Some restaurants ban people using cell phones during dinners to be able to not disturb other customers, but the owner of a restaurant in a Pittsburgh, Pa., suburb has banished something else that many people discover annoying in that he will no longer permit any kids under 6 years old in his establishment. Staff and patrons alike cannot get parents of children having a fit to get their children in line, and so his hand has been forced in prohibiting children from his business. Resource for this article - Kids banned from restaurant as businesses banish bothersome tots by Newsytype.com.
**Kids should not scream**
Children have been banished from an establishment in Monroeville, Pa. This is a suburb of Pittsburg, MSNBC states. The establishment McDain's won't have any kids younger than 6. The problem isn't really the kids. It's the parents of the children. Mike Vuick is the manager. He claims the infants are expected to cry, but mothers and fathers refuse to get their tots under control. He said that parents "act like we're the ones being offensive" when they are asked to get their tots under control. It takes place far too often. A children's menu isn't even accessible at the establishment.
**A spot for adults only**
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette explains that Vuick believes his establishment is not a "kid-oriented place" and also believes that "there are several child-oriented places that are a lot cheaper to go to." He spoke about uncooperative parents. He said that "their child, maybe as it should be, is the center of their universe … not the center of the universe." The establishment is considered "up-scale casual." It isn't advertised as family friendly and is on a golf course.
A child ban, implicit or explicit, is not new in restaurants. There are lots of fine dining restaurants that advertise mostly for adults and don't have a child's menu. Even Disney cruise ships have adults-only dining places, as one blogger pointed out via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
**Not permitting kids in first class**
A lot of tension erupted over a decision made with Malaysia Airlines, according to CNN. The airline decided that children would be banned from first class. The passengers in first class pay a lot to be uninterrupted while traveling. A lot of people took it seriously when RyanAir started an April fool's joke saying it would start "child-free flights," as reported by the Irish Independent. To be able to permit adults to relax, a lot of people think children shouldn't be around. For a long time, "child-free" getaways have been important. The travel industry works around them.
**Articles cited**
MSNBC
a few years ago this was a big issue in toronto too- http://www.torontolife.com/features/baby-wars/ Hipster parents are clogging cafés with king-size strollers and inflicting their unruly toddlers on the childless masses. Is grown-up space a thing of the past? A not entirely impartial report on the battle for downtown.
on the one hand, i know if baby fussed/cried nonstop, i would probably prefer to head outside until they calmed down. this would apply to functions like weddings and parties too, not just restaurants.
on the other hand, don’t i have a right to go out and enjoy a meal? just because i’m a parent and just because my baby is having an off day, or because i’m out for a walk and need my stroller, does that mean you can discriminate against the two of us?
It can be disturbing. But with babies, I don't think that can always be helped. With older kids, a parent can try to manage/control things a bit better.....however young kids have a very short attention span that can be problematic for others. I think that parents need to talk to their children about rules/expectations/consequences BEFORE going to a place (be it someone's house, or a public place, etc). I get the feeling that some parents don't do that at all....they might just say "Don't forget to say the salam, please, and thank you"....but skip over things like such as inside voices, touching things without permission, not running through someone's house, etc. And worse are the kind of parents that are so oblivious to hints that they laugh it off in a manner suggesting that they find their child's antics to be "endearing." If you're going to be in a place for a long time....let's say a travel....it can help to pack a variety of activities to keep the kids busy. If you compliment kids for their good behavior and manners.....it motivates them to repeat the positive behavior in the future.
It's annoying, sure. But it's their right. Find somewhere else to go.
Exactly , for one restaurant which does not allow kids there are hundreds which will be happy to serve your kids and they are one notch above in the food they serve and the decor they offer.
its different with babies, its the toddlers that aren’t controlled that people are angry and annoyed at …and rightfully so. Don’t we always complain about parents who let their kids run wild at davats…so why is a restaurant any different?
Like Mirch said…t.here are lots of family friendly restaurants/food places that do offer good food.
Good for them, I was actually thinking of something like this the other day!
but then again toddler with a ringworm rash won't ever be controlled by any parent, there is going to be a fit no matter what, even if you are at disneyland and took 'it' outside, it won't calm down :(
