Mother Urges Other Parents To Stop Bringing Their Children To 'Nice' Restaurants
She wanted to enjoy a kid-free evening with her husband. Instead, she was surrounded by screaming children.
Anna Nahabed / Shutterstock A woman sparked a fierce debate regarding children in restaurants after she claimed that a group of children sitting near her ruined her elegant dining experience with their noise levels.
Now the woman, Kelsey Davis, a mother herself, is urging other parents to reconsider taking their kids with them to certain restaurants to spare fellow diners from what she and her husband experienced.
She mom argued that children should not be allowed in ‘nice’ restaurants.
In a TikTok video that has garnered over 65,000 views, Davis claimed that her date night was not the experience she hoped for because she and her husband were seated next to a family with children causing a stir in the high-end restaurant in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
While trying to enjoy their meal, they were interrupted by the sounds of children bickering and playing on their tablets, which can be heard in the background of the video. “I literally can’t even hear the music in the restaurant because I’m listening to the tablet as I paid over $30 for my meal at a nice restaurant,” Davis vented.
The next clip depicted Davis and her husband driving home from the restaurant as she issued a PSA to all of her fellow parents. “Don’t take your [expletive] kids to nice restaurants!” she urged.
She pointed out there are some married couples who “pay to get rid of their kids for the evening to go have a nice dinner,” Davis and her husband shamelessly among them. But instead of enjoying a child-free evening, Davis claimed that she had to “watch 'Toy Story' on a tablet.”
She blamed the children’s parents for not only bringing them to the restaurant in the first place but also for not attempting to settle them when they became rowdy. Davis also claimed that it was unfair that she and her husband paid $140 for a relaxed dining experience where they were instead subjected to screaming kids.
“People, leave your kids at home!” she begged. “Get a babysitter. Don’t take them, don’t go! Because I want a good night with my husband.”
Davis shared that their date night left her feeling “exhausted” due to the misbehaving children.
Photo: EvgeniiAnd / Shutterstock
She left viewers divided over her proposition in the comments section of the video.
Some people shared Davis’s opinion, agreeing that children had no place in fancy restaurants.
“I agree!!! I love kids, but if they can't be quiet, please don't take them to fine dining!” one TikTok user commented. “Yes!!!! If we go out to eat and are about to be seated by a bunch of kids I will ask if there’s a different table,” another user shared.
“As a mother of five, I totally understand her feelings. When my husband and I go out, I don’t want to be dealing with other people’s children like that,” a third user wrote.
However, others argued that children have a right to be in public spaces, fancy restaurants included.
Photo: Anna Nahabed / Shutterstock
They pointed out that sometimes parents want to go out to dinner and cannot find a sitter to watch their children, and that taking them out to restaurants at a young age would actually teach them how to behave properly.
“How are they going to learn if you leave them home all the time? But I also agree with a high-dollar meal you want peace. Truly see both sides,” one user commented. “Entitled much? If you want a good night with your husband, keep your yuppy [expletive] home,” another user wrote.
It is important to note that if you want to enjoy a kid-free meal, certain restaurants do not allow young children. Check your local eateries in your area for any adult-only establishments!
While it certainly can be frustrating to deal with rowdy children while trying to have a nice meal or date night, children are a part of the public and we may encounter them in public spaces.
However, if you are a parent who cannot get a sitter or choose to bring your children out to eat, it is courteous to your fellow diners and restaurant staff to keep them quiet and settled. This not only ensures the peace of other guests, but also the safety of servers and your children, considering that servers have to balance heavy food trays throughout their shifts.
If your children become restless or noisy, it doesn’t hurt to bring them outside for a bit to burn off their energy.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.