parents are certainly unbelieveable nowadays! i used to live in park slope about 4 years ago and was visiting a couple weeks back. i noticed all of the "suv" strollers around and kids running around like crazy. luckily, our restaurant was childrenless, but that didn't stop us from taking a look at the kids running around wild on the street and parents practically darting into oncoming traffic with their strollers. what is wrong with these people? and it's not only parents in park slope w/ entitlement issues. i come across the similar situation when dining out in jersey, pennysylvania, delaware......you name it!

Amen, sister! If it's not a place appropriate for the kiddos then for pete's sake- hire a babysitter for a couple hours.

I remember growing up that I had to be quiet at the table. To keep myself occupied I would stir salt and pepper into my water glass and make a pretend tornado. It just amazes me how much craziness children are allowed to do and it's tolerated nowadays.

These parents who let their unruly kids run wild in coffee shops. gift shops, wal-mart are obviously holding on to a life that does not exist anymore. That is pathetic, my friends. Can't these people brew there own coffee? Oh, you can't control the noises that come out of toddler's mouth? Talk to MY parents, they'll tell you different. On the rare occasion I was carted along to a restaraunt, if I was gonna scream and carry-on, I was going in the car and going home. No french fries, no chocolate milk, no ice cream sundae. Trust me, I was always well behaved in restaraunts :)

I read that article and was practically moved to tears by the wisdom of that restauranteur--I almost want to move to Chicago in order to avail myself of his sage policy. If I had my way, not only would there be "no children" sections in restaurants, but there would also be "stroller lanes" along 7th Ave. and Court St. And since when have SHOPKEEPERS been saddled with the responsibility of providing Halloween candy for roving bands of overprivileged youth?!? It's high time we took back the streets!

As to Park Slope excess, I offer exhibit B:

http://www.observer.com/pageone_featurebox.asp

You all don't have children, don't you?
Why do you think, the world belongs to you?
Why is it pathetic to go out with your children?
Why do you think, YOU set the standards for children's behaviour?
"Can't these people brew there own coffee?"
Can't YOU brew your coffee at home where it's quiet and comfortable for you?
And why do you think, you have to study in other places than your home or the library?

I don't think children have to be everywhere at every time. But I think a little more tolerance on every side would be helpful

East coast or west coast - it is the same everywhere. I can't go anywhere anymore without having to deal with unruly children whose parents completely ignore their bad behavior. Cathy is right on... people don't adjust their lives to a kid-friendly lifestyle when they have kids, they just start dragging their kids around everywhere with them. Cathy, it sounds like we grew up in the same family!

As a disclaimer, I don't have kids yet, but I don't think this is an "us" vs. "them" issue at all, as Elgin SF suggests. Hubby & I have many friends with kids. They will frequently get babysitters so that we all can go out and have some kid-free adult time. When we go out to places where there are unruly kids, they are more pissed about it than we are, because they are trying to get away for some relaxing adult time (for which they are paying dearly, given the cost of hiring a babysitter these days).

Good for your friend Bridget! It's common courtesy, and I hate to say it, but it's something missing in the "entitlement" set. If you wouldn't lay on the floor in a restaurant, why would you want your child to think that's appropriate behavior?

I am a parent - for 12 years now - and my son NEVER behaved like that in a restaurant in his life. Why? Because I did cart him everywhere with me (I'll admit I was one of those parents who didn't want to give up their non-kid lifestyle) - bookstores, restaurants, cafes - and while there he sat quietly (eating, talking, drawing, driving the condiments around the table). When he raised a fuss, I removed him - or when he was old enough (by which I mean about 12 months) - corrected him.

I think sometimes people start by thinking "oh he's just two" which turns into "well really, what can you expect of a three year old?" and then into "my god, he's only four, you can't expect him to sit quietly for that long." but believe me, my son is living proof that you CAN - and they WILL.

the majority of parents in the slope know nothing of discipline. i see (and hear.. i live across the street from a frequented bakery) children having tantrums all the time and the parents do nothing. NOTHING. at home, if you want them to cry it out and calm down on their own, fine. if you're out in public, you have to make it understood that that behavior is disrespectful to those around you. ugh, i will not be one of those parents when my time comes. my parents did not tolerate misbehavior and neither will my husband and i. good for your friend!! and good for those store owners in chicago!

I've got to respond to this post, as a childless Chicagoan, I wish that there more restauranteurs who would adopt a similar policy. There are neighborhoods where a walk down a sidewalk becomes a collision course with stroller pushing moms on cell phones, who do not acknowledge that the sidewalk may be used by others, and that the entrances to stores might need to be clear of things like strollers, and unconscious moms talking on cell phones. I have nothing against small children, but I do resent the parents of small children who do nothing when their children "act out" and have "meltdowns" in public. Please, we all share this world, have some manners and respect for others.

I am a parent of 2, with a husband who travels constantly and consider myself to be a 3/4 time single mom, and therefore do have to take my chidren to a lot of places with me. That being said, and not to mention living in Chicago, have to say amen sister and good job A Taste of Heaven. What is wrong with asking that children behave anywhere, any time! I do take my children with me but I expect and make sure that they are polite, and well behaved. If they are not able to do that we leave. Simple as that. Childless people do have to realize that at times we need to have our children with us but at the same time parents must realize that taking your kids everywhere and letting them behave badly is selfish on your part. Grow up and make the sacrifices necessary to raise vital citizens, well behaved children!

Life is all about civility and being considerate of others. We have all lost these qualities to some extent...think about it!

We have parents that don't discipline their children...people that are not considerate to humankind..people that don't say thank you when the door is held for them, people that walk their dogs along the entire sidewalk as if everyone LOVES dogs...and people that talk loudly on their cell phones. The list goes on and on and on!

I have children and whether I take them everywhere with me (which I did) is no one else's business and certainly not open for discussion. The way children learn to behave is to bring them to places so they learn through modeling their loved ones. However, when my children disturbed others; for example, by talking loudly or getting fidgety (which is normal CHILD behavior by the way), that was our cue to leave swiftly or divide and conquer....my spouse or I would remove the child from the situation. When the child was ready to settle down, we would return to finish eating or doing whatever we were engaged in.

At the end of the day, a shopkeeper or restaurant owner has every right to post "rules" that promote a welcoming environment to ALL and parents of children have the right to spend their money elsewhere should they not like those rules. We just need to learn how to respect others!

my sentiments exactly. I don't know how many dinners have being ruined because of a child screaming or running around while being ignored by the parents. Can we ever say anything? Nope. Does anyone else remember that SATC episode where Samantha tried to and ended up with pasta all over her?

Elgin, let me clarify. I was talking about "parents with unruly children". I don't have a problem with parents that cart there well-behaved children with them. Also, I said it was pathetic when parents try to hold on to a life that doesn't exist. People on both sides are really steamed about this issue. I'm surprised this isn't addressed more often in the news.

No, Elgin SF, I don't have children either. But when I was a child, I did not have the luxury of being allowed to bellow and run around a restaurant as if it were a playground. In this age of "time outs" and all, I see a complete laxness in the willingness to discipline children and put some guidelines in place. I don't mind a woman breatfeeding in publice -- Americans are too hung up on this. But I most certainly would mind a crappy diaper and ass exposed in a bar or cafe. That's a health code issue on top of being an issue of propriety.

AMEN! I would have been slapped silly by my parents if I behaved the way children do in public nowadays. And, being a liberated woman, I support being able to breast-feed in public. But for goodness sake - cover up!! I don't need to see your boob when I'm ordering my Eggs Benedict!

I appreciate the comments that this isn't a childless adults vs. parents issue, this is an issue about being aware of your surroundings and showing some consideration for others. It's a shame that there are so many parents out there that are lettting the children rule the roost and making a bad name for the parents who do bother to teach thier childrento behave in public (they don't stand out as much and are easily overlooked).

As an adolescent I rolled my eyes every time my mom boasted to someone that my sisters and I had learned how to behave in church by the age of two. Now I dearly wish that more people were like my parents (ah the curse of wisdom that comes with age...). This didn't mean that we had to act like we were in church every hour of the day, rather that there is a time and place for certain types of behavior. I certainly didn't miss out on any silly or fun time, and I don't feel scarred that I was restricted or not allowed to express myself.

I myself am without children, so I don't know how difficult it can be to try and strike that balance between spending time with your child and taking them out with you and getting away for your own adult time. I do however commute everywhere in the city on my bike in neighborhoods where I witness plenty of other cyclists displying little to no consideration for the traffic around them--vehicular or pedestrian. I watch these bad bikers, who are forbidden by law from riding on the sidewalk in Chicago, terrorizing moms with strollers and senior citizens leaning unsteadily on canes. In my eyes these people are showing the same lack of consideration for others as is currently being decried in the "stroller set". I have to fight the urge to stick out my foot and shove these nasty cyclists off the sidewalk as I feel they are making a bad name for me and others who strive to work in harmony with other types of commuters.

I'm as disgusted as the next person at the horrendous behaviour that is tolerated by some parents, but I think we have to be careful to not turn the simple condition of parenthood into a stigma. Argh! You've got children? Got to go into hiding for the next couple of decades lest you offend someone with your little monster! Not all children are monsters, not all parents are bad parents, and not all people with a crippling sense of entitlement were homecoming queen or captain of the cheerleading squad (funny how no one choked on the sexism in that. How about arrogant dads?).

This does seem to be largely an urban issue. Cities are crowded places. You're more likely to run into someone who isn't exactly like you. For that reason we've all got to try and be a little tolerant and considerate of those around us, not matter what it is that makes us different.

This is becoming quite the issue here in Chicago. As someone hoping to have kids soon, I have no problem with what Taste of Heaven is doing, and the whole entitlement issue. I think it all boils down to the fact that many parents (at least parents in yuppified urban areas like where I live) do not discipline their kids effectively, such that they would know how to behave in public places.

As a parent with two children, I could not agree more. Of course I can't control my children's voice all the time, but I can zip to the door and remove them from the situation. Out of respect for other people, and to teach my children that it is not ok to holler in a restaurant.

When he was very young, my second child was not "restaurant material", so I would not go with him. If a child is crying, he is obviously not happy, so why is he there?

A tantrum at Target means “out the door” this second, so no toys, no book, nothing. They can scream in our car, as much as they want, they can’t around other people.
A tantrum at the grocery store means “out the door this second” too – yes, it is inconvenient for me, but grocery store delivers for a mall fee, and I was never in the situation that we would starve if we skip that grocery trip. Maybe no milk in the morning, but we survived. Teaching my kids how to behave is way more importing than milk.

Has my life changed since I had children? In more ways I can think of. Do I miss my previous life? Why should I, I’ll have it back soon. Children are just a loan for few years, and then they fly away. Right now, I rather enjoy take out dinners with them than dragging them where they are not happy.
I’ll have fancy restaurants back way too soon.

I did a post about this a few days ago, but on the opposite side of the spectrum. I completely understand the frustration of kids running amok in public places, and it frustrates me too, but what I don't like is the us vs. them attitude (and you can't tell me that having a No Children area is not indicative of that), as well as the way (and it happens all the time to me) that people treat me differently when I'm with kids (i.e. an ovum machine) than without.

The thing that frustrates me the most about those signs is that the people who allow their children to act in socially inappropriate manners obviously have no sense of propriety, so what is a sign going to do? Obviously they think that their kids behave just fine (possibly with the qualifier of 'for their age' or 'for the time of day' or whatever helps them get by), otherwise they wouldn't have taken them out.

after reading the above, i feel i need to clarify my comment from before.

yes, i don't have children, but when i do i will make sure that they behave in public. also, i don't care if childeren are out and about in public - i'm not suggestions parents keep themselves hidden away from the world! i'm just saying there is something wrong with these people who seem to be oblivious to the world around them (and this could cover many subjects). i mean, letting kids run around on a busy street while talking on your cell phone doesn't seem too safe to me. and i can't even count how many times i've seen mothers almost push their strollers out infront of cars in the city.

hey, i lived in p.s. last year on 2nd st. and 6th ave. yeah the baby bonanza was crazy ...

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