(no subject)

[faithellen]

Manners? Whoulda thunk it?

I admire this guy, and not because I'm anti-child -- *everyone* should behave themselves in public, and we learn it as children. There are places we can be loud and boisterous, and places where we speak in more moderate tones and sit calmly. Children have to learn that, and parents have to teach it. This guy is just promoting that process.

::waiting for the onslaught::

Comments

[pyratelady.livejournal.com]

:: wild applause ::

He should open a place around here. The sense of entitlement in this town is UNREAL.

And the thing is, you can't make everyone happy, but you can make some people happy. I avoid "family" restaurants, but I would gladly and regularly patronize this guy's place.

[sunnidae]

And that's the other thing -- like the woman toward the bottom of the article who uses how many high-chairs the place has as a litmus? Geoff and I have been lucky all-round with Jacqui, because she DOES behave well in public. (I like to think it's because we've been taking her to restaurants since she was 3 days old, but really I know it's because we're lucky.) But we mostly only take her to restaurants that cater to families, and for the most part people react as I'd expect them to: they ignore her, because there's nothing for them to really react to. But in a couple of instances -- at FAMILY RESTAURANTS -- there've been people who throw attitude toward our table because she's TALKING. (Not in English, don't get excited. Babbling, in a conversational tone.) And THOSE are the people I'd like to throw rocks at.

I understand what this man is going for -- from the sounds of it, some parents weren't parenting at all. And if you're without kids, it's hard to separate the good parents of kids who are having-a-moment from the bad parents of kids-who-wreck-the-place -- I say this from the perspective of the kids' dept. at b&n. While I was there, we weren't allowed to say anything to the oblivious ones ... now there's a sign telling parents to keep their children in sight. Because some people seem to NEED that reminder that the establishment they're in is not a daycare.

I'd eat at his restaurant, and I'd bring Jacqui. I know how she behaves in public, and I know that sign doesn't apply to me -- just like the "keep an eye on your kids" sign at b&n would never apply to me, because I already do.