Three Mile Island - Baby Style

Actress Natalie Portman was in the celebrity gossip news this week when her 1-year-old son Aleph had what the report called a “Major Meltdown” in a popular eatery in Los Angeles recently. Kudos to Natalie for handling it gracefully; she even offered to pick up the check for a few other tables close by before taking her meal to go. While I surely don’t think her paying for others meals was necessary, it was a very nice gesture.

Everyone has had this experience at some time, probably from both sides; as a mother and as another patron of the restaurant. No matter how careful you plan the baby’s nap or happy time, sometimes it just doesn’t work out. They aren’t feeling good or are just having an off day or their little schedule is off slightly….and they throw a huge fit that you can’t seem to calm. They scream and/or cry no matter what you do. It’s just what babies do.

Give us your go-to plans for this type of meltdown. How do you handle the situation when it’s your little darling that’s throwing a fit? Give us your best advice!

Public diaper changes – That table’s for glasses, not asses!

First, we argue about the mother’s right to breastfeed in public and now, the right to change a diaper anywhere we wish, including a restaurant tabletop? Really?!

There have been numerous news stories about moms being asked to leave restaurants and even one where cops were called to an eatery in New Jersey because a woman decided to change her baby at the table stating there was no changing table in the restroom.

While most people realize, and common sense should tell you, that changing a diaper in a restaurant seating area is beyond disgusting, there are still some who don’t care what most people think. Some people won’t even use the changing table offered in a public bathroom saying it’s dirty. There are people who won’t lay their child on a changing pad on the floor of the bathroom saying it’s filthy, but have no problem contaminating your eating surfaces.

The sense of entitlement is dumbfounding! Talk about unsanitary and offensive. People have to EAT there!

Changing a diaper in a public area of any sort, most especially in a restaurant dining area, whether on the table or in the seats, is unacceptable! This is why we have federal health regulations in public establishments. You have blankets and changing pads, use them, in the bathroom or on the tailgate or seat of your car, in the stroller….they wash. What happened to common courtesy for other people? I know it’s difficult sometimes to find a convenient, clean place to change a diaper but you cannot contaminate public areas and put others at a health risk. There is always an alternative to having to change a diaper at a table.

Lysol®, Purell®, gas mask…anyone?

Screaming Meanies

As my husband and I are sitting down to a nice meal in a not-too-cheap Cantonese and Sushi restaurant recently (looking forward to a quiet dinner), I am guilty of the oh-no-eye-roll as the hostess seats the booth next to us with two parents and three children under the age of 4. I do this because I suspect what will happen to my quiet dinner. I wasn’t wrong.


Now, I’ve heard talk here and there on the web that small children should be banned from restaurants and I do not agree. Families have a right to eat out just as anyone else. That being said, I also think that other patrons of the restaurant have a right to a dinner sans children screaming, crying or in our case, banging a spoon on the table for nearly 40 minutes.

I love kids, don’t get me wrong, but what I don’t love is parents that do absolutely nothing to quiet, comfort or remove their screaming children (or perhaps just take the spoon away). Kids will be kids and parents, well, you had the kids and it’s your job to teach them how to behave in a public restaurant. Becoming a parent involves sacrifices, not mine, yours. Common courtesy should be the words of the day….and before you tell me that I have forgotten that I was a child once too, I will tell you that I certainly was never allowed to act out in a restaurant (or any public place), throw food, run around between the tables, scream or throw a tantrum. I do remember being a child; I spent some time being escorted outside until I could calm down before going back to my seat.

We all know it’s hard, hell impossible sometimes to keep all the children cool and calm. We get it, just asking for some actual parenting. If it at least looks like you’re trying, I’m good. Oh and maybe you replace the banging spoon with a breadstick or something?