I think they should do this in all resturants
I have Hyperacusis, it is a sound sensitivity condition. Basically, sudden loud noises cause me pain and discomfort. There is NOWHERE these days, you can go that isn't filled with children.
I haven't been to a resturant in nearly a year, because every time I go, some idiot waiter said they won't sit kids by me, and you know they sit kids by me. It would be one thing if parents knew how to take care of children. It seems they feel they don't have to know, or aren't required to be bothered by parenting.
For one, when your child cries. Take them to the washroom, take them outside, don't make everyone else in the resturant have to endure your child's crying. Too much trouble? Try hiring a babysitter.
I also really am sick of parents having a nasty attitude to non-parents about their children. Things such as, "Well why should I have to move, what do you have against kids! Do you hate children? That's it you must hate children!" Like some how if the villanize you, as a child-hater, that's a reasonable way to get out of a situation that could simply be remedied by moving somewhere else. I don't go to Chuck E Cheese and yell at the kids to shut up, ok? So if you go to a resturant, you need to realize the place is for adults.
There's also, "How DARE you question my ability as parent? You're not a parent, so you know NOTHING!" As well as, "My child never misbehaves or cries." A few minutes later the child is crying, and the parent is looking around like a helpless victim.
That's another thing, I have no pity for the whole "I can't help it, my child just won't behave" martyr claim. Like,
"Help me I'm a victim of my own child's behaviour..won't you understand?!" I won't understand, you're the parent. Being a parent means you know where your child is or isn't welcome based on their ability to behave. Hey how about ordering out, I have to since there is no place I can go that isn't filled with screaming children.
Finally, there's the claim that because I don't act "retarded" I therfore must not have a problem. I must be wanting attention. Yeah, cause I really like having to be treated like a child, because I have a higher sensitivity to loud noises. Oh and how I love having to have a near panic attack at every resturant I try to go to, when inevitebly some child starts to screech, while mommy looks around like a deer in headlights.
I hope other resturants fallow suites. I'm in IL, they recently had enacted a state-wide smoking ban. I hope the resturants see this as an opportunity to make the smoking sections the new "family" section at resturants. It isn't about wanting sometime away from kids, it's that today there is virtually nowhere to get away from kids. Albeit it's more than reasonable to assume you will be around kids at Disneyworld, I mean, duh. With other resturants, I don't really see an excuse for it. There used to be a time where children just weren't welcome somewhere.
Now you can't have that lest, the parents get mad at the resturant, as if they were their own small child's age. Proclaiming, "It's not fair!", with the reasoning of a two-year old's understanding of fairness in life. Being a parent does not entitle you to act your own child's age towards other adults.
That's my rant on the subject. I just felt maybe if you saw the perspective from someone who virtually cannot go anywhere to eat, because every resturant now is an un-official Chuck E Cheese, you'd understand how important it is that Disney is taking this stand. I'm sure resturants would gain much more money, if they seperated the families from the adults who want a quiet dinner.
Oh and before anyone mentions it, I have tried earplugs. You can't eat with earplugs, the movement of the jaw forces them out of the ear. Aside from that, I'm fine most of the time with it. It's not that crippling. It's just that if I pay money to go to a resturant, I don't want to be paying for the opportunity to sit next to some clueless parent, and their squalling child. While the parent looks around acting like some sort of helpless baby themselves. It's pathetic.
You want to make a better dining atmosphere? How about the parents just get off their and do some parenting?
