Lady Breast Feeding Baby at Restaurant
Woman Slammed for Bringing Breastfed Baby to 'High-End' Restaurant
The internet has slammed a woman who brought her breastfeeding child to a Michelin-starred dinner her brother paid for. He had intended to use the occasion to make a big announcement, but instead she got all the attention.
In a post shared last Wednesday on Reddit, the woman's brother, who goes by the username restaurantdinner49, explained that he and his girlfriend have been trying to have a baby for the past two years. When they found out she was pregnant, they decided to announce it at the big engagement dinner at a very fancy restaurant that he had originally booked 10 months in advance to propose to his girlfriend.
The couple paid for a family dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant for 12 people, including close relatives from both sides, making sure to send everyone the etiquette rules for the place, which was non-child friendly.
The man wrote: "Dinner was yesterday. My sister Emily decided to bring my nephew Kit with her who is still breastfed and is currently teething (he is 6 months old). So instead of celebrating Jessy's pregnancy a lot of people were feeling uncomfortable due to my nephew crying nearly constantly and the owner of the restaurant at some point asked us to leave since kids were not allowed and my nephew was disturbing other guests."
After some hesitation, his sister and her baby ended up leaving the restaurant.
He added: "Later that night my mum and my aunt (aunt wasn't present as she lives quite far away and can't really travel) both called to tell me that what I did was an a**hole move and Emily is now upset and I need to apologize."
According to the Etiquette Scholar website, even in the most child-friendly places, children should be taught to speak softly and to be on their best behavior. They suggest reminding your child of what the experience will look like beforehand.
Since a young child probably isn't accustomed to waiting for meals, they suggest you take a small drawing pad and colored pens to keep them occupied. For very small children, bring something they can eat while they wait for their order to arrive.
If a toddler gets restless or noisy and you can't stop the disturbance, you should escort them from the dining area and stay with them until they calm down.
The post, first shared on the AmItheA**hole sub, has received over 7,000 upvotes and 1,600 comments.
One user said: "If kids aren't allowed in the restaurant (legal? I dunno) and you told her this ahead of time, then you are NTA."
A second said: "Gosh I hate people who are so obsessed about kids that they call everyone who doesn't particularly like them or want them around a children-hater. Nothing about this is discrimination. It's a fact that children make a lot of noise and are erratic, so they simply don't fit into certain environments.
"I think it's great there are kids-free restaurants, spas, and hotels. There are also many parents who agree with this. Imagine saving up to have a date night with your partner - away from your kids - just to be annoyed by screaming children in a spa or restaurant. There are enough family-friendly places."
Another wrote: "I would spend all of my eating out money at kid-free restaurants if there were any close to me. I don't hate kids but I also don't want to be around them when I'm paying to enjoy a meal."
Newsweek reached out to u/restaurantdinner49 for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
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Source: https://www.newsweek.com/family-sister-brother-breastfeeding-michelin-star-dinner-1734908