I have a toddler and kids running in restaurants just take my breath away with fear. My kid is small and hard to see, has the physical grace of a mid-blackout drunk, and has no concept of her own mortality. On the rare occasions we’re in restaurants I’m overcome by visions of her crashing into a server and bringing a…

I’ve got three grown sons, and I just don’t get these kinds of parents. When my kids were little if they started acting up in a restaurant, in faster than light speed we were having a come to jesus meeting with them in the parking lot. I can’t stand bratty behavior, so why would I think anyone else should tolerate it?

As a babysitter, I have been shocked at children’s entitled and bratty attitude - no, I am not your slave or maid and if you tipped your dinner on the floor delibrately because you were pissed at some imaginary slight, don’t then be surprised that I make you clean it up and you miss out on food. Shouldn’t have dumped…

I know someone like this. Our kids were playing baseball in the courtyard and my kid accidentally whacked her kid with the bat. Instead of taking care of her kid, she came out screaming at me and my kid. Her son is standing there sobbing, I’m checking the kid to make sure nothing’s bleeding or broken, another…

Yeesh. DOGS ARE NOT TOYS, PARENTS.

I HATE when they dismiss what you just said with “it’s okay”. Um no.

I feel like this is such a rare moment in internet history. July 22, 2015: article about screaming children is posted on the internet, commentariat comes to sane and reasonable consensus.

Hey look, guys! We found one!

When I worked at the hippy dippy vegan place back in the day, one of our most popular items was the hot buffet. I cannot tell you HOW MANY kids I had to steer away from putting their little fingers on the hot metal trays, the heating element, the knees of the server trying to load an entire tray of boiling hot food…

As someone who has been a server, sure, iPhone away. But if that thing has the sound on for the love of god get your kid headphones or something. It’s just as obnoxious at times as an overly loud child in a cafe or restaurant. Can’t say how many times I’ve had to keep myself for just glaring at their general…

Oh, you hit the nail on the head with that last sentence. I was weeded in a family place on weekend night and this kid about two years old hit me right in the knees, running around acting up. I ended up spilling a full, freshly made pot of coffee right down my front. The first thing I did (after dropping the pot) was…

I grew up in a very similar household. I apologize to people over silly things because I’m unconsciously terrified of being yelled at or having people upset with me.

if you’re actively parenting and trying to control the situation, reasonable people will have patience with you and the child.

Once, we were at a restaurant with family, and I handed my son his DS as soon as grown-up conversation started. My aunt glanced over. “We didn’t have those when we were raising children.” I braced myself for a ‘screen time’ tirade. Instead, she sighed.

Either cleaning it up or leaving an extra large tip are both acceptable. Personally, I never minded a mess if I was getting a big tip to make up for it.

as a child, I purposely dropped some garbage on the floor in the school hallway right in front of a teacher. When he asked me why I’d done that, I answered that the school had janitors, and it was their job to clean up.

I waited tables for years and would never have expected my customers to clean up food that they bought from the restaurant.

Parents who clean up after their messy kids in restaurants are the best. Honestly, I never really minded a little extra mess cleaning up after a table of kids, because kids will be kids, but some people seem to think that there’s nothing wrong with making someone else clean up your giant mess.

I wish parents would realize how dangerous it is to let their kids run around in restaurants. Not everyone is looking out for them! I, for one, don’t have children. I’m also tall and clumsy. This means that if I’m walking through a restaurant, I am not looking for your rugrat, I’m keeping my eyes at adult level. Which…

I wouldn’t normally think my perspective on this is that worth sharing, but you specifically asked for opinions, so here you go.