This is obviously a controversial issue for a lot of parents. Some say “NO!”, others say “Why not?”
Personally, I’d err on the side of “No”, but it all depends on the child.
Some children are very well behaved and can easily sit pretty calmly for the entire meal without screaming or throwing a tantrum. Other children, simply cannot.
Children in general, get restless, and babies cry.
Unless of course, you are in France and the children are unusually well-behaved and attentive at dinner because food and eating is a central component to the way they live.
That’s just how it is and I get it… but I don’t want to be subjected to it, particularly not if it is my child doing the screaming.
When I was a singleton, I loathed having loud babies or rambunctious children sit next to me in a restaurant. I can’t hold a conversation or enjoy my meal if your toddler is shrieking at the top of her lungs for a toy and attention.
That said, there are establishments that are MEANT for families, and those are the ones I’d go to if I had to bring Baby Bun with me.
Otherwise, Baby Bun stays at home or we don’t go out.
I would never in a bajillion years, bring a child or a baby to a fine dining restaurant unless he is naturally calm and has proven to be well-behaved in private settings or at others’ homes we have visited.
You kind of have to test drive a baby’s personality first before bringing them out, otherwise it will just cause you stress and a headache to have to calm down your screaming child because you didn’t plan for them to not be cool with sitting in their chair for 3 hours while you gab with your friends over wine.
Just hire a darn babysitter already!
It is for this reason that I do not want to really travel with Baby Bun yet until I am sure he is going to be calm and relatively easy to take care of. I have been on the plane many times with horrible, HORRIBLE children who have never been disciplined in their lives because their parents think they’ll “work it all out when they get older and become more mature”.
I always think: OH really?
You think by letting your 3-year old throw temper tantrums, grab other peoples’ stuff, kick their chairs and be a general nuisance now without any discipline, they’re going to get older and magically turn into a polite, decent, well-mannered person ALL ON THEIR OWN?
Riiiiight.
