Poll: No-kids-allowed movement. Yay or nay?

[Sarah Frazier]

I would support this in a few cases.

- Five star restaurants where people are expected to dress up and keep the peaceful atmosphere; full time ban of very young kids or removal of families who won't take Junior out of the dining area until they calm down.

- Other non-fast food restaurants who aren't entirely catering to a family restaurant; kid-free days for individuals who want to unwind someplace nice without fussy kids causing a scene.

- Movie theaters; occasional adult-only showing of movies adults would like to see in peace (Captain America or even the Deathly Hallows) but kid-oriented movies (Pretty much anything Disney or Pixar) you should expect a couple kidlets to be there.

- Airlines or other first-class places in rapid transit; maybe not an outright ban on kids, but I'd support having noisy kids moved to somewhere that it wouldn't disturb passengers until they can calm down or people are being told to get to their seats.

These are really the only times I'd hope to see solid support for kid restrictions, or at least expectations of parents to calm their children down or take them someplace else for a couple of minutes to cool off. Or, as was said before, simply get a babysitter or drop them off at a friend's place as the situation calls for.

 

[dvd_72]

I'm a bit eh, but mostly I don't agree. Some of my earliest and fondest memories are of going out with my grandparents and parents. My Grandparents in particular used to take me to this restaurant that had children's meals that had containers shaped like policeman-dogs and cat-burglars, and so every lunchtime my granddad would tell me stories using these lunches. If I knew that someone was trying to or had managed to deprive me or another child of those sorts of memories (my grandparents died before I was ten, some of these memories are literally all I remember of them) then I would be so far beyond pissed at those people.

But then again, even at age five or six (and my parents insist even younger than that) I was apparently a quiet and polite child who understood that a restaurant was for your indoor voice, and not running around in either. I think that the problem here is not the children, but parents who can't control or haven't taught their children properly, and I don't think it's fair to deny children the chance to understand what it means to be an adult, and to 'feel grown-up,' as my parents used to say, just because some idiot parents don't understand about proper child rearing.

SO in short, no, I don't agree, and I think that the only people who genuinely agree with this are actually the selfish ones in this equation.

You may be right, but you have to admit that children ruining the mood (be it resteraunt, movie, or any sutch public place) ruines alot of -other- peoples memories of the place. While the fault may be of the parents, it's going to be extremely difficult to fix that without forcing them into some kind of class or some equally difficult thing to do.

This is just an easy way out. A way out I support, though not wholeheartedly. Perhaps a better idea would be for the establishments to reserve the right to remove a family from the premise if thier children are disturbing other customers?

 

[Epona]

If parents weren't afraid of being accused of child abuse for spanking their kids then you wouldn't see this as often. The mother wiggling her finger and apologizing might rather take the kid to the restroom for an attitude adjustment but feels that it's too risky.

Just my opinion.

 

[Henkie36]

Well, like you said, it really depends on the location you're trying to ban kids from going to. A porn cinema? yes. A camp site in the English countryside? No.

By the way, it's not just the kids who are annoying. Chances are you don't live in Amsterdam, but if you happen to be there in the nearby future, don't go to the cinema. Everyone is on there cellphone, having loud arguments, listening to the radio (without headphones) and I could go on for a while like this. I don't even know what it is, it's not like the movies aren't interesting. Fro example, you already whether or not you like Transformers 3.

Maybe we should just ban annoying people from going to places, ruther then just kids.

 

[Stephanos132]

Nay, nay, thrice nay. If anything needs to be banned, it's the joyless lackwits who propose that anything they don't like or approve of should be banned, even if it's legal.

Christ, to be a parent or a child now must be hellish. Parents can barely act to raise their children effectively without interference by some nosey do-gooder (who, invariably, do no-one any good). Between them and you telling them they can't be here, the kids can't run around and be children. No wonder so many are fat, hyperactive or otherwise maladjusted.

 

[sniddy_v1legacy]

I remember adult only showings at cinemas

I miss these

There SHOULD be enforceable and enforced options and times for people to avoid other peoples screaming brats and enjoy a meal a film a drink a show whatever...

Yes a lot of children are lovely well behaved, but you know what I'll make do without there company to avoid the rest that are not

 

[GenericAmerican]

No, forcing the parents to hire a expensive sitter, or forcing one to stay home at all times isn't right. (and isn't fun)

How about we force them to raise their children right?

 

[haloman13]

This is an infringement on the freedom of both children and parents, you can't just demand people you don't like stay out of your favourite places, if I could do that there wouldn't be any furfags on the internet but you dont hear me bitching that they should have their internet connection severed........ scratch that I actually think that might work out great.

 

[Sylveria]

No. Parents have a difficult enough time trying to get out of the house already without having to find and pay for a sitter. .

If they can't afford it a sitter, then they sure can't afford to go out and probably can't afford their kids in the first place. No reason the rest of us should suffer for their poor life or financial choices.

Hell no, this is beyond stupid. If they cause a distraction, then deal with it. If they don't then you just lost money. Good job. You failed as a private corporation at a very fundamental level.

Basically, this is punishing people for being young. Which is bullshit.

Who should deal with it? The business owner/employees? Cause the parents sure aren't doing it. Imagine how well received "Ma'am your child is disturbing the other customers, please get it under control or leave," is going to be received? If the parents make a scene, and they probably will, that's just another layer of disruption and poor atmosphere created by an uncontrolled kid and an irresponsible parent. I think a lot of people would be far more inclined to go places and maybe even pay a little bit more for an experience that will be child-free.

There's very few places that a disruptive child belongs. There's very few places a young child belongs period. 1 crying kid in a public place can ruin it for everyone. Get a sitter or stay the hell home. Yeah this may punish young kids and the parents of very young kids, but you know who benefits? Everyone else. Needs of the many, needs of the many.

In fact maybe this will serve as a further encouragement for people to be responsible with their DNA slinging if they know it will even further impede their social life.

 

[DanielDeFig]

No.

As the OP made perfectly clear (but doesn't seem to realize), that it's not the childeren's fault: It's the parents. Instead of banning children from places, we should make changes to ensure that all parents get some basic education on how to handle their children in public areas, and at home (so to avoid the kids acting obnoxiously in the first place.)

 

[Kilyle]

I'm in favor of letting businesses do whatever they think will bring in more customers. If that's keeping kids out, or letting smoke in, I say it's their business, and customers will decide which businesses to bring their money to.

We're not like some countries that have only one restaurant or one grocery store to choose from. If you don't like Safeway, go to Fred Meyer. I would not like to see all the movie theatres in the county exclude my niece and nephews, but then again, it's their decision. I must say I like what someone up there posted, about a clear policy of eviction on the wall ("If your kids start annoying the other customers, you'll have to leave" makes sense).

On the other hand, my family (my mom wrt my brothers and I, and me wrt taking my nephews around town) have always been pretty good about not letting them act up in public. In the tradition my mother laid before me, I tell them that I'm willing to take a kid and go sit in the car rather than let them act up in the store. Lo and behold, they don't act up! (Mostly.) My mom used to take a tantrum as the cue to put everything back and leave the store, and we didn't have to learn that lesson more than once.

It pains me to see a toddler, or even older kid, start throwing a fit in public and have the parent "pay" him by giving him a treat. Do you not understand how rewards WORK? What's worse, when my nephew's mom went through CPS problems, she got "taught" by the nice PCIT ladies that you should just stand aside and let him cry it out, instead of, say, dragging him out of the store (I've drug my nephew out of church once) or giving him a quick swat on the butt to tell him to knock it off. When they won't listen to reason, you change to something they WILL listen to.

ETA: Someone commenting on the article said that an age ban discriminates against parents who've actually raised their kids well, which is why I support the eviction policy mentioned above. Also, someone pointed out that if a large portion of the businesses are closed to kids during certain hours, a parent with limited hours to get chores done might find that unreasonably difficult. Things to think about.

 

[PixelKing]

No, because I'm a child.
I have rights same as anyone else.

 

[Rekrul]

Get over it kids will be kids, wheres the line at annoying, screaming kids or kids acting up really don't bother me, I think its entertaining. I work with kids and we always mess around, are loud when we go on trips and you know what, like the kids, I couldn't care less.

 

[Kargathia]

It's really quite amusing to hear complaints that parents "should get their kids to behave". Just sit down, and ask your own mother how well-behaved you were age 6. Don't blame kids for doing what kids do, and are supposed to do.

On the whole though I can support places who feel that they'd make their customers happier by banning children. Variety and choice are good - as long as being child-unfriendly doesn't become the norm even more than it already is.

Whenever I misbehaved in public I got my ass spanked in front of everyone, wherever I happened to be, and it worked. Just sayin'.

I'm not even going to debate whether corporeal punishment actually works or not: that debate is pretty old, boring, and stale.

But I really recommend you try and spank your kid in a restaurant nowadays. It's a pretty solid way to invite Child Services for a chat.

 

[Ralen-Sharr]

I agree that children can be annoying when they want to be, and I'd rather not deal with them when they turn that way.

However, I think the blame falls on the parents. When children are being disruptive (pulling a strangers hair should NEVER happen) boot both the kids and parents. If parents want to take the kids to a nice meal, fine. If the kids don't go nuts and bother everyone in the restaurant then great.

Parents should be teaching the kids to not f'k it up for everyone else - just my opinion.

 

[ks1234]

Snip

Don't give that b.s. line about how "I guess you hates yourself when you were a child" or "you were a kid once too!"
Yes, theres plenty of child hate because kids are annoying. Yes, we were all once children but that doesn't change the fact that we aren't kids anymore and we shouldn't have to deal with their whiny crap. I personally, am all for this ban. Nowadays, kids are next to uncontrollable and CPS (child protective service) has basically made it to where people cannot discipline their kids (at least in America). So, the only foreseeable fix is to ban kids from "adult" establishments.

 

[Kilyle]

Another thing: I remember a few instances growing up where getting to go to this or that was treated as a minor coming-of-age thing, e.g., "You're finally old/mature enough to come to a restaurant with us! (Don't screw it up or we'll put this off another couple years.)"

I remember being very impressed with the seriousness of it. This included a restaurant, a cross-country trip (old enough to go with Dad on one of his business trips by myself! I got to see Dick Tracy in theatres before it came to our state), and I don't know what else.

We treat pushing the shopping cart as a big deal for my nephews. If you're in charge of the cart, you have to watch where you're going, keep both hands on the bar, not crash into anything (or anyone), not go too fast, etc. We let them drive even through the wine aisle, while calling attention to the fact that a little accident here means $20-$100 we'd have to pay (they seem to take it seriously).

It helps that a lot of stores have gotten those small carts, which makes it less nerve-wracking for us to turn them over to a kid, as they're easier to control and it's easier to predict how wide a turn you have to make. Albertson's, last I checked, didn't have them, and they said it's because they didn't want kids using them... which ignores the benefits to adult shoppers (using a small cart even makes me feel lighter), and besides which has just made us give our business to the two stores in town that have small carts.

Which just shows the way that this SHOULD work: If a store isn't meeting your needs, you go to a different store, and stores make policies based on what sort of services they want to order what sort of clients. Give stores the freedom to do this, and the market should sort itself out.

 

[jpoon]

I love this idea and I'm all for it! If companies in my town would do this I would shower them with my business. It would only affect me in a good way, I'd love to see it spread far and wide.

 

[PandaPoster]

How about ban on people who are immature from public places? It doesn't seem that age is an issue. seems more like people being immature, albeit alot of immature people are under the age of 18, I have met many children who are more mature than alot of adults i have met, now for annoying kids, yeah i could see having them go through a maturity class where they learn they are not the center of attention and that they CAN NOT do whatever the hell they want.

 

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

I've seen no evidence of this yet. I don't see a problem with having a few child free restaurants, but the people who expect to go out and not encounter children are complete assholes.

I feel like our local communities are too fractured. I'm not exactly old, but I can remember a time when people weren't so whiney about every little thing, so obsessed with their own wants and lifestyle aspirations. I can also remember when liking children didn't mean you were a likely paedophile. Also, I can remember when we used to support local businesses. We used to have dedicated fresh fruit & veg shops, bakeries...now we just have a feckin' Tesco's. "Screw the neighbours family owned business, I wanna save 50p on my shop today".

Walled off living and homogenised everything isn't progress.