Bad Parenting or Unfairly Treated?

Kids behaving badly or family unfairly treated?  This family believe they were unfairly treated because they were asked to leave Applebee’s as a result of their children misbehaving in the restaurant.  According to the parents their children are active, they were acting like children.  According to other patrons in the restaurant at the time, the children were literally running around the establishment and disturbing other customers.  This was in fact why they were asked to leave. 


As I look at this picture, I can believe they were running around disturbing customers.  Look at the mom holding the child on the right.  He’s about to take off in the picture.  Reminds me of my trip to TJ Max the other night.  There were two ladies there with a little boy and girl.  I’m thinking mother and grandmother.  The children ran through the store the entire time I was there and the grandmother yelled at them.  They just laughed and ran until their heart was content.  As I was checking out, the mother was at another register.  She tells the clerk,  “I have to go find my kid”.   My thought, she’s going to hold up the line to go find her kid. 


As I’m leaving the store, there’s a lady outside with 3 children.  She seems to be overwhelmed.  I’m looking at her and looking back at the lady in the store yelling at the children.  The lady outside proceeds to tell me that the little boy had run out in the street.  She grabbed him and took him back inside.  She stated she didn’t know who he belonged to he just took off running once he got inside.  She was clearly affected by the incident.  I know that I was affected by them running throughout the store, and the grandmother yelling.  So, I can see Applebee’s asking the parents to leave.  I wished TJ Max had asked the 2 ladies and their children to leave.  It definitely affected my shopping experience.  

If the children were running through the restaurant, I have no sympathy for these parents.  Parents control your kids, or stay home!  There are other paying customers there who would like to enjoy their evening out, and not be distracted by your “active” children. 

Do you sympathize with the parents or do you believe Applebee’s took the appropriate step?  Please leave a comment.