Man threatening to "help quiet down" a loud obnoxious toddler scenario

[Jcabin]

Now, having been a responsible parent, there is a difference between a toddler who is in a full-blown meltdown and one who is just be "conversant". We have left restaurants when our children are starting the meltdown...because we don't want to be "those" parents. However, if someone cannot tolerate a conversant child who cannot form words yet, then I say get over it. It's the parents of children who subject the rest of the restaurant (or airplane!!) to their children's full-on, overblown, meltdown...then those parents need realize the world doesn't revolve around them and their child...

+1
My daughter is only 14 months old, and cannot form words, but she does her own little thing, which is what I assume you mean by conversant. We've been bringing her out to diners and restaurants for quite some time and there has never been a problem. She's normally just a little peach, and at the most she throws in a few shrieks of joy. If someone really has a problem with an infant enjoying her day, then they need to get lost, because I'm not going anywhere. Conversely, if my child began screaming and losing control, she would be escorted outside or into the bathroom until her outbreak subsided. Luckily, that hasn't happened. Mainly, because mommy and daddy are in tune with their child and can see when she is started to get frustrated, or bothered by something, and know how to help her keep a smile and entertain her so she doesn't get to a break down point.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[CCWFlaRuger]

I'll stand up... at 6'2", 320, most likely, he will sit back down... if not, he will have to go through me to get to my child. That will not end well.

For the record, I have always been on the forefront of controlling and quieting my child in public and he is quite well behaved.

For those of you who say that my child has no business being out at the resturant, or in public, or what-have-you, I believe that the Constitution allows for the freedom to the "persuit of happiness" (which happens to be in your resturant) and the "Freedom of assembly", so...

You were a kid once and annoyed someone in the next table, now it is your turn... it's called charma. There are bigger things to worry about in life than a screaming kid, deal with it and move on.

[shockwave]

There are bigger things to worry about in life than a screaming kid, deal with it and move on.

Upon reading this, I find myself feeling far more sympathetic with the fellow in the original post. And I'm not talking about the parent.

[MikeRR]

Yes, well the place for such instruction is McDonalds. That's pretty much it, when it comes to restaurants. Any place that has seats not made of hard molded plastic is not appropriate for your "lil' screamer." Once we're talking $10 a head or better, there should be no cooing, screeching, howling, chirping, barking, spoons banging on plates, or similar ear-splitting explosions of toddlerdom.

Then why do they have high chairs? Or changing tables in the restroom? I'm sorry, but you sir, are living the past.

The only exception I would allow is if the child is of silent deportment, but barring that, if it's younger than 3, your choice is McDonald's, Wendy's or Burger King. Got it? End of choices.

I am not going to feed my baby nasty fast food because kidless patrons have a problem with some goo-goo-gagas.

[Guardian]

As stated, inform the management and if they can't control the individual, then piss on them, I will control this loud mouth if he attempts to touch my wife or grandchildren. Say what you want, do what you want, but no one touches my wife or grandchildren, no one.

[automatic slim]

I do not understand people who bring their screaming toddlers into dining establishments. There should be a Dante-esque locale for such villains.

The same goes for movie theaters.

[CCWFlaRuger]

The same goes for movie theaters.

Now, this I agree with. We never took my son to the theater until he was 4 so that we could be certain that he would behave, and he did! I have no desire to have my movie interrupted by my own son, much less anyone elses.

[Ice Man]

Refraining from childish behavior yourself might be a good start.

You do realize that dumping a plateful of food on someone very likely constitutes assault, don't you? Someone makes a comment, you escalate the confrontation, you throw food, and then you brag about it? As if you did something you should be commended for. Wow.

It was better than breaking his jaw on the spot. I am a man who is not going to sit idle as someone insults my wife and children. Childish behavior, yes. uncalled for, no. He was either going lo leave, shut his mouth, or get into a physical fight with me. I was not going to throw the first punch, I was hoping the plate of chicken would get him to do it or just leave. I think with all the talk of defensive situations, many loose sight of the fact that sometimes honor needs to be defended. You do not use a pistol for that, I was in fact unarmed. You say I escalate the confrentation, that was the goal. You say I commited assault, yep, I was aware of that and prepared to sit in jail for two hours on a disorerly conduct charge too. Grow some balls man.

[carguy2244]

This isn't a parenting scenario. The child is already talking, playing, noisy, screaming, whatever. But the child's behavior isn't in question. The scenario is: the guy at the next table gets up, and threatens to silence the child. The question to be answered: What are you going to do about it?
I'd stop them by whatever force was needed, up to and including lethal force. There'd be no manager involvement, no 911 calls, not by me or my wife anyways.
I've been down this road, not when my boy was a toddler, but at 11, and a 13 year old boy started a fight with him. My son got an aluminum bat and went after him. The other kid ran away, and that night the kid's father came banging on our door, drunk, ready to teach my kid a lesson. A grown man, coming to straighten out my son. The results were ugly - not fatal - but would've been if that's what it took.

[gruntingfrog]

It was better than breaking his jaw on the spot. I am a man who is not going to sit idle as someone insults my wife and children.

So, you're saying the proper response to insulting speech is violence? If that's the case, you're exactly the type of person that people are afraid of walking around with a gun. Congratulations.

[StcLurker]

I've got a 7yr old and a 4yr old. I know they can be brats at times...but if someone else thinks they can do the parenting for me?

"THAT'S A WAR FACE!"

that said, as far as what eateries they go to, the general rule of thumb is, if alchol is served, they are probably too young for the place.

[jp3276]

Now, having been a responsible parent, there is a difference between a toddler who is in a full-blown meltdown and one who is just be "conversant". We have left restaurants when our children are starting the meltdown...because we don't want to be "those" parents. However, if someone cannot tolerate a conversant child who cannot form words yet, then I say get over it. It's the parents of children who subject the rest of the restaurant (or airplane!!) to their children's full-on, overblown, meltdown...then those parents need realize the world doesn't revolve around them and their child...

+1. My wife and I are "breeders" as biker so eloquently stated it, and currently have 3 boys 4 and under. Needless to say we do not go out to eat very often but when we do we are EXTREMELY respectful of others near our table. I have, on more than one occasion, spent the evening in the parking lot with a child while the rest of the party finished a meal.

I will say that if anyone tries to put a hand on one of mine it would be a BIG mistake. If you are going for one of my children I do not know what your intentions are and I am not about to wait and find out.

As far as lethal force goes however, or drawing for that matter, if I am between the person and my family member I have removed opportunity and jeopardy. They still have the innate ability to do harm to my child but with me between them haven't I removed at least one of the other two, opportunity and jeopardy. In that case drawing is unnecessary and will probably get me into a world of trouble.

[CCWFlaRuger]

Look, at the end of the day, this all boils down to one thing. The most primal instinct in the world is to breed... the second is to protect the young.

Regardless of the situation, regardless of who is right, or wrong, noone has any right to lay hands on another person's child and should expect a fight to the death if they are willing to try.

[centermass]

I'm a father of 3. All of my children are very well behaved and have never caused a disruption in a restaurant. The bad part in todays society is the fact that you can't really discipline your children in public anymore. Today, you can be arrested for disciplining your child in public. Then people wonder why kids aren't as polite and as well behaved. Now to the original posters question. At this point it seems that everything else has failed and the man is coming towards one of my kids. I don't see myself pulling on an unarmed man just yet. I would put myself between him and my kids. I'm a relatively small guy, so I'm not very intimidating. But if I'm between him and my kid, he would have to physically move me. That would be assault. If he did touch me, I would immediately attempt to break his knee or headbutt him(if he's as short as me ). Or hit him in the throat. But I would let him make the first move and I would make it known that he touched me first. At that point, I have the right to defend myself and that would take my child out of the picture. In other words, I would make myself the focus of his attention. Not my child. Sometimes a parent has to take a hit for their child. Either way, the man would never make it to my child. If he got past me, my wife would already have her concealed piece out and ready for him. It would probably be easier for her to get off after shooting him, because after all, he just assaulted me to go after my child. That would show intent to do bodily harm to my child. By that time everyone in the restaurant would have noticed him attempting to assault me to get to my child. And by now, he would probably look like a lunatic. I would also be screaming for him to stay away from my child the whole time so that others would know what was going on. My wife says I really know how to piss someone off, I don't know why.

[Eagleks]

And this is on here, imagine what it would be like in a restaurant.

I take the kids certain types of places, and when I want a quiet meal alone ... or with someone... I go other places.

Parents should keep their kid's behavior within reason, but there are many who do NOT do that and think anything they do is OK.
There are some people who want to take things into their own hands. Both are wrong in my opinion. Take em both to jail and let us eat dinner.