KD in CA Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 As the parent of a toddler, I have been in some rough spots with my daughter at restaurants. But I also pick my restaurants in light of the risks that come with taking a 17-month old kid out to eat. Yes, having kids certainly makes you more patient when you see one melting down in the supermarket or train or whatever. Simply not taking them to those places isn't a realistic option in many instances. As for restaurants, we too take our 3 toddlers out a fair amount but we don't go to fancy restaurants and we go at 5:30 (which is dinner time for the kids anyway). And we plan to be in an out in less than an hour as we know how long the kids will generally last before they start getting restless. Of course there is a certain age at which kids should be able to behave themselves, and if they aren't, that's just plain old incompetent parenting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 Yes, having kids certainly makes you more patient when you see one melting down in the supermarket or train or whatever. Simply not taking them to those places isn't a realistic option in many instances. As for restaurants, we too take our 3 toddlers out a fair amount but we don't go to fancy restaurants and we go at 5:30 (which is dinner time for the kids anyway). And we plan to be in an out in less than an hour as we know how long the kids will generally last before they start getting restless. Of course there is a certain age at which kids should be able to behave themselves, and if they aren't, that's just plain old incompetent parenting. The mere thought reminds me how easy I have it. I get to leave mine in their crates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDH Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 Yeah, I was just at a concert performance last night that my older kid was in. It was a big honor for him and his school to be represented there, but sure enough a lady sits right behind me, my wife, and the inlaws and her kid about 4-5 yrs old starts acting up. I had my 3 yr old with me so I know the drill and if my daughter started melting down I take the bullet for the family and remove her so others can enjoy the concert. If I were a single parent, I would do the same thing. The thought of keeping her there and making everyone else miserable would not even cross my mind. At first this lady just asks her child to be reasonable and stop making obnoxious noises, and when a child fails to see reason and understand the intricacies of courtesy she just ignores him and starts playing on her phone. I finally had enough and just turned around and said, "I came here with my family to hear my kid perform up there, not hear your kid. Is it too much to ask - really?" You would have thought I farted in church the way she looked at me, but seriously. I think there is a generation of parents that think it is wrong to teach and enforce manners and respectful behavior in children, either that or they are just too damn lazy to intervene when they should. It takes a heck of a lot more effort to intervene and correct bad behavior. And trying to reason with a child when they have not developed the full capacity for reason or empathy is just dumb. Now I am not talking beating the heck out of your child, but more than once I gave my kids the "strike 1, that's 2, all right we are out of here" and carried a screaming protesting child out of theatre, park, or where ever. They eventually learned the drill and the business stopped as soon as I started the strike count. My other theory is perhaps manners, courtesy, and respect for others has simply been outpaced by selfishness and entitlement. It's funny that you speak of rudeness and respect for others but what you said to the woman was pretty rude and uncalled for unless you had made a request before and she ignored it. I don't have an issue with you saying something to her but something like, "excuse me, would it be possible to quite your child, my kid's up there and I'm having trouble hearing" would have been in line with the manners, respect and politeness you believe is missing from society. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
\GoBillsInDallas/ Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 I'd be writing a letter to the owner of Tempo, for sure. What's a letter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFanM.D. Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Yes, having kids certainly makes you more patient when you see one melting down in the supermarket or train or whatever. Simply not taking them to those places isn't a realistic option in many instances. As for restaurants, we too take our 3 toddlers out a fair amount but we don't go to fancy restaurants and we go at 5:30 (which is dinner time for the kids anyway). And we plan to be in an out in less than an hour as we know how long the kids will generally last before they start getting restless. Of course there is a certain age at which kids should be able to behave themselves, and if they aren't, that's just plain old incompetent parenting. I agree with most of what you posted here. My wife and I have four....and our 3rd suffered a significant brain injury during cardiac surgery. As a result, she can be quite a bit to handle. I've had many situations where I got 'the stare' from folks in public. I do my best to get out of the situation (chaos) as quickly as possible and would certainly never linger in a restaurant in that type of behavior pattern. I would 'take the bullet' as another poster said. However, I think/hope I'm a fairly good parent who happens to have a 'sick' kid......who 'looks' healthy. My point is....sometimes it's not that cut and dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 (edited) If I was, well, more in the mood, I would call Tempo, and give the line... "Hey, I was in thee XYZ day, who was that NFL player there, it was amazing... omg do many Bills go there? I would like to come back, is there a time to see them..." I am extremely good at conning people like this, aka trolling and digging... I would find a way to write the player a letter, a sincere letter to say "you're a douche." Not only that, I would inform the Bills that as a resident of the area first and foremost, that kind of thing is bad for them. When you make a billion fo fillion it might be worthwhile. Edited November 19, 2012 by jboyst62 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truth on hold Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 (edited) I wouldnt care, just think it would be cool to be next to a Bills player. And given the disturbance I would have had no problem asking for an autograph addressed to a kid as consolation! Edited November 19, 2012 by Joe_the_6_pack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 It's funny that you speak of rudeness and respect for others but what you said to the woman was pretty rude and uncalled for unless you had made a request before and she ignored it. I don't have an issue with you saying something to her but something like, "excuse me, would it be possible to quite your child, my kid's up there and I'm having trouble hearing" would have been in line with the manners, respect and politeness you believe is missing from society. Bingo... Nicely worded. Reading their post also bugged me. Here they are preaching and then making the same mistake with rudeness... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 I wouldnt care, just think it would be cool to be next to a Bills player. And given the disturbance I would have had no problem asking for an autograph addressed to a kid as consolation! You wouldn't care that an expensive special occasion birthday dinner for your wife was played out in the context of a loud, rude, low-class family at an adjacent table? Or were you being sarcastic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 I agree with most of what you posted here. My wife and I have four....and our 3rd suffered a significant brain injury during cardiac surgery. As a result, she can be quite a bit to handle. I've had many situations where I got 'the stare' from folks in public. I do my best to get out of the situation (chaos) as quickly as possible and would certainly never linger in a restaurant in that type of behavior pattern. I would 'take the bullet' as another poster said. However, I think/hope I'm a fairly good parent who happens to have a 'sick' kid......who 'looks' healthy. My point is....sometimes it's not that cut and dry. Reminds me of a true story I read about in a book. Guy was on a train from DC to NY, and these little kids were running in the aisle, making a big ruckus. The guy was getting ticked off, and kept looking at the dad, thinking, "come on, man--control your kids" and the father was doing nothing. The guy then finally said something to the father, and the father immediately apologized and said something along the lines of, "I'm so sorry. We are on our way back from my wife's funeral. And the kids have been taking it pretty badly and acting out." The moral of the story--which I understood to be true-- is, of course, be careful when you judge-- sometimes you don't know the whole story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truth on hold Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 You wouldn't care that an expensive special occasion birthday dinner for your wife was played out in the context of a loud, rude, low-class family at an adjacent table? Or were you being sarcastic? No I'd go with the flow, have fun with it. Would only ruin things if you let it. Bills are about the closest thing to real celebrity buffalo has. I don't think he did anything wrong, I cut celebrities and people with kids slack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 (edited) You wouldn't care that an expensive special occasion birthday dinner for your wife was played out in the context of a loud, rude, low-class family at an adjacent table? Or were you being sarcastic? It was NOT expensive for the Buffalo Bills player and his family. :nana: It was like eating at McDonald's for them... Who's side is Tempo gonna take/tolerate?... The people that can barely afford it and might never be back anyway OR the regular customer who will come back all the time... Who knows... Maybe he tipped them huge to deal w/their brat? Just busting on you and playing devil's advocate... It is a tough call. Ah... The power of money! No I'd go with the flow, have fun with it. Would only ruin things if you let it. Bills are about the closest thing to real celebrity buffalo has. I don't think he did anything wrong, I cut celebrities and people with kids slack. Same here. You can't control the outside world. Yeah, bad situation but enlightenment is non-attachment. Edited November 20, 2012 by ExiledInIllinois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Best Player Available Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 No I'd go with the flow, have fun with it. Would only ruin things if you let it. Bills are about the closest thing to real celebrity buffalo has. I don't think he did anything wrong, I cut celebrities and people with kids slack. What don't the Goo Goo dolls make it as celebrities anymore? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poojer Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Anymore???? What don't the Goo Goo dolls make it as celebrities anymore? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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