I'm not a kid person in general. No, I don't want to hold your babies. I'll wait until they can hold conversation until I engage them thank you.
But I don't mind children being around me, unless... they're on a plane or in a restaurant.
As a consumer, children drive me crazy, especially with parents who seem to be oblivious to their child's insanity. And don't get me started about my days in restaurant services. The things I have seen with families.
I support a ban. There are plenty of places for all of us to dine.
Redditor u/woodsexy wanted everyone to share our thoughts on kids and dining... yeah or nay... by aksing:
What is your opinion of restaurants that ban children?
Some spaces are just meant for humans who are old enough to be there. I get that families need to get out, especially parents, but there are already plenty of places to go. Let's discuss...
Adult Time
Driving Billie Eilish GIF by Apple Music
Giphy
"Adults should be able to go out and enjoy a quiet dinner. There are plenty of family restaurants that allow children... should be nothing wrong with having a few for adults."
A Disney No
"Where can I find such a restaurant?"
- ttyy2000
"Disney World's Victoria & Alberta's restaurant requires all diners be at least 10. Partially this is because they expect dinner to take about 3 hours. That's way too long for 99% of kids to sit."
Thumbs Up
"As a parent I'm ok with it. You've got family restaurants, casual restaurants, smart restaurants that ban people in trainers, fast food restaurants, fine dining restaurants, seafood restaurants, steak restaurants, nose to tail restaurants, vegetarian and vegan restaurants, home-cooking style restaurant, hip and trendy restaurants, any number of restaurants that cater to a single cuisine. Different people want, and like, different things so if a restaurant wants to be adult only then I don't really care."
A Police State
"I'm the oldest of five kids. I remember numerous occasions when waitstaff would say things like "Wow, your children are so well-behaved!" because we weren't throwing fits. The thing is, we were self-policing. If one kid threw a fit, then everyone had to leave, and we knew it. So I think each sibling acted up once or twice in public, and then the rest of us made said sibling's life a living hell, so it wasn't repeated."
Taking Liberties...
United We Dream Statue Of Liberty GIF by INTO ACTION
Giphy
"It's their right. Kids can be real nuisance. Bars that ban kids are the absolute best though."
So much truth here. Private businesses have every right to say who may or may not come in. And there are other people in world beside your family unit. Continue...
Family is Covered
Hungry Cat GIF by Garfield
Giphy
"There's already enough family restaurants everywhere you look, if you're looking to take a date out for a romantic evening you don't exactly want kids hanging around. If it's a high class sort of establishment that's sort of a given, let me enjoy my overpriced alcohol in peace."
Fools
"I usually don't mind kids at restaurants, but I think there should be more that are child free. Most of the time they're okay, but it's really annoying when you're trying to have a nice dinner and conversation and some kids are running around/screaming and the parents just sit there and ignore them."
"I'll ignore it for awhile, because sometimes kids just act a fool, but if it gets to the point it becomes ridiculous or if they start to play around my table/invade my space, I'm going to ask for a different table without caring whether the parents overhear me say it's because of their poorly behaved kids."
Window Cleaners Share The Best Things They've Ever Seen | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
No Tolerating Allowed
"Strongly agree. During all my uni life I've worked in several type of restaurants, from silver service ones to right out fast foods. Some restaurants are simply put not child friendly, as often children can be a problem for the custumers (they can ruin your experience) and for the staff (especially when they're poorly managed by their parents). Additionally (it's not an absolute but it does happen) some parents tend to second the poor behavior of their kids."
"I had a case of kids jumping around the seats in the waiting area of the restaurant, shouting, while the restaurant was quite busy. When I asked politely to the parents if they could recall their kids their answer was "but this is an Italian restaurants, you should tolerate those things. No Karen, we shouldn't."
Ban Everyone!
"I'm cool with it. If I go to a family restaurant, I expect families, some with loud kids. If I go to a bar, I expect adults, some of whom will be drunk. If I got to a quiet, fancy restaurant, I expect other quiet, respectful diners. A family restaurant won't allow drunks. A bar won't allow kids. A quiet restaurant should be able to ban noisy, misbehaving guests."
My Time
restaurant GIF
Giphy
"Most of my working life was spent dealing with other people's children, and most places I go people are there with their children. It's nice to have a place outside my home where I can leave them behind, and enjoy myself."
Welcome to All
"As long as there's somewhere suitable for most average folks to pick, what does it matter? I wouldn't want to go for a romantic dinner and be surrounded by screaming kids, and equally I wouldn't want to take my kids to a place where they felt uncomfortable because it was ultra sophisticated and they weren't allowed to move or speak without being shushed every two seconds. Sometimes I like to take my dog with me, but appreciate others may not want to eat surrounded by animals. Everyone likes different stuff."
Brats
"Mother was a waitress and this woulda been the dream for her. Think I remember her telling me one time there was an incident where the kid basically b lined into someone's legs spilling a massive tray of waters onto some people. Thankfully nothing hot to burn anyone and the kid didn't get any glass coming down on them. But of course the parents didn't really seem to care that their little brat was running around like that."
Bravo
Happy Simon Cowell GIF by America's Got Talent
Giphy
"I think they're great. I have had many meals ruined by screaming kids, or parents lecturing or threatening their kids with some kind of punishment. I breathe a sigh of relief when I walk into a restaurant, and I don't see kids."
- lj6877
Be Considerate Parents
"Freaking crying children should be taken outside regardless of restaurant policy. It's a courtesy to the people in the restaurant who aren't obnoxious."
"Totally agree! I have 2 kids myself and anytime they have cried or gotten loud I take them outside to calm down. I don't get parents who just let them carry on. On top of this can we talk about parents who let their kids watch iPads or phones at full blast at restaurants."
"Wtf is that even. My kids are 6 and 2 and Ive never gave them devices while out to eat because it's family time. And if I did I'd give them headphones so no one had to hear it instead of blasting that at full volume. Honestly annoys me more then kids crying."
- Poctah
No Babysitters Here!
"As a father, I'm okay with it. We don't really go out to eat much anyway. I've read about parents that treat the waitstaff as impromptu babysitters. Some mom groups on Facebook even had the nerve to put out a guide to waiters on how to keep their little ones happy. Hello! It's your damn job! Waiters get paid to bring you food and extra napkins. If you want a babysitter, hire one. I respect parents who have the guts to tell the kids that if they don't call down they'll go home and then go through with it."
Nobody
"Can confirm: Am parent to two under-five children. ;P. Seriously, my 4 year old is generally excellent in a restaurant, but I also know he's an exception and he often receives compliments from the staff for his behavior. My 2 year old? Forget it. I learned long ago nobody enjoys that ordeal. Nobody."
- Bwe0empo
To the Chains
"If I'm paying a lot of money for my dinner I do not want your kids to ruin it for me. Even if they aren't crying, they are being loud or running around and just being annoying. I know it isn't the case with every family but I am absolutely for banning kids under the age of 10. On a different note, I don't expect this to be the case when I'm at Perkins or Texas Roadhouse, but I don't visit chains anyway."
HUSH!
"Awesome. Because not everyone wants to go out to eat and be seated next to someone with a screaming child. I know that sounds harsh, and yes, parents do deserve a night out and sometimes cannot get a babysitter. And there are plenty of places that will accommodate you and your kids."
"Also, some places are designed for it. But if a place is upfront on that policy and designed themselves for it, I'm good with that too. Sometimes you want to be in a loud sportsbar type place, others it is nice to have a quiet sit down meal in a nice place."
Spending in Peace
"If I'm paying a lot of money I don't want my kids ruining it for me! I live my kids but I can't expect a 3 year old to pontificate about a veg puree and a nice sauce can I? We almost exclusively eat at chains or local family restaurants with the kids as they cater to them better too. We can have the best of both worlds and I want to sit and enjoy my nice wine with a nice meal!"
Just in case...
food fight family GIF by The Jerry Springer Show
Giphy
"Should be more of them tbh, imagine wanting to have a conversation with someone but there's toddlers screaming, running around, having tantrums and crying. I once was in a plane flight where a baby decided to throw his food on me, so I try to avoid kids that are eating. Just in case."
There has to be a way for all of us to dine out. Let's look at it less like a ban and liken it to an age limit. It's about establishing who can and cannot enter for the right reasons. Mangia everyone!
Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
- People Divulge The Reasons They've Been Banned From An Establishment - George Takei ›
- People Describe The Meals They Thought Were Fancy As A Child That Were Anything But - George Takei ›
- People Who've Changed Their Opinion On Something After Doing Research Share Their Experiences - George Takei ›
- People Divulge The Stupidest Thing They've Ever Seen Banned - George Takei ›
For many childhood memories are overrun by living nightmares.
Yes, children are resilient, but that doesn't mean that the things we see as babes don't follow us forever.
The horrors of the world are no stranger to the young.
Redditor -2sweetcaramel- wanted to see who was willing to share about the worst things we've seen as kids, so they asked:
"What’s the creepiest thing you saw as a kid?"
Serious Danger
"Me and my best friend would explore the drainage tunnels under the Vegas area where we grew up. These were miles long and it was always really cool down there so it was a good way to escape the heat of our scorching hot summers. We went into this one that goes under the Fiesta casino and found a camp with a bunch of homeless people."
"Mind you we are like 11 years old lol. And we just kept going like it was nothing. It wasn’t scary then but when I look back at it we could have been in some serious danger. Our parents had no idea we did this or where we were and we had no cellphones. We could have been kidnapped and never have been found."
oofboof2020
Waiting for Food
"I was at a portillos once when I was 12 and I was waiting with my little brother at a booth while my parents got our food. This guy was standing with his tray kind of watching me then after a couple of minutes he started to walk over really fast not breaking eye contact with me."
"He was 2 feet from the table and my dad came out of nowhere and scared the s**t out of him. He looked so surprised and just said he wanted to see if I’d get scared or not. He left his tray full of food near the door and left. My folks reported him but we never went to that location again since we found a better one closer to home."
nowhereboy1964
Captain Hobo to the Rescue
"When I was a pretty young teen, my friends and I were horsing around in San Francisco and started hanging out to smoke with some homeless guys. Another homeless dude came up and began aggressively trying to shake us down for anything (money, smokes, a ride, drugs- all of it) and wouldn’t take no for an answer."
"We got in over our heads and could tell this guy was now riling the other 2 guys up and they were acting like they wanted to jump us. Some grandfather-looking old homeless man appeared out of nowhere and yelled at us to get the f**k out of here- nice kids like us don’t belong down here at this hour!!"
"Captain Hobo saved our lives that night. My parents sincerely thought we were at a mall all day lol."
FartAttack911
Survival
tsunami GIF
Giphy
"I was 7 and survived the 2004 tsunami in Thailand. Witnessed the wave rise way above the already massive palm trees (approx. 40ft?) and my family and I watched/heard the wave crash into the ground from a rooftop."
faithfulpoo
These Tsunami stories are just tragic.
On the Sand
Scared The Launch GIF by CTV
Giphy
"We were a group of kids who went to swim in a local lake. And there was a dead body on the beach with their hands raised and their legs bent unnaturally that local police just took out of the same lake. I've never put my foot in these waters again."
oyloff
Be Clever
"I was walking to school and I was about 5 or 6 years old and some guy pulled up beside me in his car and asked if I would get in. He also offered me sweets to do so. I said no. The creepy bit was when he calmly said ‘clever boy’ to me, then drove off. I’ve never even told my parents or anyone else about this as it would most likely freak them out."
OstneyPiz
Bad Jokes
"Dad's side of the family pranked me by burying a fake body on our back property and had me dig it up to find valuables. Was only allowed to use a lantern for light. They stuffed old clothes with chicken bones. Sheetrock mud where the head was... Random fake jewelry as the treasures... I was like maybe 10 or 11.. I remember digging up the boot first and started gagging because it became real at that point."
Alegan239
YOU
Who Are You Reaction GIF by MOODMAN
Giphy
"Woke up to find my little brother staring at me in the dark, asking, Are you really you?"
PrettyLola2004
Siblings can really be a bunch of creepers.
No one should talk to others in the dark though.
Not all pet owners have the same relationship with their pets.
While anyone who decides to become a pet owner, or pet parent as some say, love their pets equally, some never ever let them leave their side.
Taking their pet with them to work, running errands, even on vacations.
Many pet parents even allow their pets to share their bed with them when going to sleep.
For others though, this is where a line is finally drawn.
Redditor Piggythelavasurfer was curious to hear whether pet owners allowed their pets to share their bed with them, as well as the reasons why they do/don't, leading them to ask:
"Do you let your pet sleep in your bed? Why/why not?"
The Tiny Issue Of Water...
"Absolutely not."
"I have fish."- Senior-Meal3649
Everyone Gets Lonely Eventually...
"I adopted an eleven year old cat the day before Halloween."
"She has mostly lived in my closet since I got her, and she hasn’t been too interested in coming out."
"Last night, she came out of my closet and jumped up on my bed, and crawled under my covers and curled up by my feet to sleep."
"I was so happy!"- YellowBeastJeep
The Comforting Reminder That You're Not Alone...
"I recently lost my Greyhound but I used to let him sleep on my bed with me."
"The company was nice and he was no trouble to have on my bed."- HoodedMenace3
Hungry Cookie GIF by De Graafschap Dierenartsen
Giphy
What Do You Mean Allow?
"I have no choice."
"She is a cat, cats do whatever they want."- Small_cat1412
"He lets me sleep in my bed."- Poorly-Drawn-Beagle
Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way
"I carry my old boy upstairs to bed every night."- worst_in_show
Hug GIF by The BarkPost
Giphy
Who Needs An Alarm Clock?
"I let my two cats sleep with me."
"They're so full of love and just want cuddles all the time."
"And so do I."
"We've all developed a lil routine."
"Get to bed, oldest sleeps on my feet to keep them warm, youngest lies in my arm while I lie on my side (she the little spoon), then when I snooze my alarm for work in the morning the youngest paws at my face and meeps loudly to wake me up."- GhostofaFlea_
Whose Bed Is It Anyway?
"Yes."
"They're also kind enough to let me squeeze into whatever space they've left for me."
"Although I do get a few dirty looks off them."- Therealkaylor
"I found this tiny kitten screaming her head off under a car."
"Would not come out."
"Got some food and some water in dishes."
"I stood by the tire so she couldn't see my feet."
"She got curious about the food and water and started gobbling it down."
"I thought she would bolt when I squatted down."
"She was too busy eating."
"I grabbed her by the nape of the neck and all four legs went straight out and she tried to scratch me to death."
"I got her in the door and tossed her toward the couch."
"She ricocheted off the couch as if she was a ping pong off a table and I lost sight of her."
"I put out food and water and a sandbox and did not see that kitten for three days."
"On the third day, I came home and she was on my bed pillow."
"I thought she would bolt when I came near, but she didn't."
"I wanted to sleep so I tried to scoot her little butt off my pillow."
"She would not go."
"I put my head down to sleep and that is the way it was from then on."
"She ran the roost."- Logical_Cherry_7588
sleepy kitten GIF
Giphy
Sleeping Is A Prerequisite...
"No, he's a cat and he cannot keep still during the night."
"He walks across the headboard, opens the closet doors, jumps into the windows and rustles the blinds, etc."
"If he would sleep he could stay, but alas, he's a ramblin' man."- Spong_Durnflungle
Saying No Just Isn't An Option...
"'Let'."
"Lol."
"It's a cat's world and I'm happy to be on her good side."- milaren
Felines Only!
"The cat does, the dog doesn't and the horse certainly does not either."- Xcrowzz
Angry Tom And Jerry GIF by Boomerang Official
Giphy
Is That My Hair On That Pillow?
"My dog is perfect."
"She comes up, cuddles til we start to fall asleep, then gets down to sleep on her bed so she doesn't get too hot."
"Jumps back up in the early morning for wake up cuddles."
"The hair everywhere is the only downside but she is so cozy, what can you do."- HoodieWinchester
It is easy to understand how some people are able to fall asleep more easily knowing their friend and protector is there, in bed, with them.
Though we can't blame others who don't want to run the risk of being scratched or bitten in the middle of the night either...