Children in pubs - are they OK

In a restaurant this evening I watched as a family of 4 came in. Parents and two children who I would estimate were around 6-7 and 5-6. They were delightful. Well behaved and, though perhaps I shouldn’t say it, entertaining. The 5-6 year old had a bowl of moules marinière. He chatted to his dad as he ate them, about what they had been doing and who would finish first (Dad had a much bigger serving). The little girl was quieter and more interested in discussing a possible choice of dessert.
No fuss, no messing about.

Kamiso

I seem to be in the minority! I like children and enjoy watching them interact.

Perhaps the children can feel the hostility from certain adults and react to the unpleasant atmosphere created by the supposed adults.

You’re not in the minority, I live children on the whole, mine and other peoples. Little children out with their families is lovely, sticky fingers can be washed and tables wiped, a bit of noise from small children isn’t the end of the world, I’d far rather see a family out enjoying themselves eating together albeit a bit chaotic than drunk, ridiculous adults ! Thank goodness the days of children veing seen and not heard are long gone. Little children learn from their surroundings and their families, they learn how to be social, try different foods, meet different people. Blame the parents if you think their children aren’t behaving well and think back to when yours were little, I’m sure even those with perfect children sometimes misbehaved !

ONS?
Autocorrect - I have no idea what it was meant to be, pub I think.
Certainly not the Office for National Statistics 😀

It depends on the ONS.

Some pubs are just drinkers' pubs and I wouldn't expect to see children in there.

Many pubs are pub/restaurants and I don't see why families shouldn't go there with children for a meal.

The majority of pubs nowadays serve food, they often have a children’s menu.

I think it’s good that the hospitality industry welcomes humans of all ages. I didn’t have my children to leave them with a babysitter whenever I fancied eating out we included them, our children have the same attitude towards the grandchildren.

I wouldn’t like to go back to the children are seen but not heard era

If a pub decides on a no child policy, that’s up to them and the public should respect that.

I don't think a pub is a suitable place for children and I don't think they are allowed under age here.
If they can behave in a restaurant that is OK.
I don't understand the constant need to eat out that people have nowadays. It's very expensive.
Family were home last week and must have spent a fortune, out for coffee, dinner etc.
The best day was a BBQ at her brothers house.

When my DC were young pubs were much less welcoming to families (late 80s early 90s) and we'd often arrive and DH would go in and ask where we could sit (if at all!). Often it would be in the skittle alley, or a side room. Our DGC are expected to behave if we go to the pub and do! We're off to our local for lunch tomorrow with them to celebrate DH's birthday

As for not doing things like the French, well all cultures are different and we still seem to have the 'children should be seen and not heard' mentality here

Children in restaurants yes, in pubs no, I have worked in bars when I was younger, and people want to have a relaxing drink without children around.
I went for a pub a couple of years ago that clearly stated no children, people still bought them in and expected the publican to make a exception for them.
It was a very popular pub by the way.

It’s the parents that need to be aware that the grandparents aren’t just there to look after the. Children. They’re their responsibility. I work with kids and some behaviours I’ve witnesssed in our local pub restaurants is disgraceful. I usually choose restaurants I know don’t have many kids!

If the children are behaving in a way that could be considered free range it is the parents who are at fault not the children.

👏👏👏 Bella.

Took mine into pubs and Restaurants from small babies.
Same with our Grandchildren can't recall having any problems with them. Certainly would not let them run amock around a Restaurant.

I do recall us group of Mums from the local Playgroup going about once a month to the local pub with our children for lunch. Luckily they sectioned off an area for us, otherwise doubt we would have gone.

Kamiso

I seem to be in the minority! I like children and enjoy watching them interact.

Perhaps the children can feel the hostility from certain adults and react to the unpleasant atmosphere created by the supposed adults.

So you don't mind sitting on sticky chairs, other peoples children reaching up to YOUR plate and helping them selves, crawling under your table ,tripping waiters up with hot food or a tray of drinks or showing their dirty bottoms.
I hope the children do feel the hostility from other adults and change their behaviour. accordingly. They would not be allowed to behave like this in a school dining room I can assure you ,so why do they think they can do it with their parents? It's because they know they can and it will be ignored or laughed at and encouraged.
GMS says a lot when she says you judge the age of your child when they can be trusted to be taken out for a meal.
Pubs or beer gardens are not playgrounds for children,they do that only if the pub provides one.EEJit has got it right.

It's very simple, the parents can't be bothered teaching manners to their children.

They will end up being thugs and hooligans

I didn’t take my child out to eat until he was 7. By then he knew how to behave and, of course, how to eat nicely.

Yes well lucky you lot with your perfect children. DS was perfect but DD was a nightmare until she was about 4. Grizzle grizzle nothing right, don't like this, don't like that, want to go home, want to sit on your knee. Couldn't take her anywhere.
Obviously we avoided restaurants and just did our best to love her out of this phase.
Transformation thereafter. Aged 8 the comment from the waiter "Your daughter is an ornament." (Which she has continued to be, having turned 50 this year.)

There’s no law saying we have to like other people’s children and enjoy watching them interact Kamiso. I’m one who very definitely doesn’t and I know I’m by no means alone.

There used to be a games room at the back of pubs when I was younger where parents abandoned their children whilst they smoked and drank alcohol in the bar. My parents never even used to check on us and there was a wide range of ages in these rooms. The assumption of ill behaved parents is nothing new and certainly not just British.

I seem to be in the minority! I like children and enjoy watching them interact.

Perhaps the children can feel the hostility from certain adults and react to the unpleasant atmosphere created by the supposed adults.

Just an idea but might some of this anti social behaviour be because the family never sit down to eat a meal together at home ? Children are given finger food and plonked with a screen or in front of the TV.
I can remember Sunday lunches at home could be fraught when one started to play up but they soon learned what behaviour was acceptable and how to use a knife and fork. We talked and engaged with them they were spread among the adults at the table.
I will admit We have friends I refuse to go out with to our favourite gastro pub because of the behaviour of their children. Sticky fingers reaching up to other adults plates ,tripping up waiters and the final straw one pulling down his pants and wiggling a full Monty. His parents thought it was hilarious until they saw our faces.When DH payed the bill I told the owner who we know they were not my grandchildren.

We took our dc out to restaurants and pubs when they were tiny. We used to use a family run Italian restaurant who made a huge fuss of our dc. As they got a bit older we’d take books and colouring stuff to keep them entertained. And would go lunchtime or early evening. They were never allowed to run around restaurants or pubs.
I don’t mind children in pubs or restaurants as long as they’re well behaved, unfortunately many are allowed to run around both inside and in pub gardens .
My DS did bar work during uni and found badly behaved children a huge problem , he’d be carrying plates of hot food and dodging kids running amok . And this pub was in a yummy mummy area in south London.

I’ve had meals spoiled by children, not just the ones running around, which is inexcusable, but also the ones who talk loudly, as small children often do. Their parents might love to hear their animated chatter but I don’t want to. I didn’t inflict my child on people trying to have a relaxed meal until he could be guaranteed to be quiet and well behaved and I don’t appreciate the presence of other people’s small children unless they are quiet and well behaved.

Agree on your comment about teachers ignoring their own children!

We never ate out ourselves so therefore this subject never arose. We took it in turns to entertain family and friends in our own homes.
When I was a child pubs did not serve meals and children were not allowed under the age of fourteen and were not allowed alcohol under eighteen.

We all go out to eat as a family when we are together - DS, DiL, DGC and us. We talk as a family and enjoy the time together. My DGC are 5 and 8 and are very well behaved.
It is what we did when our children were young.