From Deseret News archives:
Happy meals for everyone
Strahan is a special-education teacher at Ogden's Mound Fort Middle School, so she's seen her share of bad behavior. But none of it has made her believe there's any reason to tolerate what she has witnessed at Utah restaurants.
"There is no excuse for allowing your children to behave like animals," Strahan said. "I do think that we have a huge problem in Utah with teaching our children to act like human beings when they are not in the privacy of their own homes."
Many parents, however, paint a different picture: that of intolerant and impatient diners who seem to see only the few children who behave badly, ignoring the many well-mannered pint-size patrons.
"I find it silly to think that people want restaurants to have family sections," said mother-of-two Amanda Charlesworth. "If you don't want to be around children, go to a bar! That's a truly adult space."
Wherever you fall in this spectrum, one thing is almost certain you've got an opinion on the issue.
When the Deseret Morning News asked readers for their thoughts on kids in restaurants, responses ran the gamut from those (mostly anonymous) who could truly be called child-haters, to those who feel kids belong almost anywhere, restaurants included.
One thing was common among all responses, however: Bad behavior in restaurants, whether by kids, parents, childless diners or even servers, needs to stop.
"I equate it very much to flying on an airplane; you're going to have a divided group there," said Casey Bulkley, father of three and managing partner at Biaggi's at The Gateway. "You're going to have mothers and fathers and young children, and you can't control that child's mood."
Bulkley said he has seen a variety of family diners at Biaggi's, a "casual, white-tablecloth" Italian restaurant that has both a bar and a children's menu. "I've seen the spectrum, from people coming in with children and not really having any anticipation of how they're received either way; they're just happy to be eating out and bringing their kids in. And I've witnessed other people come in and literally lay almost a disposable tablecloth under the chair of the child and clean it up afterward."
By the same token, he said, since Biaggi's opened "numerous" diners have asked to be reseated at a "quieter" table, and at least a few of those diners were likely bothered by children. "If someone were to state that they want a quiet corner, we would accommodate whatever they wished."
Comments
- Soccer MVPs know how to win 1:56 a.m.
- Alta's Ohai is Ms. Soccer 2009 1:56 a.m.
- High school soccer: Past MVPs 1:37 a.m.
- Senators want food tax restored 1:27 a.m.
- Utah women lag in higher education 1:16 a.m.
- Hatch empathizes with Muslims 1:14 a.m.
- Matheson gets no thanks from GOP 1:13 a.m.
- Mitchell seeks to block witnesses 1:12 a.m.
- Party insiders may take on Bennett 1:11 a.m.
- Input sought on nondiscrimination 1:11 a.m.
- TCU showdown has big implications
- Seniors helped BYU regroup
- Lambert surprisingly tops news
- Hope for single moms
- Bystanders framed for child porn
- Korver and Miles to be evaluated
- Soccer MVPs know how to win
- Utah Jazz Extra: Whose hot/not
- Matheson gets no thanks from GOP
- Newhouse Hotel, an explosive end
- House passes health care bill
228 - TCU showdown has big implications
183 - Lobo suspended
182 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
154 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
118 - Thousands protest health bill
114 - RSL rallies to advance
103 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
97 - Utes pound winless Lobos
89
Today's blog is brought to you by the letter S. That's right, it's...
Sounds like a good option if you can't or won't switch to AT&T for the...
I worked with and around Bill Sederburg for 5 years while he was at...
hand. He needs to work on his moves to the basket and rebounding. Lateral...
play Fez or Koufos tonight. He went with a smaller line up and Boozer, Okur...
I've met Bennett before and he is a nice man. He also knows the Constitution...
That's never been a secret. Everyone will pay for it except those that don't...
I agree with NonMormon. I am active LDS, and I enjoy Ash's articles, and I...
I kept saying don't resign Milsap, especially after Portland offered that...
BYU is the slowest team that has ever been in the top 25. Utah will put up a...
i think u have the cowboys ranked too low! at least an A- LOL nice work!




You can be the first to comment on this story.