Film at 11: No Velociraptors

[athelind]

Restaurant Says "NO" to Screaming Children

Excerpt the First:

A restaurant in Carolina Beach is stirring up controversy over a couple of signs reading, "Screaming children will not be tolerated."

Excerpt the Second:

"I've never seen a restaurant say, don't bring your screaming kids in here," said Ashley Heflin, who is a mom of two. "You can't help it if your kids scream."

YES. YES, YOU CAN.

You can either pay attention to them -- and that includes "discipline", if need be -- or you can stay the BLEEP home and take care of them.

You can even find a baby sitter, if you just need some out-of-the-house time and a break from parenting.

When I first reacted to this story, hoodahdc said, "Athe is angry about babies."

No, Athe is angry about parents.

Nine times out of ten, when I see some kid screaming its head off in a restaurant or a mall or in my BLEEPing store, the parents are blithely ignoring it and doing their damnedest to hold a conversation over their progeny's howls.

I would, for the record, consider the stereotypical parental brush-off of "not now, dear, Mommy's talking" that is media shorthand for "parental neglect" vastly superior to the parents I see who flat-out ignore their offspring.

So yes. YES. Hooray for Brenda Armes, and I hope beyond hope that she's the harbinger of a trend.

Comments

[araquan.livejournal.com]

This. Yes, this.

[reveille-d.livejournal.com]

I'm not a parent of human children, so I don't know, but doesn't giving them the attention they're screaming for encourage them to scream anytime they want attention? Or are you saying that if they paid attention in the first place, they wouldn't scream?

[eclipsegryph.livejournal.com]

Now they just need to add this to airlines. :p

[svashtar.livejournal.com]

When I acted up in public, my parents would drag me outside, sit me on the cement, and tell me, "When you can behave, we'll go back inside."

Abuse? Hardly. I'm stubborn. Always have been. My parents missed a few meals because I'd sit on the ground and sulk. But the point is, they would *do* something about my behavior, rather than allow me to scream in a restaurant or movie theater.

When you sulk long enough, you get bored.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Reminds me of the coffee shop that posted a sign, "Unattended children will be given free coffee and a puppy."

-The Gneech

[kymri.livejournal.com]

Bad parenting is rampant and it's most visible sign (right now) is this sort of behavior. Other visible signs will be observable as these kids grow up. Some of it is already observable in the parents who are letting their kids run rampant. Two generations of 'benign' neglect as parenting style.

[toob.livejournal.com]

People without kids are always such experts in how they ought to be raised.

[tombfyre.livejournal.com]

I've started to see some eating establishments banning children entirely, seeing as parents can't be bothered to raise the things properly. ^^() Kudos to them, for taking a stand and not just putting up with the noise anymore.

[moonfires.livejournal.com]

I've checked with the parental units on this, and gotten two pieces of information. First, there is such a thing as too young to be taken to a place of public accommodation, and both me and my brother were never taken "out" until we were old enough to behave. Second, we were taught there is a way to behave in public, and if you can't, you won't be in public. Parents don't even handle the "too young" right anymore. I see them feeding them at the table in the restaurants or not at all. According to my mother, the trick was to feed the baby before even leaving so if you had to bring them, they'd be out cold in food coma :D and have a bagel to shove into their mouth if they're teething.

[yourbob.livejournal.com]

You don't have children, do you? Ever babysat? Ever, yourself, had a temper tantrum and become unreasonable?

I've seen far more irate and unreasonable or just loud and obnoxious adults than I have seen screaming children.

[kinkyturtle.livejournal.com]

You dare to impugn the Holy Screaming of our All-Important Lord and Master, the Small Child?! Blasphemer!

(Seriously, what is with the snarky and critical comments you're getting? I agree with you that a restaurant untainted by the screams of small children is both possible and desirable.)