Curb your kids signs?

[rworange]

It was politer than that and in Spanish

Gracias por cuidar a sus niños

Thank you for looking after your children

With all the vitrol that usually comes with the topic of children in restaurants, this seemed like a brilliant idea to me.

Has anyone seen anything similar in other restaurants?

It was discretely placed but in a location that could not be missed.

I think this would even work for the people who do let their children run wild. It might occur to them if they do NOT look after thier children, someone will say something. For those insulted by the sign ... well, good riddance.

HERE"S THE RULES

1. This Is ONLY about if you have seen this elsewhere and what you think of the SIGN

2. This is NOT about whether you think children belong in restaurants or not. Plenty of threads on that

3. This is NOT about adults behaving badly in restaurants.

Thanks in advance for your consideration of the rules ... well, let's see if that works.

It just seemed so logical to me and I wanted others thoughts as I might suggest that to other restaurants where an incident with children and inattentive parents happens.

[MissMechante]

At the bottom of my driveway, I have a sign that reads "Dogs allowed. Children must be leashed." Luckily there are no children that live on my mile long road, only 7 houses.

I appreciate seeing those signs in restaurants and stores,I have more confidence that the staff will deal with any unruly children.

[buttertart]

I've actually seen some of those child harnesses in use in NYC recently About damn time.

[babette feasts]

When my little brothers were little, they had the harness on a leash. I know a lot of people find them awful, your child is not an animal, etc., but it can be more practical than having to hold a hand every second in order to not lose the child, and he gets a little independence but not too much.

[buttertart]

Especially in places with a lot of traffic, foot and vehicular, they make a lot of sense to me.

[sunshine842]

airports....train stations....and kids who *refuse* to hold your hand (really -- would YOU want to walk around with your hand in the air all day?)

[mamachef]

I think it is a gracious and lovely reminder. I see nothing wrong at all with it.

[buttertart]

Nor do I.

[LeoLioness]

I can't see how a sign would actually be effective. Either people are conscious of how to behave in public (and that extends to their children) or they are not . Been in a movie theater lately?

[cowboyardee]

I've seen these, though not just in restaurants.

http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com...
Some interesting ones here. Not very subtle.

[rworange]

Funny comments too such as being woried about the gypsies that these kids would be given to.

Also good comment that some of this stuff is funny, but people know you ain't giving a kid to a gypsy. This was suggested as being more effetive "Don’t leave children unattended. Known paedophiles shop in this store"

Still, the polite sign in Spanish might be the best approach. It notes a potential problem and while not everyone willl comply, I think it would up the percentage.

[Isolda]

I have seen signs like this and never minded them, even when my children were small. I wasn't insulted because I never thought they were directed at me, since I would leave a restaurant if one of my kids was upset or disturbing others. Maybe the parents of unruly kids think the same thing?

I did see a very funny variation on the espresso and puppy sign in a bar/restaurant in Vermont. A server had apparently become fed up with uncontrolled children and posted a hand lettered sign that read: If you would prefer that we not serve alcohol to your children, please keep them seated with you at all times.

I don't know how long the sign was up, but I did see the manager take it down with an exasperated shrug, so I guess this sort of thing went on a lot.

[ospreycove]

Reminds me of a few years ago, we were in Spoleto, Italy in December having dinner in a trattoria. There was a young couple with a rather unruly child, not typical of Italian toddlers, this kid was throwing food from his hi-chair onto the floor, table, etc. After the family left, the owner looked at the table and floor and uttered a phrase that I did not understand; then turned to us and said "Signore, scusa, I'm sorry, but this family is from the South of Italy, not from Umbria!"
Not that the antics of this kid were bad, most American children could have given this ball of misdirected energy a run for his money, but so uncommon was this scene, the Trattoria owner, was embarrassed. I actually thought the whole thing was humorous; but the idea of any kids acting like feral maile is not too pleasant in any restaurant!!

[roxlet]

That is the equivalent of saying to a foreign tourist in NYC, "Sorry, but this family is not American." It's the typical way northern Italians look down on Southern Italians!

[buttertart]

I laughed when I saw that too. Somewhat ruefully.

[thew]

exactly. it's more like saying "what can you expect from a hispanic/black/insert the ethnicity you dislike here family"

[ospreycove]

thus the "Lega Nord", As we all know,......LOL...... the South of Italy is a drain on the industrious North. Uh oh, better sell my place in Sulmona, Abruzzo!!!!!!

In my post abovethe trattoria owner was full of the Italian bias, such as everything on his menu was "Ours is the best", the wine cheese even the water!!I think most Italians think the air from their area...."Is the best"

BTW.....in Sulmona the food and wine "are the best!!!!!!"

[DoobieWah]

Whoops! I shoulda read all of the responses first!

[chowser]

I'm thinking parents who let their kids run wild won't care. It's like those signs that ask people not to sit down until they have their food. People do it anyway. People who are considerate are considerate, people who aren't, aren't.

[cocktailhour]

I agree.

[jlhinwa]

It's a very tactful way of addressing the issue and could be very effective with people who are generally aware about the need to watch the impact of their kids & their behavior on others.

My guess is that the people who most need the instruction will think it applies to everyone else except them and their darling children. Or they will miss the point all together.

[smartie]

ah yes I remember seeing a sign at an entrance to a beautiful manicured garden open to the public in N London which said NO DOGS. Underneath that it said "Not even yours"

[sunshine842]

I think it's fine -- subtle enough to not be "in your face" (although the espresso-puppy sign is funny) and gets the point across that kids should be parented.

[thew]

i think it's a little pretentious

[MMRuth]

In what way? Thanks.

[goodhealthgourmet]

it's certainly more subtle than the ones here in the States that say "Unattended children will be given an espresso and a free puppy."

though i have to admit that one makes me chuckle every time i see it :)

[nofunlatte]

Yeah, I like that one too!

[meatn3]

I was getting ready to post the variation I've seen with a kitten!

I like the sign and always chuckle too. I think humor can often get a point across without creating a defensive situation. I suspect parents of young children become so used to the range of sounds produced that they loose sight of how jarring it can be for those who don't live with kids. Same for the energy level of children.

The visual produced from reading the sign is extreme enough to get the point across. FWIW, I've never seen a problem child situation in a place which had this sign posted!

[jujuthomas]

I have that sign in my kitchen, GHG, but it's sugar and a free puppy, lol!

I love the sign the rworange saw, but cannot recall seeing one myself, nor anything similar! I hope it is effective. :)

[rworange]

Good one. Will suggest both approaches to owners for the next "Kids gone wild" occasion.

[small h]

I've seen "Unattended children will be sold into slavery." I did not see any unattended children around, so either parents took the hint, or the proprietors weren't kidding.

[alliegator]

I've seen that around and I love it!!! Although my first thought is to slip the offending kid a Benadryl :p

[EWSflash]

Oh- good one!

[maplesugar]

fwiw I read the sign as "Thank you for taking care of your children" ...but I'm not fluent in Spanish.

[rworange]

Seems sort of the same sentiment as "Thank you for looking after your children".

The big point is the request. It was unusual in that the restaurant is in the middle of a large lawn area. The first thing I thought was "This is a great place for kids, they can run around". I guess some must have run around a bit too much and this was the way the restaurant handled it.

[melpy]

I am fluent and this was the first translation that came to mind but I feel that it is the same sentiment as what the OP said.