Im changing and I can feel it....
By ruby222
@ruby222 (4847)
August 17, 2008 7:51am CST
Last night,well early evening Mr Ruby and I went out for supper,we tend to use the samp place mainly because it can be walked to from our house,so it means that we can have a drink ,medicinal you understand.Well its rather a nice place ,just been refurbished,and it is happy to accept that families dine there.We took a seat and started to enjoy catching up on the days chatter,and there was a family to the right of us ,six of them ,all enjoying their meal,the children(4)were all behaving and we were admiring the curly locks of the little one in the high chair..then..the mood changed..the peas started to fly about,the shrieking started..Behave ..said Mum..a drink got knocked over...and I was feeling uncharitable by then..I was thinking Isnt it about time that you took those children home??!!!!..and I felt quite guilty for having those feelings...you?
1 person likes this
8 responses
@Sophia2007 (40)
• United States
18 Aug 08
You should not feel guilty for being upset at misbehaving children. They should have been promptly removed from the room and punished appropriately.
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@APE131313 (11)
• United States
17 Aug 08
Having been a server for almost 40 years I can relate to your mixed emotions.
At times it was a toss up as to just who deserved the reprimand......the parents OR the rowdy kids.
I always tried to diffuse a mounting problem by engaging the children in conversation, making a joke or doing something silly to grab their attention away from each other. Every case is different. Sometimes kids are just tired or cranky...............those times they probably should be left at home. Vacationers are difficult, unfamiliar places can be very upsetting to younger kids but they DO have to be fed so I always cut them some extra slack.
Maybe you could schedule your own meal a bit later in the evening to avoid these encounters.
We were all kids and those that have poor manners now are in for plenty of grief later in life. Your revenge? And MINE?
1 person likes this
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
17 Aug 08
Hi ruby,
I have no kids but when I will encounter a situation like this, I can't control myself to judge the parents, I have a friend who can't really control her daughter and I hate it, like when they visit me, I have to be vigilant about the kids since she will be roaming around the place and touch anything and press anything and my friend will just watch and allow her kid!
1 person likes this
@littleowl (7157)
•
17 Aug 08
If I was in that position as a mum I would warn my children if they didn't start behaving then we would go home if they kept being defiant then yes I would take them home whats the use of continuing to ruin your meal out and probably making others uncomfortable about the situation
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
17 Aug 08
I understand what you mean, I have children but even I witness these feelings if I am out without them and there are other children present. Although I do have to say that other peoples children always seem to be running wild and the parents just sit there and well, laugh at them.
If we are out with ours we go as early as possible so that we know they are going to behave, if we are out too late with them they get tired, they get bored and they misbehave so we do not stay out too long. In, eat, and out again.
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@creative_genius (992)
•
17 Aug 08
Thee is nothing wrong with feeling frustrated when your evening is ruined by grouchy children. I don't understand why parents don't take their children home when they get irritable. It is normal to feel fed up when this type of thing happend, you have nothing to feel guilty about!
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
18 Aug 08
I think that it is a good thing that children are taken out Ruby. But there has to be discipline. One of the reasons for taking them out has to be to teach them how to behave in public. Parents should make their children aware of the need for good behaviour. If they don't act properly. Then they should leave and not ruin other people's meals. problem is that folk only think of themselves these days. "I'm having a good time so everyone else can go hang"!
