Sunday, October 21, 2012

My response to society...

I read this afternoon on the Frog & Turtles facebook page that a patron who was there Friday night said Callum was being annoying? Seriously, dude? Get a grip! He also mentioned I should have also brought him outside (in the cold, rain) or brought him into the bathroom - seriously? I bet he also thinks mothers should nurse their baby in the bathroom, too. So, here's my response to society as a whole. Frankly, this really pisses me off. I really hope he is speaking up because he's friends with the owner, and really doesn't think this, because this could be a pretty pathetic glimpse into society and what some people truly think about children. I wonder how high his expectations were for his 1 year old.....he claims he has "two children".....Poor kids.


I don't think enough people take their children out to dinner. Sure, it can
be expensive, or daunting, but I feel if more people brought their children
to "real" restaurants, society would be more accepting of children in
restaurants. We are thankful to have had only welcoming and positive
outcomes when it comes to eating out. Sure, when we walk in with our four
children, they look scared, but when they realize, they are well behaved,
they relax, and usually comment on how well behaved they have been. Of
course, there have been times when my husband and I look at each other and
wonder why we decided to go out, but that is not the norm. And I appreciate
those members of society who are accepting of families who choose to bring
their children out.

Last week, we met friends out with their children for our first try at the
Frog & Turtle...A Gastro Pub in Westbrook. We had heard fairly decent
reviews of the place, and since we were in Westbrook, we wanted to give it a
try. I wish we hadn't. We walked out of there without having dinner or even
appetizers because the patrons of the restaurant were complaining about our
18 month old. They say he was being "annoying" but he was not screaming, nor
crying. The other 5 children were behaving. Do some people forget they were
children? While I realize some people want a quiet night dinner, maybe
without their children, don't people realize that asking a mother to go
outside on a cold, wind-driven rain evening is just as ridiculous? If the
patrons of this restaurant do not want to hear any sounds of a child, then
maybe it is the wrong restaurant, or maybe the restaurant should change
their requirements? If the restaurant has highchairs, doesn't that generally
welcome the smaller aged children, and even infants? Those who sit in high
chairs are generally not at an age to know how to control their emotions,
behavior or feelings. How do they know how to be quiet? If the patrons only
knew I was trying to find our waitress to get us more bread to hold my son
over until our dinner came, maybe they would understand. I was being
attentive to my son. I was trying, but the patrons that night were singling
out a family because we had a large party, and 6 children. The 5 older
children, ranging from 3 to 8 were well behaved, coloring at the time, I
could see people being annoyed by the older children screaming or having
fits or running around as if they were at a zoo, but they were not. They
were all extremely well behaved.

Do people with older children forget what it was like to have a one year
old? If not, maybe they chose never to bring their children out into public,
but we do or maybe their children are perfect, I don't know. If you are
looking for a quiet dinner, maybes seek out a place that does not have high
chairs. I find this situation completely unfortunate and sad. We were all
young once. I feel bad for those people, not angry, because they must've had
miserable childhoods and must be miserable in general to prompt such a
negative response simply because a child is hungry. And if society expects
an 18 month old to sit quietly and still in a high chair, you are wrong. And
if you think a mother or father should bring their hungry 1 year old into a
dirty bathroom to play while waiting for dinner to be served is acceptable,
you are wrong. And if you think I am going to bring my young child outside
in the cold, wind-driven rain on a Friday night, you are also wrong. Our
family will continue to bring our children in and around Portland
restaurants, and forego leaving them at home. And when we do leave them at
home, and come into contact with a family who has a fussy infant, I don't
patronize, or complain, I sympathize. The owner who asked me to take my son
outside should have looked at the whole picture. Asked me if there was
anything we needed to help my son until dinner was served, instead, he asked
me to leave and go outside, or have my son "get it together".

Those in society that complain about an infant fussing need to get a grip.
We were all young once. And if you are looking for a night out without the
sounds of children, be sure they don't have highchairs, or else you may be
greatly disappointed.


** I can add that I did file a complaint with the BBB - but unfortunately, the restaurant is not a member, and not sure what they can do, if anything.







2 comments:

  1. I cannot believe that happened! You know I have been there....any parent with young children has been there. Awful. Maybe you should write a letter to the editor for the local portland paper.

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  2. We've already posted on yelp for you. It's very sad that society is like this today. From someone who doesn't have children but I have helped take care of my nieces from day one. Its sad that ppl have forgotten that once upon a time all of us were lil babies.

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