Reply #79: I've often wondered [View All]

if these anti-brat policies are less about the kids - the majority of them do behave themselves at least as well as the adults in my experience - and more about the parents.

When I've worked in the service industry off and on, parents with children in tow proved themselves to be nightmare customers, regardless if their children were mild mannered or complete hellions. Upper middle class parents in particular seem to think they not only can make bizarre demands on the staff, but that they suddenly have a say in other customers' behavior. They tend to act like the whole world has an obligation to become Sesame Street the minute they step outside their house. I had one woman try to demand that a group of 20 year old women "cover up" out at a hotel pool because she decided to bring her two (perfectly behaved) little kids out - they were wearing bathing suits and she wanted them to wrap themselves in towels or put their clothes back on.

Have you noticed the passive aggressive stares and sighs you get from these parents when you go out lately? It certainly makes me want to avoid any place where people are bringing children, and I'm sure it chases away business and stresses out the staff. It has nothing to do with the actual kids though.