IF THEY CAN’T BEHAVE LEAVE THEM AT HOME OR HOW TO RUIN MY BIRTHDAY DINNER

It was my birthday yesterday. Thank you to all of you who wished me well via Facebook. It may seem impersonal but you know what…it really is nice to have so many people wish you well from afar.

I have a couple of Facebook pages and my heart swelled with all the well wishers. Some I know in person. Some I haven’t seen in many years. Some I only know through my blog or other social media connections. Every one of your greetings means something. Thank you.

My BB Guy and I went out for dinner tonight for my birthday dinner to our favourite Italian restaurant. We were lucky to get there when we did because within 5 minutes of our arrival they had people lined up waiting for tables. It is a very small place.

The food was delicious. Mussels appie for my BB Guy. (that is my Big Burly Guy for those who are new to my blog) I ordered Chicken Picata with vegetables and his main course was Spaghetti with Meatballs and sausage. No complaints. A lovely Italian vino to toast with and sip on. So nice. A fairly loud environment due to the small space filled with tables but that is all good. We like it.

Then there is the table next to us. A group of women with 2 children aged about 4 and 5.

I swear that if our children ever, EVER, behaved like they did in a restaurant we would have paid our bill and left. It would have been very clear to our children why we left and why they could not come with us the next time. Not ever have we even come close to having to do so.

The 5 year old boy was less of a problem. Mainly he was making demands and ended up under the table. The 4 year old girl on the other hand screamed non stop about everything. She didn’t want to colour. She did want to colour. She didn’t want her food. She did want her food. Of course it was only a matter of time before all the waters on the table were dumped over.

There was nothing to warrant this behaviour. It wasn’t late. There was food on the table so she wasn’t hungry. She was just behaving miserably and ergo the rest of the restaurant of about 45 people were subjected to her bratty behaviour.

A couple that came in later with their daughter who was about 6 years old were seated close by. The little girl asked her mom why this child was crying. Mom said she just doesn’t have good manners and stroked her daughter’s head softly. Their little girl cuddled up to her mom and watched with puzzled eyes what was going on at the next table.

I think it is the adults who have terrible manners and I am disgusted that they allowed this to go on. Yes there are times that our children will not be behaving their best but you are the adult. Either make it clear that this will not be tolerated or remove the screaming child from the room.

How dare you subject the other patrons to your spoilt child. If you choose not to discipline your children then keep them at home for dinner.

Our delicious meal in a great restaurant was ruined by your obnoxious, poorly behaved children. You may be used to this sort of behaviour but we are not, nor should we be.

Don’t get me wrong I know that toddlers have a mind of their own. If that is the case you remove them from the room. You take them to the bathroom. You take them to the car. You take them anywhere else than where the action is so they see their behaviour is not welcome. How else do they learn that this kind of behaviour is not acceptable. This girl was not a toddler and this was adult laziness. Adults who spend more time emailing photos of their dinners to someone than dealing with their child. Adults who chatter amongst themselves rather than set the rules and follow up on them.

Well I feel better getting that off my chest. Did I mention how good the food was? I will have half my dinner for lunch at work tomorrow.