Do you let your toddler walk around in the restaurant?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I agree, my grandfather when he was going senile used to walk around the restaurant and "check out" what everyone else was eating. It made people very uncomfortable and was quite a nuisance for the wait staff but I couldn't exactly punish him, now could I? There is only ONE EXCEPTION to my absolute "No Wandering in the Restaurant Policy" and that is if the family rents out a back room/portion of a restaurant/banquet hall at the country club for some sort of family party or wedding or something: my best memories as a little kid were dancing, running around and drinking too many Shirley Temples with my cousins and siblings at these type of events.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a restaurant patron, I would much rather see a child calmly walked by an adult around the perimiter of the restaurant (looking out windows, at the coatrack, flirting with the hostess) than listen to the child scream because he or she cannot sit still for as long as it takes parents and/or servers to finish eating and paying.

Agree!

[Anonymous]

No. If she can't be entertained by the toys, books and crayons we brought then one of us either takes her outside for a walk, or if that is not an option, we'll ask to have our food boxed up and we leave. It's that simple. The world does not revolve around our family or our kids and everyone deserves to eat their dinner in peace. That includes us on the occasions that we go out without our kids, so I try to treat other diners the way I would like to be treated - i.e. not having to put up with other people's kids' noise and chaos and running around when I have finally found an evening to escape the chaos of our own house.

[Anonymous]

NP here. For the most part, we'd never do this. There are, however, a few neighborhood restaurants we frequent and we tend to go early when it is full of families. The restaurants are family owned, and at two of them members of the wait staff often come out and play with the kids and walk them around while we are waiting for the food! Since the owners and staff are the ones initiating, I have no problem AT ALL. I wouldn't do this at most other places, though.

[Anonymous]

UGH--NO! My cousin's boys, 5 and 3, are allowed to do this and it is beyond annoying. They are distracting, obnoxious, and annoying in restaurants and we try to avoid eating out with them if possible. Mostly because there is no joy in the experience, wit my cousin yelling "sit down!" or "be careful!" or us just being embarrassed that she has not control over them. But--whatever--she has let them do this since they could walk, and now they will not listen. We have gone out to eat pretty regularly since our 4 yr old son was born and we never, ever let him wander or walked him around. You sit for a meal--duh. It's basic manners. I love parents who just shrug their shoulders like, "oh, well--they just can't sit still"--you are the parent! Get control or get take-out, people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Actually, you can hold a toddlers hands - wow - and they can't climb or pull on things! And it keeps him right next to me, so I'm sure the server will see me. But as I am not myopic, I usually see the server and move out of the wat, averting any danger. And we stay away from kitchen doors.
I will not risk getting mugged, traped, murdered, child kidnapped - just so you can eat your dinner in peace.
Oh wait, no one can eat in peace, because you're on your cell phone. And you're DH is texting away or playing some game on his iphone.
Restaurants are not private. Its a public place. So you have to put up with other people and their annoying habits. Get over it.

As much as I am firmly against your decision about how you deal with your child at a restaurant, I think we have identified a much bigger issue here - you should either move somewhere safer or get a lot of therapy.

I agree. This is probably the same poster who refuses to return her cart at the grocery store because her child might be kidnapped.

[Anonymous]

I'm just curious - just a question, really - why is it is so disruptive for a kid to walk? Just walk, not screaming, not running, not doing anything other than walking around? How is it any different than other patrons getting up to leave, going to the restroom, etc. Screaming, running, etc. I get. Walking, I'm really not understanding how that can be so disruptive as to not allow you to eat your meal in peace.
To answer the question - we absolutely don't do this while dinner is "in session." If she's about to go crazy at the tail end of the meal, one of us will take her and either walk her around or take the long way out of the restaurant while the other one pays. It's really not a big deal in my opinion. She not running and screaming like a banshee. She's just walking. If that seriously annoys some of you, I think that maybe public dining isn't for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm just curious - just a question, really - why is it is so disruptive for a kid to walk? Just walk, not screaming, not running, not doing anything other than walking around? How is it any different than other patrons getting up to leave, going to the restroom, etc. Screaming, running, etc. I get. Walking, I'm really not understanding how that can be so disruptive as to not allow you to eat your meal in peace.
To answer the question - we absolutely don't do this while dinner is "in session." If she's about to go crazy at the tail end of the meal, one of us will take her and either walk her around or take the long way out of the restaurant while the other one pays. It's really not a big deal in my opinion. She not running and screaming like a banshee. She's just walking. If that seriously annoys some of you, I think that maybe public dining isn't for you.

If "she's about to go crazy", as you say, it's not likely that she'll be "just walking". Also, I think the OP's question was whether you let your child walk around, not whether you walk with your child holding hands.

[Anonymous]

Generally no, but I have let DS walk around an empty Qdoba/Chipotle type of restaurant.

[Anonymous]

yes. and we tip high. And I agree, walking is not a dangerous activity, I'm amazed at how scary the word "walk" is to most posters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm just curious - just a question, really - why is it is so disruptive for a kid to walk? Just walk, not screaming, not running, not doing anything other than walking around? How is it any different than other patrons getting up to leave, going to the restroom, etc. Screaming, running, etc. I get. Walking, I'm really not understanding how that can be so disruptive as to not allow you to eat your meal in peace.
To answer the question - we absolutely don't do this while dinner is "in session." If she's about to go crazy at the tail end of the meal, one of us will take her and either walk her around or take the long way out of the restaurant while the other one pays. It's really not a big deal in my opinion. She not running and screaming like a banshee. She's just walking. If that seriously annoys some of you, I think that maybe public dining isn't for you.

If "she's about to go crazy", as you say, it's not likely that she'll be "just walking". Also, I think the OP's question was whether you let your child walk around, not whether you walk with your child holding hands.

Good lord, whatever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:yes. and we tip high. And I agree, walking is not a dangerous activity, I'm amazed at how scary the word "walk" is to most posters.

One of the more selfish responses. Who cares if you tip high? Do you also tip the other diners who are distracted? Random child walking is a dangerous activity when there are servers with hot food and knives. You can't expect the staff to actively avoid your child...I guess you plan to sue if anything happens to your free range child.

[Anonymous]

No.

And I resent the entitlement of those on DCUM who berate the less-wealthy (i.e. "if you couldn't afford a babysitter, you shouldn't have had kids.") while asserting their right to inconvenience strangers by refusing to parent their children.

If you aren't going to parent, why did you choose to have a child in the first place? High-tipper or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:yes. and we tip high. And I agree, walking is not a dangerous activity, I'm amazed at how scary the word "walk" is to most posters.

. You are right - walking is not inherently dangerous. Restaurants, however, are and should be treated with respect.

[Anonymous]

Another shitty post, encouraging parents to judge and criticize each other. Enough already.