Anonymous
Post 09/11/2022 20:45     Subject: Sibling dinners
Anonymous wrote:After all our kids got all their vaccines and boosters, DH and I decided to institute sibling dinners. We have four kids and once every two weeks or so, we announce they're having a sibling dinner. We give them three options of places to go, they have to all agree, and we sent them out to dinner together. We change up which one we give the credit card to, tell them to tip 20%, and let them have a dinner out, on us, but without us. They are all in middle to elementary school.

DH and I agree its helped with their relationships and they seem closer since we instituted this. One time they tipped nearly 100% (they thought the waitress was "really good, plus we got free dessert") but it otherwise seems to go according to plan. Just wanted to throw this out there and see what other people are doing to promote sibling bonding.


They are too young. This is lazy and gross, and rude to the restaurant.
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2022 20:40     Subject: Re:Sibling dinners
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Where do you go while they are eating? That seems too young to be doing that.


Sometimes we run errands, sometimes we meet friends for drinks, sometimes we go to a different restaurant nearby, sometimes we just stay home. It's not too young at all - the oldest is 12. They're polite, don't make a mess and tip well - it's fine. They'd be too young if they needed an adult to help in some way - to calculate tip, to read the menu, to cut food, to take them to the bathroom, etc.


You cannot be serious. That's extremely inappropriate and a restaurant is not your babysitter. You need to supervise your kids.


Restaurant owner here. This is not appropriate, and I would not seat your children. Cue the I won't go to your restaurant! I hope you go out of business! comments


I'd much prefer a restaurant owner like you with common sense. If anything happened to those kids, the parents would come after you.


What does this have to do with you? Don’t send your kids to a restaurant if you don’t want, but it’s really not your place to insert yourself and your preferences into this scenario. What a busybody.


I would hate to be a guest at a restaurant that had unattended children dining. In pretty sure it would affect the ambiance, the service and my enjoyment of my meal.


Agreed.
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2022 18:34     Subject: Re:Sibling dinners
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Where do you go while they are eating? That seems too young to be doing that.


Sometimes we run errands, sometimes we meet friends for drinks, sometimes we go to a different restaurant nearby, sometimes we just stay home. It's not too young at all - the oldest is 12. They're polite, don't make a mess and tip well - it's fine. They'd be too young if they needed an adult to help in some way - to calculate tip, to read the menu, to cut food, to take them to the bathroom, etc.


You cannot be serious. That's extremely inappropriate and a restaurant is not your babysitter. You need to supervise your kids.


Restaurant owner here. This is not appropriate, and I would not seat your children. Cue the I won't go to your restaurant! I hope you go out of business! comments


I'd much prefer a restaurant owner like you with common sense. If anything happened to those kids, the parents would come after you.


What does this have to do with you? Don’t send your kids to a restaurant if you don’t want, but it’s really not your place to insert yourself and your preferences into this scenario. What a busybody.


I would hate to be a guest at a restaurant that had unattended children dining. In pretty sure it would affect the ambiance, the service and my enjoyment of my meal.


Only if the children were misbehaving. Frankly a table of drunk adults is far worse than a table of children.
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2022 18:33     Subject: Sibling dinners
It depends on the restaurant. Order at the counter for tacos, chicken or burgers, ok. Full sit down restaurant where you pay at the end, I don’t think it’s appropriate.
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2022 18:24     Subject: Re:Sibling dinners
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Where do you go while they are eating? That seems too young to be doing that.


Sometimes we run errands, sometimes we meet friends for drinks, sometimes we go to a different restaurant nearby, sometimes we just stay home. It's not too young at all - the oldest is 12. They're polite, don't make a mess and tip well - it's fine. They'd be too young if they needed an adult to help in some way - to calculate tip, to read the menu, to cut food, to take them to the bathroom, etc.


You cannot be serious. That's extremely inappropriate and a restaurant is not your babysitter. You need to supervise your kids.


Restaurant owner here. This is not appropriate, and I would not seat your children. Cue the I won't go to your restaurant! I hope you go out of business! comments


I'd much prefer a restaurant owner like you with common sense. If anything happened to those kids, the parents would come after you.


What does this have to do with you? Don’t send your kids to a restaurant if you don’t want, but it’s really not your place to insert yourself and your preferences into this scenario. What a busybody.


I would hate to be a guest at a restaurant that had unattended children dining. In pretty sure it would affect the ambiance, the service and my enjoyment of my meal.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2022 08:53     Subject: Re:Sibling dinners
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Where do you go while they are eating? That seems too young to be doing that.


Sometimes we run errands, sometimes we meet friends for drinks, sometimes we go to a different restaurant nearby, sometimes we just stay home. It's not too young at all - the oldest is 12. They're polite, don't make a mess and tip well - it's fine. They'd be too young if they needed an adult to help in some way - to calculate tip, to read the menu, to cut food, to take them to the bathroom, etc.


You cannot be serious. That's extremely inappropriate and a restaurant is not your babysitter. You need to supervise your kids.


So OP, the 7 yo goes to the restroom by themselves and takes forever. Then what? The 12 yo goes to help leaving the 9 year olds? While you’re at home?


OP here. Kids use the bathroom before they leave the house, but if they have to use it in public, two go together.


And there’s never a bathroom emergency. AMAZING. OP, name the restaurants, but most likely this is fake.


If your kids 7+ are having bathroom emergencies, you should take them to a doctor. Wtf.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2022 08:52     Subject: Re:Sibling dinners
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Where do you go while they are eating? That seems too young to be doing that.


Sometimes we run errands, sometimes we meet friends for drinks, sometimes we go to a different restaurant nearby, sometimes we just stay home. It's not too young at all - the oldest is 12. They're polite, don't make a mess and tip well - it's fine. They'd be too young if they needed an adult to help in some way - to calculate tip, to read the menu, to cut food, to take them to the bathroom, etc.


You cannot be serious. That's extremely inappropriate and a restaurant is not your babysitter. You need to supervise your kids.


Restaurant owner here. This is not appropriate, and I would not seat your children. Cue the I won't go to your restaurant! I hope you go out of business! comments


I'd much prefer a restaurant owner like you with common sense. If anything happened to those kids, the parents would come after you.


What does this have to do with you? Don’t send your kids to a restaurant if you don’t want, but it’s really not your place to insert yourself and your preferences into this scenario. What a busybody.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2022 08:36     Subject: Sibling dinners
I doubt this is real. But if it is, admit that it’s just having your 12 yo babysit your other kids in a public setting.
You want sibling bonding? Have the kids plan & cook a meal for the family at home while you & DH make yourselves scarce during the prep/cooking.

I think leaving a gaggle of 12 yo kids unattended in a restaurant is also a dumb idea. Why not just stick around & supervise?
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2022 08:05     Subject: Sibling dinners
It's not that farfetched.

My oldest (12 yrs old) had her bday party at Maggianos with 8 of her closest friends. I left her my cc, explained the billing procedure (gratuity verse tip), and met up with her and her friends 2 hrs later.

She also order pizza (over the phone too so actually had to use speaking skills) while at the pool several times this summer for hers and her younger siblings, they've walked up to the nearby Safeway for XYZ groceries, 7-11 for slurpees, etc.

Unlike Op however, we can't afford a restaurant every other week, but I agree wuth her that its fun, offers fantastic opportunities for autonomy,
and it's not that big of a deal as others seem to make it out to be.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2022 07:56     Subject: Re:Sibling dinners
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Where do you go while they are eating? That seems too young to be doing that.


Sometimes we run errands, sometimes we meet friends for drinks, sometimes we go to a different restaurant nearby, sometimes we just stay home. It's not too young at all - the oldest is 12. They're polite, don't make a mess and tip well - it's fine. They'd be too young if they needed an adult to help in some way - to calculate tip, to read the menu, to cut food, to take them to the bathroom, etc.


You cannot be serious. That's extremely inappropriate and a restaurant is not your babysitter. You need to supervise your kids.


Restaurant owner here. This is not appropriate, and I would not seat your children. Cue the I won't go to your restaurant! I hope you go out of business! comments


There would probably be a variety of opinions on this among different owners/managers. Cactus Cantina- sure. Chez Billy Sud, mais non! mon dieu.

Anonymous
Post 09/10/2022 07:49     Subject: Sibling dinners
I think this is a cute idea.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2022 07:20     Subject: Sibling dinners
I don’t think the restaurants appreciate this as much as you think they do.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2022 05:19     Subject: Sibling dinners
I thought this was going to be about having siblings taking turns making their own meals.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2022 04:47     Subject: Sibling dinners
I don’t think it’s appropriate to send a group of 4 kids 12 and under into a restaurant unsupervised. You’re putting a lot responsibility on your 12 year old, and if she/he can’t handle it, then on the server and the other guests and the restaurant manager. You clearly think this is super cute because you posted here so that we can tell you how cute it is, but I don’t agree. If want them to bond over dinner without you, set up dinner at home and leave the room. That way other families and adults without kids who are paying for a meal at a restaurant aren’t sitting next to your four unsupervised kids.
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2022 22:52     Subject: Re:Sibling dinners
Anonymous wrote:There was a Cup of Jo post on Instagram with this exact idea today, so that seems suspicious.


+1. Troll alert