Family dining, Cleveland-style

Should eating establishments stay child-friendly or look at creating child-free spaces? (Plain Dealer file photo)

Although some people like the idea of child-free spaces in restaurants, no one wants to be accused of being a kid-hater. Let's be honest, sometimes it sucks eating near kids. Some say kids have a right to public spaces just like adults do, and not everyone can afford a sitter.

#ChildFreePlease? Or should eating establishments #StayKidFriendly? Scroll down to VOTE!

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Writer Jenn Wohletz says unruly children in restaurants aren't fair to diners without children -- especially parents who've gone to the trouble to get a sitter and have a night out without kids.

People who are child-free (or parents who are considerate enough to find sitters for their kids) absolutely should not have to pay money for a meal in a restaurant filled with screaming, disorderly, sloppy, unattended children. Parents who get sitters have a day or evening free, without their own kids, and should not be penalized because others won't find other accommodations for theirs. Folks who are child-free don't normally go out to dine in kid-centric restaurants to have cocktails and talk about adult issues, so why must they have to deal with carpet-Cheerios, itty-bitty nose-picking, and hear every single verse of "Let It Go?"

Let's face it: some parents are perfectly happy to let waitstaff keep an eye on their kids, and it drives a lot of people crazy.

But would such a policy punish parents whose kids don't act out in restaurants? Let's face it, you only notice the kids that are out-of-control.

"I'm completely shocked because I never had that happen," [a customer] said. "Usually they cater, at least have a high chair for the child, but it seemed like they didn't want any child. They said the child can't make any noises so they turned us away."

This commenter points out that many restaurants just aren't great environments for little kids -- no wonder they act out. Maybe creating child-free space would actually be doing them a favor ...

Totally agree with the ban. My husband and I also cringe when we see adults bringing small children into fine dining establishments. Luckily, this does not happen often at our favorite restaurants here in Denver. Yes, we were all children at one time, but parents of earlier generations did not take their children everywhere with them. A small child gets absolutely no benefit from being forced to sit in a high chair or booster seat for a two hour meal. If you can afford $100+ dinner for two, you can certainly afford a sitter for a few hours. Please do everyone a favor and hire one, or stay home in the company of your lovely children.

Kids are people too, yo. Some say banning kids from certain spaces is discriminatory. Weren't we all crying babies at one time? Commenter KrissyRuby wrote:

I disagree with this whole heartedly. We were all infants once. To say a family can't come in and eat is discrimination. If someone can't handle the sound that they themselves used to make, who then is at fault? Every child has loud moments. That very same child may also have moments when they are well behaved. It is part of being human. Are we now so disconnected with each other that the sound a small child makes becomes a bother to us? If we all were more tolerant of each other, perhaps these said children would have less to cry about.

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