Neighborhood blogger Carol Toler wrote this original post in September 2008, and the topic came up again last week in one of her posts. We discussed the debate in this week’s podcast.
Sure sign of getting old
I love seeing all the cute young families moving into Lake Highlands. It’s just the “shot in the arm” we all need for community spirit, strong schools, and solid property values. But – did I just have dinner at Mi Cocina or Chuck E. Cheese?!? Tonight (Friday), my husband and I dined at the Lake Highlands Mi Cocina. We ate at the bar because the line was out the door. (That’s a good thing. We all need to keep patronizing our neighborhood eateries and shops if we want them to stay and the Town Center to get built.) No fewer than twelve toddlers moved into and out of the bar area during our hour there from 7 to 8 pm. Between the shrieks (“Daddy, hold me!”) and the running and the sword fights with straws, I was exhausted by the time I left. So much for our romantic date night.
Now that my youngest can drive, I’m kinda ready for some “grown up” time. It’s not exactly the French Room, but is the Mico bar really the best choice for screaming toddlers lugging their coloring books and their superhero figurines? The little girls in tutus were very cute (until they laid in the middle of the floor and the waiters couldn’t get by). Like I said, I must be getting old.
Posted by Carol Toler: September 05, 2008
Comments
• Perhaps another location would better suit you now. This is a family community – every time we go and take our toddler, there are tons of families there as well which we very much like.
Posted by: EM | September 05, 2008 at 10:00 PM
• How sad the art of teaching children proper manners and courtesy has been lost. This is a community of families, singles, seniors and empty nesters, not just families. Those with young children should realize that not everyone enjoys the antics and noise level of their offspring in a public setting. It is the parents’ responsibility to teach the children proper behavior in public and just telling those who complain to go elsewhere is not a valid answer.
Posted by: Teach Your Children | September 06, 2008 at 06:47 AM
• CLEARLY another location with less children would better suit those who are looking for a “romantic” night out. Whether well behaved or not, there are alot of toddlers in LH. There are also alot of Mi Cocinas in the area.
Posted by: EM | September 06, 2008 at 08:38 AM
• CLEARY those with rowdy undisciplined ill-mannered children should try CiCis or some other child-friendly restaurant. Leave the bar at Mi Cocina to other productive members of our community seeking a nice evening out without the distractions created by lazy parents.
Posted by: Teach Your Children | September 06, 2008 at 08:46 AM
• Complete agreement with Teach Your Children. My daughter has traveled with me since she was a baby – to restaurants, stores, sports venues, hotels, on flights, – everywhere. I’ve taught her courtesy in public places, just like my mother taught me. It’s not a hardship at all. Courteous children grow up to be courteous adults. This doesn’t mean she doesn’t have fun. She – WE – have a blast. But she respects the rights of those around her, she’s polite, and she behaves appropriately in the public arena. She’s only ten and she has a problem with misbehaving toddlers (or any aged kids) we encounter in public places!
Here’s an example for you EM: You’re at a baseball game with your family. You’ve got great seats that you’ve paid a lot of money for. You’re all having a great time. Here comes the obnoxious adult boor and he’s sitting two seats over and he’s loud and throws things and complains and you can’t hear the announcer and you can’t see the field and your kids have had their feet stepped on three times and you’ve got sticky Dr. Pepper in your hair. Chances are pretty good that when his parents took him to Mi Cocina, they didn’t teach him nor insist on polite behavior.
Chuck E. Cheeses serves its purpose well. It’s a place where parents, if they choose not to, don’t have to monitor their childrens public behavior to such a great extent. I would suggest to you EM that it is the location that would better suit you and your family.
Posted by: rarepair | September 06, 2008 at 08:58 AM
• I was at MiCo’s last night with my six month old. She was very cute and quiet so she didn’t bother you I hope but it was kid night at the restaurant. I think the restaurant was trying to seat most of them in the back room where we were sitting but that noise dosen’t bother me any more. Last night seemed more rowdy then most.
Posted by: AF | September 06, 2008 at 09:28 AM
• I’m in complete agreement with rarepair and TYC. I’ve never really understood why parties without children are expected to find other restaurants to go to. If a couple goes to Chuck E Cheese for a romantic dinner and is upset at the noise level, then yes – they are clearly in the wrong. But is expecting/desiring a romantic dinner at Mi Cocina really a crime?
Wouldn’t it be great if instead of a smoking and nonsmoking room, restaurants were forced to have children and non-children rooms?
Posted by: meredith | September 06, 2008 at 10:53 AM
• Its a good thing we are getting the old folks home at Church/Skillman. For an extra few bucks in rent each month, I’m sure the people there will be happy to add candlesticks to further enhance the ambiance in the dining room.
Posted by: John Mina | September 06, 2008 at 11:17 AM
• Oh wow….I am so glad to see someone finally touch this subject. I too love and adore all our new young families in LH. However, the run away kids do bother us and we have just stopped using Picasso’s because of the noise level and the uncontrolled kids on the patio.
I would like to see the parents control the kids, but not the way the man that sat across from us at Mi Cocina the other night with his wife and three young sons . As I watched he reached over and pinched the middle one very hard on the leg….I thought the kid was acting fine…and he noticed me watching and he turned to the little one, whispered something in his ear and pinched this one so hard the little guy laid his head on the table and cried. The mother did nothing. We wondered for several days if this guy treats his kids like this in public, what must he do at home ?
Anyone have any ideas of what you do in situations like this ? This is certainly not the alternative I want to rowdy kids.
Posted by: wanting the best for LH | September 06, 2008 at 11:22 AM
• “Wouldn’t it be great if instead of a smoking and nonsmoking room, restaurants were forced to have children and non-children rooms?”
I’ll go you one further.. how about putting all the elderly people in their own room? How about all the people who don’t look exactly like you? How about dividing us up by median income? Seems we are entering some dangerous territory here, because we’ve lost our ability to speak in common sense terms.
The world is, quite simply, a better place because there are children in it. Period. And the reason the above comment bothers me so, is that I’ve heard it before and it now seems to be perfectly acceptable to be anti-child in just about any venue or establishment these days. What a sad day for all of us.
Let me be clear… I am not okay with children running free in a crowded restaurant for many reasons – their safety, others comfort and it not being an appropriate place for play. I am a parent who has walked out of restaurants with my then 2 or 3 year-old because they were behaving inappropriately. Or took my children outside to walk around while my husband ate dinner, we then “switched places” so I could enjoy the company of our larger group and the kids could be outside of harms way and not bother other diners.
My children are learning how to behave in the world, and I am accountable for that behavior when they are in my care, as well as when they are older and outside my care. I cannot count the number of compliments we have received in many adult restaurants over the years for our children’s behavior. I politely respond each time, “we are doing our best to teach them – and some days we get lucky!”
However, if some had their way, we wouldn’t even be allowed the opportunity to teach them manners or how to behave in nice settings. Not every outing goes perfectly. But, dining out shouldn’t come at the expense of my children’s age-appropriate attention spans, nor the expense of other child-free patrons. Common sense, right?
My hope is that we can try to take the extremes out of our vocabulary. Children with good manners and attentive parents should be welcome anywhere, just as adults with good manners – ones who don’t consider pinching an appropriate etiquette lesson – should have their choices, too.
And as for advice on the pinching dad, all I can say is that if you know them personally you can approach the situation and comment discreetly. But unfortunately if you don’t, it often makes the situation worse for the children once the family is outside your range of vision.
Posted by: mom of young children | September 06, 2008 at 01:18 PM
• I would be delighted to have dinner with you and your children in any restaurant, MOYC, because you get it. It sounds to me like you’re a loving and attentive parent and I’ll bet you’re kids put a sparkle in the eyes of their teachers.
Absolutely, children should be welcome almost everywhere (I really do draw the line at topless bars and cock fights). BUT JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER HUMAN ON EARTH, they need to abide by the rules of the venue they are in. And that’s where we parents come in as teachers. My husband and I used the same techniques as you when El was a toddler. I don’t get parents who abandon the obligation to teach and practice courtesy in a public place and I see it all the time. It’s as equally unfair as a ‘Children and Non-Children’ section.
Love all the young families in LH! LOVE all the kids – I’m surrounded by them each and everyday – my daughters friends are forever at my house, I’m with the 600 plus kids at LHE almost every day. And I do my best to lovingly and consistently teach any of them on ‘my watch’ courtesy – in public places, at home, to each other. The scene described by Carol with the dozen kids running wild is completely unacceptable. And ultimately detrimental – to the kids.
As to the pincher. Perhaps a well choreographed plate of hot pasta ‘accidently’ spilled in his lap next time you see him out might be the ticket LH. Food for thought.
Posted by: rarepair | September 06, 2008 at 01:57 PM
• “I’ll go you one further.. how about putting all the elderly people in their own room? How about all the people who don’t look exactly like you? How about dividing us up by median income? Seems we are entering some dangerous territory here, because we’ve lost our ability to speak in common sense terms.”
You’re right! If I want a romantic dinner, I have to stay home. This seems fair to you, yes?
Posted by: meredith | September 06, 2008 at 02:11 PM
LisaThis, unfortunately is a debate that will last lifetimes. I am “getting old” too, but I am in a position of having an adult child living in LH as a young married homeowner, as well as having a preschooler whom my husband and I take to dinner frequently. Seems to me going out to eat is more part of our culture these days than it was 40 years ago, and is not necessarily a “treat” as much as just eating dinner. We try to stay away from quiet restaurants or Lower Greenville on “date night” with our son, but the neighborhood places seem as though they should be family friendly. As for kids’ behavior, my goodness, if anyone really thinks parents have complete control, I believe that is a very naive notion. I was a young parent with three very well behaved children. I could confidently take them anywhere in public. I was complimented on what a “good” mother I was. Hah! I thought I knew so much by the time my fourth child was born. Ever hear that God has a sense of humor? I’ll leave it at that.
Posted by: Lisa | September 06, 2008 at 02:49 PM
• Lisa, I don’t think anyone is asking for perfection in controlling their children’s behavior, but only a good hearted attempt at it. For example, once I was hit in the back with food by a neighboring table’s screaming children engaging in a food fight. Proper behavior for eating out in a public place? No. Did the parents try to stop it? No. I really do not blame the children as they obviously have not been taught proper behavior in public. I do blame the parents for not attempting to put a stop to it. Thinking a child’s food fight is “cute” in a public venue when it attracts the attention of surrounding tables is beyond me. Fortunately the restaurant was not full and we were able to pick up our plates and dinner ware and physically move to a quieter location and enjoy the remainder of our dinner. And yes, we left a large tip for the hassle we caused the staff in relocating.
Our restaurants should be community oriented and no one should discriminate against anyone; however, everyone should be courteous and considerate of one another. If a child is loud, obnoxious and misbehaving, a responsible parent will deal with it accordingly. An irresponsible, lazy parent will not. It is possible for everyone to enjoy the same restaurant with common courtesy and responsibility. After all, we want to keep our Lake Highlands dollars within Lake Highlands. Telling someone to move on to another location won’t serve that purpose very well.
I do appreciate your God’s sense of humor reference. How true!
Posted by: Teach Your Children | September 06, 2008 at 03:48 PM
• 7-8pm in a crowded restaurant with hungry kids and a long line is a recipe for disaster. We take our well behaved kids (ages 6 and 4) to Mi Cocina every Friday night but we go at 5:30 and we never have a problem!
Posted by: An LH mom of two boys | September 07, 2008 at 11:47 AM
• There are several issues at work here. The overriding one is that there aren’t enough quality, family-style restaurants in Lake Highlands. Mi Cocina isn’t really a kid-friendly restaurant. Picasso’s is, so if you go there, buyer beware.
But for the people who say, “I’ve taught my toddler to behave well in public.” – You’re kidding yourselves. You just happen to have a mild-mannered kid. With some kids, it doesn’t matter how many times their parents scold them and discipline them, they just aren’t going to sit still in a restaurant. It’s just something they have to outgrow – and most of them do. Sure, there are some parents who don’t give a whit and let their kids run wild. Those are the people who deserve the dirty looks.
But some kids are simply uncontrollable, no matter how hard the parents try. You can’t reason with a 3-year-old, and sometimes resorting to harsh discipline or corporal punishment creates a bigger scene than if you let the kid take a few laps around the table.
I used to be one of those people that looked down at parents whose kids were loud or couldn’t sit still. Now that I’ve been through that with a toddler of my own, I understand what they’re going through. It wasn’t because we didn’t try to make our child behave. We just avoided going to non-kid friendly restaurants for a while and waited for him outgrow this behavior. He’s now a well-mannered, well-behaved kid.
Posted by: Triple Wildcat | September 07, 2008 at 12:28 PM
• carol — you are NOT getting too old. i am in complete agreement with you and all those who agree with you. my husband & i are one of the new cute, young LH families but our child has 4 legs, floppy ears, and chases squirrels. we don’t take him to mico though, no worries! i do look foward to the days of babies and toddlers for us and i only hope that we will have the same decency, respect, and common sense that we hope for from current young parents. thanks for the hot topic!
Posted by: JP | September 07, 2008 at 01:47 PM
• seriously, Mi Cocina for a romantic dinner?!! The place is a step above fast food. (very glad to ave them in LH!!) I think your expectations are out of line (at least partially). No excuse for kids going unchecked, but MiCo is a known family spot, it should be expected. If you are at the French Room you have every right to expect a subdued atmosphere…but not at Mico, sorry.
Posted by: CBS | September 07, 2008 at 07:49 PM
• I think all kids should be relegated to eating at the playland at McD’s. That would pretty much solve everything. We get peace and quiet and you get value meals!
Posted by: chris | September 07, 2008 at 11:33 PM
• Mariano’s, two blocks south on Skillman, is a great option with a much better atmosphere.
http://www.marianosrestaurant.com/Posted by: KevinH | September 08, 2008 at 09:37 AM
• I know it’s not an LH area restaurant…but…Matt’s in Lakewood is FAR better than Mico — better food, better prices, and a great patio.
www.thetexmexchef.comPosted by: JP | September 08, 2008 at 10:14 AM
• Hopefully with the Town Center we will get a restaurant like The Woodlands on Forest just east of Preston. It is fairly new, has a delightful menu, soft music, open, light and bright, great patios and an incredible staff. The perfect place for a date night or adult conversation. They have one open in Denver, this one here and are opening one in Allen. Lets hope the Prescott group is pushing them to come to Lake Highlands. Mort Myerson is one of the backers and my money is with him, this restaurant will be a winner. Go try it out and let Prescott know if you think we need one here.
Posted by: wanting the best for LH | September 08, 2008 at 11:06 AM
• If only Jonathan Swift’s ‘Modest Proposal’ had any legs, then this discussion would be moot.
Posted by: Bill Kennedy | September 08, 2008 at 01:10 PM
• I do think the real problem here is that many, many parents are 1)totally and completely blind to misbehavior in their own children, and 2)totally and completely terrified of disciplining their children. My advice to Carol: try take out. The wine is cheaper, and with the addition of candles and the subtraction of an annoying waiter, you might actually like it better.
Posted by: beenthere | September 08, 2008 at 02:17 PM
• The problem is there was a time when there WERE restaurants that were generally accepted as not suitable for bringing children to, but now there’s nowhere for a date couple or just someone who wants some peace and quiet to go dine without feeling that they’re picnicing at a daycare center, and I think that’s a shame, especially for those parents who aren’t too cheap to get a babysitter so they have the precious date night out with their spouses and then find themselves dealing with the same irritations and lack of privacy as at home.
Posted by: Edie | September 08, 2008 at 04:22 PM
• Ah, must be nice to be a crotchty-old-fart where you have all the solutions to all the world’s problems.
To those whom eating in the presence of children offends you: you can go to Javier’s or Bob’s anytime you want. To those who refuse to teach your children The Golden Rule: you reap what you sow, have fun when they turn 15!
I love LH. I love young families moving here rather than the burbs. I love all our local restaurants (except for the one Chinese place that gave me food poisoning). I even love all the old-farts that mistake bathroom fixtures for lawn art. Please Carol Toler don’t turn our quaint little oasis into an elitist class system suburb!
Posted by: Dave | September 08, 2008 at 04:25 PM
• Also, it is just beyond rude to bring a child who is either too young or too uncontrollable and foist them on the public. You chose to have children, and they’re your responsibility. Not everyone wants to be your village.
Posted by: Edie | September 08, 2008 at 04:26 PM
• “I think all kids should be relegated to eating at the playland at McD’s. That would pretty much solve everything. We get peace and quiet and you get value meals!”
this is truly shocking. i can think of a few places where you can get some peace and quiet…HOME. to further that, if you are not interested in dining with loads of children around perhaps visit victory park, uptown, downtown, west village, shops at legacy, inwood village-as of now LH only has two options to eat-OF COURSE THEY ARE GONNA BE CROWDED WITH CHILDREN. hopefully LHTC brings choices like the centers just mentioned; therefore, the kiddos aren’t all in one place at one time. and remind me are we talking about a few rowdy kids out with their parents (we parents deserve margaritas occasionally too! gasp.) or disrespectful humans participating in food fights b/c this all seems to be a bit exaggerated. shouldn’t we all just be happy that LH is experiencing success in it’s restaurants? pick your battles. and why you are doing that pick a better choice for your date night!
Posted by: proud LHr | September 08, 2008 at 04:30 PM
• Just allow lots of smoking and parents will keep their kids away… You never see kids in a smoky bar only nice ones (bars are supposed to be smoky by the way).
Posted by: Marlboro Man | September 08, 2008 at 04:42 PM
• Eating out is a part of our lives/culture today – maybe an older generation sees that differently possibly? MiCo is a stretch for romantic dinner in LH – There are lots of kids there, whether well-behaved or not. We take our toddler to restaurants before 6 p.m. to avoid the meltdown hour and to get seated quickly, etc. It usually goes very well that way but sometimes when it doesn’t we have to leave quickly and get it to go, etc. We avoid places that are quiet, not well-lit, do not have kid menus, etc. to not disturb others. We are like another poster mentioned, doing our best to teach but reality is we have a toddler and she is learning and we make much effort to be courteous to others. It seems to me, as we avoid adult type places, the poster might avoid family places if the kids bother them so much.
Posted by: EM | September 08, 2008 at 04:59 PM
• As a restaurant industry employee for ten years and a mother of two I can tell you that your annoyance with unruly children has nothing to do with getting old! I don’t have a problem with children in any restaurant. I love to see children eating out– trying new foods and learning what a cool, “grown up” place restaurants can be. My issue is with children screaming and/or running around in a restaurant. I’m surprised to see all of these otherwise well-meaning parents seem to let all parental responsibility fly out the window in restaurants. It sends a message to kids that they are the most important person in the room. I don’t need to explain why that’s a bad idea :)! Also, it’s not safe to let kids run around a restaurant. I’ll never forget seeing a boy literally go flying across the room when he was running through the dining room and was hit with a tray. It was traumatic for everyone involved but wouldn’t have happened if the kiddo had been seated. It boils down to teaching your children to be polite. Whether it’s not screaming in deference to the elderly couple sitting next to you or staying in your seat in deference to the waiters trying to do their job. Everyone deserves respect and kids need to be made aware of their surrounding and how their actions effect others.
Posted by: former restaurant mgr/ mommy | September 08, 2008 at 05:34 PM
• Wow! It’s nice to know folks are reading my blog. Thank you.
First, I love children – my own four and the other darling ones I see around the neighborhood. I took my children out to dinner often when they were young. I consider that wonderful “face time” and have great memories from it. Dinner out allows you to focus on each other – not the phone, the laundry, your homework, etc. I am delighted to see the many young families buying houses (and eating out) in our neighborhood. For me personally, I find that there are some places at some times on certain nights that judgement calls have to be made about what is appropriate for my family and my children. I hope my blog post causes us to think about what our “family policy” is for certain situations. Businesses have policies, so should families. Sometimes, families become so busy and so harried that they don’t have time to be intentional about where they stand. Been there, done that. If this discussion has caused you and your spouse to develop your family policy on this issue (even if it’s different from mine), then I am glad.Posted by: Carol Toler | September 08, 2008 at 05:41 PM
• I hear all your gripes – both sides actually – to the tune of 31 comments, that all but ensures us all with a follow-up blog or article about this topic from the Advocate.
But the solution is simple economics, also known as price discrimination. Go to Mi Cocina or any other establishment where a plate is < $20 and you are going to be at kid central. My suggestion, turn it up to $30-$50 plate and you’ve just purchased yourself some good ole peace and quite. I’ve been to Bobs, Nick and Sams and Juaviers in the past 2 weeks and not a kid to be seen.
And yes, Mi Cocina has some oustanding take out Ernie’s Chicken!
Posted by: Solution… | September 08, 2008 at 05:58 PM
• LET’S BAN KIDS FROM ALL RESTAURANTS IN EAST DALLAS. DISD sucks as bad as the post author’s attitude. It’s a freaking Mezkin food joint lady, not The Mansion. Why don’t you have a little snackey-poo and go at 8:30 when the kids clear out? As a proud father of a two year old and a 4 week old, I resent your attitude (not that I’ve been able to go out to eat in the past month).
People with attitude like yours just might help guarantee that families with kids head west to the more kid friendly environs of Southlake. So then you can have your sweet little date nite in peace, oh, but sorry, the restaurant closed due to lack of business.
Posted by: Chris M | September 08, 2008 at 09:53 PM
• “this is truly shocking.”
Probably wouldn’t be so shocking if it wasn’t a blatantly obvious joke. Relax, home slice. I was kidding.
Mi Cocina clearly isn’t the best choice for date night, but overpriced Mexican ought to at least buy you a bit of peace and quiet. Look, I think most of have enough common sense to know that Cici’s, Chucky Cheese, fast food joints, and family chains like Friday’s and Applebees are going to have plenty of kids so it’s a bit of a no brainer to avoid them all together. That said, I shouldn’t have to plunk down a $100 to not hear junior screaming and running around.
Posted by: chris | September 08, 2008 at 10:19 PM
• Although Carol, the original poster, may have wonderful memories of nights out with her children – I guarantee there are others who were there and do not have such great things to say about her or her parenting. Your attitude is terrible. Seriously, give it a break and go elsewhere. I don’t want my child around such a grumpy person – what a terrible example. I’m sure the new retirement homes being built here will be happy to have you for dinner.
Posted by: EM | September 08, 2008 at 11:59 PM
• My attitude might indeed be terrible, but so are your kids.
Posted by: chris | September 09, 2008 at 07:11 AM
• Whoa, peace, everyone.
I love all the young families in LH. I don’t mind having kids at Mico’s either. It’s fun to “flirt” with that cute 2 year old at the next table. I’ve even sat next to a baby who had just learned to make extrememly loud, high-pitched squeals and was oh-so-proud of herself. And only flinched a little. To their credit, her young parents were terribly embarrassed and finished their meal rather quickly, so as not to inflict too much ear damage on those dining nearby.
The problem comes when the kids are really unruly, screaming, running around the restaurant etc. When that happens, it’s time for the parents to step in and discipline or leave. Not only is it inconsiderate for the other diners, but as many have pointed out, dangerous for the kids.
And though our kids are now out of the house, don’t automatically assume we can go plunk down $30 a plate when we want to eat out. Heck, have you seen how much college costs? And anyway, we love our locally overpriced Mexican food (and heavenly margs), too!
Posted by: Leigh Ann Hicks | September 09, 2008 at 07:59 AM
• EM please post your social calendar so we know where you and your ill behaved kids are going to be. You are so defensive, shrill and sarcastic in your postings you must be one of the worst offenders are Mi Cocina.
Miss Manners
Posted by: Anti EM | September 09, 2008 at 10:25 AM
• I hear Luby’s has a special on Prune Salad.
Posted by: Chris M | September 09, 2008 at 10:32 AM
Others are frustrated at her attitude as well – it’s not just me. As I posted earlier, we go early and leave immediately if there are signs of a meltdown. We are probably hyper-sensitive to not ruining others’ night out. It is frustrating to hear such a terrible attitude and no willingness to own that yes, maybe MiCocina in LH was a poor choice for a date night. Maybe I was sarcastic but really, just go somewhere else if the kids bother you so much. It’s that simple.
Posted by: EM | September 09, 2008 at 10:53 AM
chris“just go somewhere else if the kids bother you so much. It’s that simple. ”
I think that’s the crux of the initial post. LH doesn’t really have anywhere else that isn’t overrun by kids.
Posted by: chris | September 09, 2008 at 11:24 AM
KWow, this topic is hotter than the crypto scare! ha!
My partner and I are childless and stopped going to Mi Cocina about 2 yrs ago. I understand its a family friendly place, but i agree with the original poster that 2 adults should be able to sit in the BAR and have a meal without the rugrats running around like screaming unruly banshees. We experienced that same scenario EVERY time we would step foot in the joint.Although, Since Mi Cocina built the restaurant brand new, they should have made a larger waiting area…therefore eliminating this all together. Let just hope that the new Town Center has some different options for everyone living in LH.
Posted by: K | September 09, 2008 at 12:52 PM
LauraWow! There does not seem to be a lot of compromise on this issue. I do not really view our neighborhood Mi Cocina as an adult only date night restaurant. It seems very much like a family restaurant to me. Edie’s comment that she thinks, “that’s a shame, especially for those parents who aren’t too cheap to get a babysitter…” seems odd to me. My husband and I both work full-time and prefer to spend our personal time with our entire family together; not because we are too cheap to get a babysitter. When we do get a sitter, we prefer to go somewhere romantic like St. Martin’s or The Grape, where we know we will have a nice adult only meal.
Furthermore, we work hard to ensure our child has proper restaurant manners. When we eat meals at home, we practice good manners (sitting at the table until everyone is finished, proper use of fork/spoon, napkin use, not being messy). We use the same rules at a restaurant so that the expectations remain the same. We started this when my son was a toddler and he has always done well in restaurants.
I do not think you should expect to go to Mi Cocina and have an adult only dining experience. At the same time, parents should not allow their children to run wild and disturb other diners. If you can’t control your child or teach them manners, then you probably should stick to dining out at loud kid oriented places when you dine out as a family.Posted by: Laura | September 10, 2008 at 03:11 PM
rarepairHere’s what Carol REPORTED:
“We ate at the bar because the line was out the door.”
“No fewer than twelve toddlers moved into and out of the bar area during our hour there from 7 to 8 pm.”
“…shrieks (“Daddy, hold me!”) and the running and the sword fights with straws…”
“The little girls in tutus were very cute (until they laid in the middle of the floor and the waiters couldn’t get by.”
Here’s what Carol OPINED:
“I love seeing all the cute young families moving into Lake Highlands. It’s just the ‘shot in the arm’ we all need for community spirit, strong schools, and solid property values.”
“That’s a good thing. We all need to keep patronizing our neighborhood eateries and shops if we want them to stay and the Town Center to get built.”
Here’s what Carol ADDED AS COLOR:
“So much for our romantic date night.”
I’ve tracked the many comments (cool!) and I’ve noticed that some of you commentators either didn’t completely read Carol’s very simple posting of her EXPERIENCE or you chose to make a whole lot more of it then it was – a posting of her experience. The closest Carol got to COMMENTARY was …”but is the Mico bar really the best choice for screaming toddlers lugging their coloring books and their superhero figurines?”
She didn’t bash anyone, she didn’t say she hates kids, she didn’t say that MiCo should be adults only, she didn’t expouse on the joys of parenting, she didn’t speculate on whether kids should be welcome in any/all restaurants (she talked about the MiCo bar).
She reported her experience.
I’m really quite taken aback at some of the responses she received, particularly the inarticulate personal attacks –
“Ah, must be nice to be a crotchty-old-fart where you have all the solutions to all the world’s problems.”
Or “Why don’t you have a little snackey-poo and go at 8:30 when the kids clear out?”
Or “I hear Luby’s has a special on Prune Salad.”
That was ugly to a lovely person. Re-read and focus folks. Carol is a thoughtful, long standing, hard working, contributing member of our community.
She went out. She reported. She posted – for our information, enlightenment, enjoyment and discussion. THIS she does as a service. And she does it well. In my OPINION, she’s among the most gracious people I’ve met (And she writes pretty good too). She wrote what she experienced, she didn’t diatribe. Whether it’s this posting site or another, she doesn’t have to share jack squat with any of us. But judging by the commentary, we’re all real glad she does. Hmm.
Re-read and focus folks. Think before you blast the person who’s handing you information. And when you respond, I would respectfully ask that you do it more thoughtfully and articulately. Difference of opinion? Cool! Once again, look up on this post and re-read what she wrote and then, only then, comment.
She also posts who she is saying what she says – Carol Toler, just like me, rarepair – JJ Pair. We’re not looking for criticism – Lordy, we only post ’cause they asked us and it’s pretty cool and we think…don’t git yer bowels in an uproar now…it’s fun for us and it gets news out and it is…dare I say it…for your benefit! (PLEASE don’t gimme a hard time about this. I KNOW YOU’RE ALL SMART AND YOU DON’T NEED ME! It’s late and I’m tired.).
Be kind in your responses. Make a point. Engage. Recruit. Think first. Don’t be mean. Let’s have some fun.
Posted by: rarepair | September 10, 2008 at 06:36 PM
JPI think we should all meet at the Mico bar for a drink. =)
Posted by: JP | September 10, 2008 at 08:02 PM
rarepairI’m there with ya baby…with my ten year old and her friends and any stray toddlers we happen to pick up along the way and maybe even a babe in arms or two.
I’ll take point, I’ll make sure we’re ALL polite, and we’ll ALL have a great time and I swear I’ll allow no kids or grown-ups to tear up the place. Each and everyone of us will be on our best behaviour!
Well, if I actually have a toddler in tow I may have to step out for a few minutes…BUT we’ll be back! With a smile and a great attitude.
Posted by: rarepair | September 10, 2008 at 08:37 PM
