Thursday 2 July 2009

**Sigh** (loudly)

This evening Hermione and I spent a wonderful two hours in a restaurant in town. We ate delicious food and indulged in lots of girly chat. We laughed, chuckled and shared the squishiest, caramel, chocolate cake concoction ever!

On the table next to us were a man, a woman and a girl of about six years old. During the whole time we were there they did not speak to her once other than to ask her what food she wanted. They were engrossed in their own conversation and she was left to play on one of those gadget type things - could be a DS but I don't know, I'm not entirely sure what one looks like.

As the night wore on the little girl became tired and cranky. I'm not at all surprised she got cranky. It can't have been much fun sitting there, to all intents and purposes alone. Did they respond by talking to her or finishing their meal and drinks and getting off? No, the mother produced a dummy from her spangly handbag and she then sucked on that whilst playing with her electronic companion.

Grrrrr, I'm off to squeeze a bean bag, kick the proverbial cat and all that. Some people just make me so mad...

3 comments:

Danae said...

I do so know what you mean. It really hurts me to see children treated that way.

Why on earth do the parents bother having them, if they feel like that?

Now, that is a form of child abuse, in my opinion.

Glad that you and Hermione had such a lovely time - idiot parents at the nearby table notwithstanding.

Elizabeth (My Reading World) said...

I think the gadgets and the 'mandatory' paper and crayons should be banned from all restaurants. They aren't play rooms. It really is not that hard to engage your own family in conversation during mealtime. And if they really feel it is--I'm with Danae--why have them?

If people would treat children with the same courtesy and respect they do other grown-ups, what a happier world it would be.

Clare said...

I'm just begining to appreciate and look forward to the times when it's just me and Jude doing something together. He's such good company, and at a relatively young age (3 1/2) it's getting a lot easier to go out and about.

My friend said that she had to make a promise to her husband not to whinge about all the horrendous parenting she witnessed while out and about with her kids - she said it was really getting her down. It's funny, but I feel privilaged to be part of something that really honestly values children, rather than sees them as inconviniences (sp?) to be farmed out to institutions as soon as possible.