Many parents understand that raising a child can be quite stressful. At times, they just need a little break, which can sometimes lead to unexpected situations.
In the following scenario, a mother experienced this firsthand when she decided to take her baby to a local restaurant. The baby began to cry, so she promptly stood up to take the baby outside. Unfortunately, someone shouted at her, insisting that she should have left the baby at home.
This incident sparked an ongoing online debate. Was it appropriate for her to bring her baby to the restaurant, or was it the wrong decision? You can decide for yourself.
Here’s the mother’s perspective:
I’m 30 years old and have a three-month-old baby. Yesterday, I went out to lunch with my husband and some friends, and we brought the baby along. We chose a trendy gastropub, where the burgers cost between $15 and $20. This is in a high-cost area, and we’ve been regulars here for the past six years. Families with kids often dine here, so it wasn’t like we brought the baby to a strictly adult environment. We were seated on the outdoor patio.
During the first 30 minutes, the baby was quietly sitting on my lap. Eventually, he began to fuss, so I got up to take him outside to calm him down. Here’s exactly what happened:
The baby started to fuss, so I stood up and grabbed a pacifier and blanket from my bag.
As I was walking towards the patio exit, the baby began to cry.
If the next event hadn’t occurred, the baby would have been crying in the restaurant for no more than 20 seconds. As I was exiting the patio, someone from another table called out to get my attention. Thinking he was trying to tell me I had dropped something, I began to look around. He then shouted at me again, saying something like, “No one wants to hear your baby. You’re not fu**ing special.”
I’m not one for confrontation, so I simply turned around and left. After the baby had calmed down, I returned to the restaurant. The man tried to get my attention again, but I ignored him and walked past. The baby remained calm for the rest of our meal, but we received dirty looks from the man and his date until they left.
I asked some of my mom friends for their opinions and received mixed responses. Some think the man was being rude, others believe I shouldn’t have taken the baby out until he was older, and a few avoid dining out with their kids altogether, fearing it might bother other patrons. I’m curious to hear more viewpoints on this matter. Am I in the wrong?
