Posted on 11/09/2005 3:33:45 PM PST by Ellesu
- A classic case of the haves and have-nots is playing out in restaurants in Chicago and across the country over the behavior of children. People without children are asking parents to control their kids. One North Side restaurant owner has posted a sign asking families to keep it down while chowing down.
What's happening at the A Taste of Heaven restaurant in Andersonville seems to be touching off a great debate nationwide. Here's the question: Are children these days out of control? The owner of the restaurant thinks far too many of them are, and he blames their parents. A Taste of Heaven is a tiny restaurant with a little sign on the front door that says "Children of all ages have to behave and use their indoor voices." But it is causing a big controversy. Dozens of mothers are now boycotting the place, the same mothers the owner says don't place limits on their children.
"Her kids are using the poles on the walls to climb the walls like Batman, and I'm not exaggerating," said Dan McCauley, restaurant owner.
He asked that woman to never come back.
Kim Cavitt says she was offended when she was told her 2-year-old daughter should quiet down or they could leave.
"My response was, then we're leaving," Cavitt said.
Kim says her daughter is welcomed in many other Andersonville establishments, like the Swedish bakery, which gives out free cookies to kids, or Starbucks.
"And the way he handled it is extremely offensive. If you don't want children, great, that's great. Put a sign up that says no children allowed, not a benign thing where you are subjectively deciding what you consider to be positive behavior," said Cavitt.
But the little sign has touched a raw nerve. The New York Times called it Wednesday a culture clash between the childless and the child-centered.
Is it a sense of entitlement?
"It's a sense of my money is green and I get to have what I want," said McCauley.
"I am not sure whey people are upset the restaurant doesn't want their kids to act like a brat," said Lara Osborne, restaurant patron.
"That is really taking a stand for something," said Patrick Tully, restaurant patron.
A Taste of Heaven is not alone in doing this. Another restaurant, Toast, in Lincoln Park, has a note on the menu asking people there to use their inside voices. Many other restaurants across the nation are doing similar things.
One thing is for certain, with or without those boycotting mothers, A Taste of Heaven, with all of this attention, is going to be selling a lot more scones.
Are children these days out of control? The owner of the restaurant thinks far too many of them are, and he blames their parents.
I don’t believe that discipline cause irreparable damage to our "precious" little children. I was raised in the era of “Children should be seen and not heard – and seldom heard”. I see nothing wrong with it.
There was recently a story about a restaurant that had an "English Only" sign or something like that in its window.
I believe that owner was fined.
I'm a parent and I see kids waaaaaaay out of control in public.
I agree and I also blame the parents.
I will be in Chicago and will look to buy a scone from these people.
YES... children are out of control these days.
YES... it's the fault of the parents.
YES... perhaps a little discipline would help.
YES... my father would have kicked my butt if I had acted in a disruptive manner in public.
"That is really taking a stand for something," said Patrick Tully, restaurant patron.
You said it Patrick!
Ping....
Yes, there are too many out of control children. I see it all the time when I'm out and about. Permissiveness is the norm these days, and we'll reap the fruits of it in the near future.
I recommend all parents to read Michael and Debi Pearl's book: To Train Up A Child. (www.nogreaterjoy.org)
The trick is ... to "train" them at home so that they will be obedient to you when you take them out.
Another book that touches on this subject, and is also a good read is: "The Epidemic. The Rot of American Culture, Absentee and Permissive Parenting, and the Resultant Plague of Joyless, Selfish Children."
Yes.
I see it in restaurants where the kids are whining and screaming and acting like little spoiled brats. Parents, if you can't get your children under control in public, stay at home so the rest of can relax and enjoy our meals.
Or go to Chuck E. Cheese where that kind of behavior is tolerated.
i thought about it afterward and thought it odd that people responded this way...are there that many ill behaved kids in this land? or, is it because of a few, we want to "regulate the many"??
The New York Times called it Wednesday a culture clash between the childless and the child-centered.
As usual the NYT know jack. It is a difference between the child centereed and everybody else. I have five children and you can be sure that they behave in public. They watch the unmanaged children swing from light fixtures.
"I'm a parent and I see kids waaaaaaay out of control in public."
I agree that kids are way out of control, but consider this: If you dare to discipline in public, there WILL be someone within ten square miles who will accuse you of child abuse and you could face not only jail, but losing your child to the wonderful "parent" STATE.
Of course good discipline from the cradle "usually" curbs bad public behavior, but not always. When I raised my kids, I could put them over my knee anywhere. Try that today and the consequences are horrifying.
Guess the owner didn't want to rename his restaurant!
Same here. My parents didn't tolerate us being disruptive in public.
I've always spanked mine in public if they demanded it. A few times of being embaressed and they never crossed the lines in public again.
I have always had rave reviews on my brood. I think that it is not the norm to have quiet well behaved children.
OK...
As a badly abused child with badly abused siblings,
To point of amnesia....
who has fostered horribly abused kids,
who is now spending time in a satellite facility with equally abused kids (I mean suicidal, PTSD in 8 year olds, raped 11 year olds, abandoned on top of it)...
These are NOT threads to ping me too.
Yes, kids need more discipline,
Yes, a swat on the butt to get their attention is great...
Yes, parents are not putting themselves in charge of their children...in more ways than discipline.
BUT these theads always turn into the 'beat the heck out of them, bruises are OK' crowd vs the 'Geez, give me more patients next week why don't ya!' (me)
PS, I also consult in a nursing home too, so no one pull the 'when you're old, you won't want one of these kids taking care of you'.
Right now, I just want to get the idea of a depressed, multiple suicide attempt 12 year old out of my head, and the fact that a hot meal, someone sitting with them while they eat or a fresh apple is treated like an alien treat by so many of these children.
Thank you, and have a nice day.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.