There's a place for everything. Alinea is not the place for an 8-month old. (restaurant, price)

[coldwine]

With regards to restaurants: No. Just no. Most places refuse to seat, accommodate, or otherwise deal with infants.

Re: children, God help you should you try to raise children today. One of my neighbors was visited by Child Protective Services a few weeks ago. She had smacked her son in public. It stopped the tantrum he was throwing, but I guess you aren't allowed to do that anymore. Not without being reported?

I don't know, it's all very confusing. Thank god I have no children.

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by Atlanta_BD

I do. And I also knew not to take her certain places when she was small. And I understand that even more now than I did then.

And you would then surely understand that:

1) nights out can be precious

2) leaving your kids with a stranger from a "reputable" website is not something every parent is comfortable with

3) as a parent, its not as though you enjoy the screams of an angry 8 month old


I am not defending the parents in this case, but i do find the rush to judge by people who may or may not even understand the plight of a parent. I have taken my child to many restaurants and coffee shops and other places. Sometimes it works out, sometimes we deal with an angry child. Would i take her to a place like Alinea? Probably not. But, my life doesn't end when I become a parent. I sure as hell wont stop going places with my family so others are not exposed to a baby that may get agitated at some point. If other humans are so infuriating to you, just lock yourself in your house and be a hermit.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Toxic Toast

And you would then surely understand that:

1) nights out can be precious

2) leaving your kids with a stranger from a "reputable" website is not something every parent is comfortable with

3) as a parent, its not as though you enjoy the screams of an angry 8 month old


I am not defending the parents in this case, but i do find the rush to judge by people who may or may not even understand the plight of a parent. I have taken my child to many restaurants and coffee shops and other places. Sometimes it works out, sometimes we deal with an angry child. Would i take her to a place like Alinea? Probably not. But, my life doesn't end when I become a parent. I sure as hell wont stop going places with my family so others are not exposed to a baby that may get agitated at some point. If other humans are so infuriating to you, just lock yourself in your house and be a hermit.

You asked if people here were parents and many of us replied yes. So your incomplete sentence of "I do find the rush to judge by people who may or may not even understand the plight of a parent" signals you aren't paying attention and are just being defensive.

The issue here is what it means to "deal with" an angry child. I can tell you from first-hand (ahem) experience that what most people rightfully expect is just to see a parent taking their duties seriously. And yes, that includes taking an uncontrollable baby somewhere quiet and away from a crowd until the kid can chill out.

You are hardly the first person to have raised a child in Chicago, we are all exposed to babies all the time. But this really has nothing to do with the city or with the age of the child but rather has everything to do with basic human decency in terms of being a responsible parent. Someone's little monster is throwing food in my direction, pulling a sibling's hair while I'm trying to enjoy a meal with my family and the parent does nothing, well, said parent can damn well be sure they're getting an earful from me.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

Easiest thing would be to simply have a restaurant policy stating a minimum age to dine.
...

Actually, at places like Next and Alinea, the easiest thing would simply be to require all customers to have tickets, regardless of age.

If some rich family wants to spend $300 to see plates artfully arranged around their child, more power to them. Most, though, would likely realize that even an emergency babysitter is a lot less expensive.

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

Chet, ya gotta get with the times. The double-wide refers to the $300 stroller set now running unchecked around much of the North Side.

And the issue is not children. Young children make noise. The issue is parents who don't do anything to quiet their kids.

The new moniker for lax parents: Danny and Debbie Double-Wide.

[Atlanta_BD]

Originally Posted by Toxic Toast

And you would then surely understand that:

1) nights out can be precious

2) leaving your kids with a stranger from a "reputable" website is not something every parent is comfortable with

3) as a parent, its not as though you enjoy the screams of an angry 8 month old


I am not defending the parents in this case, but i do find the rush to judge by people who may or may not even understand the plight of a parent. I have taken my child to many restaurants and coffee shops and other places. Sometimes it works out, sometimes we deal with an angry child. Would i take her to a place like Alinea? Probably not. But, my life doesn't end when I become a parent. I sure as hell wont stop going places with my family so others are not exposed to a baby that may get agitated at some point. If other humans are so infuriating to you, just lock yourself in your house and be a hermit.

I get all that. I still wouldn't take an 8 month old to a fine dining restaurant. In their defense, I understand them taking the baby anyway because they had to pay in advance.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by emathias

Actually, at places like Next and Alinea, the easiest thing would simply be to require all customers to have tickets, regardless of age.

If some rich family wants to spend $300 to see plates artfully arranged around their child, more power to them. Most, though, would likely realize that even an emergency babysitter is a lot less expensive.

Rich people do not get a "get out of jail free" card when it comes to ettiquette and common sense.

Really, this idea that going out to dinner is like a Christmas miracle is kind of silly. You have a kid, you know that for a few years your life is going to be turned upside down. I understand well sometimes a break is needed - but the thing is, there may be plenty of other parents in that restaurant needing the same thing. A sitter falls through, suck it up and reschedule.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by emathias

Actually, at places like Next and Alinea, the easiest thing would simply be to require all customers to have tickets, regardless of age.

If some rich family wants to spend $300 to see plates artfully arranged around their child, more power to them. Most, though, would likely realize that even an emergency babysitter is a lot less expensive.

If the policy of these places were to charge for infants there might be even more goofy folks that would expect to photograph even more of their "experience", have even more elaborately discribed "food allegry precautions" and generally make things worse...

When we only had one kid we had no shortage of family / friends that would be thrilled to watch the child even on short notice. I suspect the folks that went Alinea had either no such backup plan (which says quite a bit about their social isolation...) and/or are the type that don't let their new baby out of their sight (which also says a fair bit about their level on non-reality...).

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Atlanta_BD

I get all that. I still wouldn't take an 8 month old to a fine dining restaurant. In their defense, I understand them taking the baby anyway because they had to pay in advance.

I do agree with this. Just seems to me this evening was set up to fail.

[Chi-town Native]

Btw, in the spirit of full disclosure I have never - nor do I yearn to - dined at a place this fancy. No judgment intended, it is just not my speed.