appreciate if someone told you your kid is in harm's way? Are you freaking kidding me? You should be the first one to know and promptly do something about it. I have a 2 1/2 year old and, yes, it gets hard to keep track sometimes and sometimes I just want to sit back and relax. Guess what? Not when my child is with me. I made her, I take care of her. And if she annoys someone or get in someone's way, I apologize. I'm no perfect mom, but I never expect random strangers to be watching my kid in a public place. Your post is ridiculous.

Are you telling me that your child has never had an accident? Never fallen, never tripped, never put her hand or mouth on something inappropriate even while in your presence? Oh please, get off your holier-than-thou platform and realize that all moms (and dads) are human and have *gasp* for a few seconds been a few feet away from their child.

I'm with you. I admit, I have had to turn my head away from my child to pay a cashier or tend to my other child. It takes only a moment for the toddler to get into something he shouldn't. Is it a stranger's responsibility to say something? In most cases, no. But I certainly appreciate it when they do. Just this past summer my toddler wriggled away from me and bolted for the intersection while I had the baby strapped to me. I was on him in a flash, but a few strangers on the street also moved to block from the street. I was incredibly grateful. They could have stood there and sniffed, "nope, not my job," but I'm glad they didn't.

PP, your toddler heading toward the intersection is VERY different from a group of moms ignoring their toddlers who are in everyone's way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, did you politely inform the moms that their toddlers were in the way? If it really bothered you, or if the children really were blocking access to the drinks, then I'm sure that the moms would have moved them. You could have also asked the management to speak to the mothers.

As a mom of a 3 year old who goes to Petes, I try my hardest to keep DC in place, but there are moments when DC gets past me. And if DC was in harm's way and I didn't notice, I would absolutely appreciate a notice from a fellow diner.

Oh, please. BE A MOM. It's nobody's job to see what your child is doing but your own. You would appreciate if someone told you your kid is in harm's way? Are you freaking kidding me? You should be the first one to know and promptly do something about it. I have a 2 1/2 year old and, yes, it gets hard to keep track sometimes and sometimes I just want to sit back and relax. Guess what? Not when my child is with me. I made her, I take care of her. And if she annoys someone or get in someone's way, I apologize. I'm no perfect mom, but I never expect random strangers to be watching my kid in a public place. Your post is ridiculous.

Thank you! It was clear to the moms that their kids were in the floor and blocking others. They just didn't care. I would have nudged them aside with my foot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, did you politely inform the moms that their toddlers were in the way? If it really bothered you, or if the children really were blocking access to the drinks, then I'm sure that the moms would have moved them. You could have also asked the management to speak to the mothers.

As a mom of a 3 year old who goes to Petes, I try my hardest to keep DC in place, but there are moments when DC gets past me. And if DC was in harm's way and I didn't notice, I would absolutely appreciate a notice from a fellow diner.

Oh, please. BE A MOM. It's nobody's job to see what your child is doing but your own. You would appreciate if someone told you your kid is in harm's way? Are you freaking kidding me? You should be the first one to know and promptly do something about it. I have a 2 1/2 year old and, yes, it gets hard to keep track sometimes and sometimes I just want to sit back and relax. Guess what? Not when my child is with me. I made her, I take care of her. And if she annoys someone or get in someone's way, I apologize. I'm no perfect mom, but I never expect random strangers to be watching my kid in a public place. Your post is ridiculous.

Are you telling me that your child has never had an accident? Never fallen, never tripped, never put her hand or mouth on something inappropriate even while in your presence? Oh please, get off your holier-than-thou platform and realize that all moms (and dads) are human and have *gasp* for a few seconds been a few feet away from their child.

I think that a bunch of kids playing on the floor under the soda machine is not a lapse of a few seconds. It sounds like a large group of customers was working their way past them. I get it if your kid runs off and you go after them, but this was not the situation OP described. This was parents not caring about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:12:27 is the mom who gets slapped by her toddler (NOT kindergartner) and goes "Oh, sweetie/buddy I'm so sorry you are so upset. If you explain to mommy why you are so angry and use your words, mommy will take you for ice cream later." Ugh.

And this the mom at the grocery store beating the sh*t out of her kids for knocking over a box of cereal. Isn't hyperbole just the greatest thing ever?

Are you actually defending pushover moms? That's just sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Alot of parents these days think everyone should work the day/schedule around them and their children.

I agree, but I also think that these days a lot of people (like the OP) think that its not their business to do anything even if a child is in danger.

OP here. For Pete's sake, now I'm a bad person? Did you even read my post? I have said something in past incidents, especially when I saw something egregious. And I don't even mind the dirty look or the mumbled, "Bitch...", when I walk away. The moms had to have been fully cognizant the little ones were blocking a high traffic area. In that particular moment of time, I just wanted to get my pizza and get back to my classroom.

Okay, now I'm going to get off the computer and go outside to enjoy this beautiful day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:12:27 is the mom who gets slapped by her toddler (NOT kindergartner) and goes "Oh, sweetie/buddy I'm so sorry you are so upset. If you explain to mommy why you are so angry and use your words, mommy will take you for ice cream later." Ugh.


Aw, leave the poor moms alone. They're probably really stressed out from having to back a fifteen foot SUV into a parking spot at Whole Foods while talking on the cell phone.

two great posts!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:12:27 is the mom who gets slapped by her toddler (NOT kindergartner) and goes "Oh, sweetie/buddy I'm so sorry you are so upset. If you explain to mommy why you are so angry and use your words, mommy will take you for ice cream later." Ugh.

And this the mom at the grocery store beating the sh*t out of her kids for knocking over a box of cereal. Isn't hyperbole just the greatest thing ever?

Are you actually defending pushover moms? That's just sad.

Heh. Are you actually defending child abusers? And I'll take that as a 'yes' to my question about hyperbole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, did you politely inform the moms that their toddlers were in the way? If it really bothered you, or if the children really were blocking access to the drinks, then I'm sure that the moms would have moved them. You could have also asked the management to speak to the mothers.

As a mom of a 3 year old who goes to Petes, I try my hardest to keep DC in place, but there are moments when DC gets past me. And if DC was in harm's way and I didn't notice, I would absolutely appreciate a notice from a fellow diner.

Oh, please. BE A MOM. It's nobody's job to see what your child is doing but your own. You would appreciate if someone told you your kid is in harm's way? Are you freaking kidding me? You should be the first one to know and promptly do something about it. I have a 2 1/2 year old and, yes, it gets hard to keep track sometimes and sometimes I just want to sit back and relax. Guess what? Not when my child is with me. I made her, I take care of her. And if she annoys someone or get in someone's way, I apologize. I'm no perfect mom, but I never expect random strangers to be watching my kid in a public place. Your post is ridiculous.

Are you telling me that your child has never had an accident? Never fallen, never tripped, never put her hand or mouth on something inappropriate even while in your presence? Oh please, get off your holier-than-thou platform and realize that all moms (and dads) are human and have *gasp* for a few seconds been a few feet away from their child.

I'm with you. I admit, I have had to turn my head away from my child to pay a cashier or tend to my other child. It takes only a moment for the toddler to get into something he shouldn't. Is it a stranger's responsibility to say something? In most cases, no. But I certainly appreciate it when they do. Just this past summer my toddler wriggled away from me and bolted for the intersection while I had the baby strapped to me. I was on him in a flash, but a few strangers on the street also moved to block from the street. I was incredibly grateful. They could have stood there and sniffed, "nope, not my job," but I'm glad they didn't.

PP, your toddler heading toward the intersection is VERY different from a group of moms ignoring their toddlers who are in everyone's way.

Sure, but that's not at all what this particular thread of posts was referring to. See the bolded parts. PP's point seems to be exactly that - that no one has a responsibility to give you notice if they see your child "in harm's way."

In this particular case with the kids on the floor, it doesn't phase me. "Watch out, kids, I don't want anyone to get their hands stepped on. I have big feet!" And if a mother gives me a look, I make it sound like I'm on her side, just watching out for all those other assholes who might step on toddler fingers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:12:27 is the mom who gets slapped by her toddler (NOT kindergartner) and goes "Oh, sweetie/buddy I'm so sorry you are so upset. If you explain to mommy why you are so angry and use your words, mommy will take you for ice cream later." Ugh.

And this the mom at the grocery store beating the sh*t out of her kids for knocking over a box of cereal. Isn't hyperbole just the greatest thing ever?

Are you actually defending pushover moms? That's just sad.

Heh. Are you actually defending child abusers? And I'll take that as a 'yes' to my question about hyperbole.

No, I'm just accusing you of siding with pushovers. And I'm not person you addressed with your question, so take that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:12:27 is the mom who gets slapped by her toddler (NOT kindergartner) and goes "Oh, sweetie/buddy I'm so sorry you are so upset. If you explain to mommy why you are so angry and use your words, mommy will take you for ice cream later." Ugh.

And this the mom at the grocery store beating the sh*t out of her kids for knocking over a box of cereal. Isn't hyperbole just the greatest thing ever?

Are you actually defending pushover moms? That's just sad.

Heh. Are you actually defending child abusers? And I'll take that as a 'yes' to my question about hyperbole.

No, I'm just accusing you of siding with pushovers. And I'm not person you addressed with your question, so take that.

And I was just mocking the PP's ridiculous exaggerations. Yes, clearly that puts me on the side of the pushovers.

[Anonymous]

Mum of 2.5 YO here. Pete's isn't the kind of place I'd let my child play on the floor. It's a very small space with a lot of customer traffic. It's just common sense not to allow your kid to do sprawl on the floor at an establishment like this.

These moms weren't being very considerate.

I do luv their pizza, and go often with my child. Who either stays in the high chair or can walk about so long as she is mostly out of the way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:12:27 is the mom who gets slapped by her toddler (NOT kindergartner) and goes "Oh, sweetie/buddy I'm so sorry you are so upset. If you explain to mommy why you are so angry and use your words, mommy will take you for ice cream later." Ugh.

And this the mom at the grocery store beating the sh*t out of her kids for knocking over a box of cereal. Isn't hyperbole just the greatest thing ever?

Are you actually defending pushover moms? That's just sad.

Heh. Are you actually defending child abusers? And I'll take that as a 'yes' to my question about hyperbole.

No, I'm just accusing you of siding with pushovers. And I'm not person you addressed with your question, so take that.

And I was just mocking the PP's ridiculous exaggerations. Yes, clearly that puts me on the side of the pushovers.

I take you at your word.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Alot of parents these days think everyone should work the day/schedule around them and their children.

I agree, but I also think that these days a lot of people (like the OP) think that its not their business to do anything even if a child is in danger.

The OP mentioned she would have said something had the child been in danger. They weren't, they were just sort of annoying. Since so many people are not exactly open to any kind of comment, not everyone wants to make a scene everytime some entitled mother is allowing her kids to run amok.