Please Get a Babysitter!!! (games, son, mom, sleep)

[Kibbiekat]

Originally Posted by mimimomx3

My kids were in bed at 7.30 when they were babies.

It is a very nice restaurant, kind of "hip" with quiet music and lowlighting. Definitely NOT Chuckee Cheese.

I guess I'm just weird that I like to have peace and quiet when I drop $200 on dinner with my husband....

from your description it does sound like an odd place for a group of moms and kids to be, but you didn't even start the thread to complain about their behavior. You only complained that they were there. That's my issue. Plus the fact that this is the 3rd thread on this in the last week or so.

[Crazymomof3]

Give me kids and moms over a loud cell phone talker any day!

7:30 isn't late....seeing kids out eating with parents at like 10pm...now that's late, but it's also summer and schedules kinda fly out the window.

Moms and kids gotta eat too! It's crazy, I know, but we have to feed our young 'uns.

[carolinacool]

Originally Posted by nana053

Nice article, but it doesn't change the fact that sometimes people have different schedules. If you work second or third shift, the whole family may switch their schedule to accommodate that.

And I work a normal shift, and don't leave work until 5 at the earliest. By the time I pick DS up from day care and get home, it's 5:30ish. DH doesn't get home until 6:30ish. So we eat at 7 most days, not that far from 7:30.

[Kibbiekat]

Originally Posted by beachmel

For anyone remotely interested in the importance of an early mealtime, here's a link, so that you understand that it isn't simply someone's "opinion" on the matter. It's a matter of science, again, NOT just someone's "opinion" of a proper meal time. This is just one of MANY articles which can be perused on the Internet, if you're more interested in doing what's healthy for your children, rather than winning an argument. Sorry if I sound snippy about it......it's just really frustrating when I see people biting someone's head off about something, especially when that person is right!

Does It Matter How Late We Eat? | Natural Health & Organic Living Blog

I do personally agree that 7:30 is a tad on the late side, and most of the time my kids are on their way to bed at 8:00. BUT, we don't know all the circumstances. That's what I hate about these threads. People act like it is so black and white, like there can never ever be an exception. There are lots of different things that could play into kids being in a restaurant at 7:30.

99% of the time my kids have eaten by 6:30 and are heading to bed by 8:15, but I can promise you there have been a handful of times that they were with us, eating in a restaurant at 7:30. please don't judge my parenting on those few times alone.

[Zimbochick]

I also wanted to add that around here various restaurants sponsor kids sports teams and clubs. The understanding is that the teams and clubs patronise these establishments to generate income after events. Our kids swim team all go to the sponsoring restaurant after a swim meet, and it's anywhere from 10 to 11.30pm.

[Kibbiekat]

I was at a bar and grill type place with my husband, no kids, having a drink and listening to live music last week. There was a family with an elem age kid and a baby eating dinner around or after 8pm. I thought "a little odd" then I went back to my beer. I didn't come start a thread about the nerve of those people.

[suzy_q2010]

In this and other threads with the same theme I do not remember anyone mentioning the restaurant manager.

At what point should the manager talk with the parents of disruptive children and perhaps offer to bring the take out containers?

The dirty looks from other diners do not get the job done.

[Mightyqueen801]

In the grand scheme of things, just how important is this?

Somebody with kids went out to dinner at the same place and on same night you got to go out without your kids. Unbearably tragic.

[Zimbochick]

Originally Posted by suzy_q2010

In this and other threads with the same theme I do not remember anyone mentioning the restaurant manager.

At what point should the manager talk with the parents of disruptive children and perhaps offer to bring the take out containers?

The dirty looks from other diners do not get the job done.

The common element in these threads is that people admit to getting huffy and passive-aggressive, but don't actually speak to either the parents, or the restaurant manager. Surprisingly eye-rolling and tutting seem to accomplish very little.

[Crazymomof3]

I had a "date night" with my husband just this past Saturday. We went to a casual restaurant in Galveston. Our 4 children were with their grandparents. We sat, talked, enjoyed our dinner...all the while we were sitting by children on a deck. The kids were feeding the fish, talking with their parents, having fun. I didn't think for ONE SECOND that they didn't belong there. I thought it was nice. Everyone had a good time. I didn't think children being seated near me was an intrusion; my husband and I enjoyed watching the families. More importantly, I didn't give a flying fig what anyone else was doing because I WAS ON A DATE WITHOUT MY KIDS!

If you can't enjoy yourself and ignore the other families (I can tune that crap out real quick, especially when they're not mine), then....well, I don't know.

Relax. You might be out with your kids one night when someone is having their "date night" at Chili's or whatever because they can't afford to drop $200 on dinner. Hell, that's my light bill.