On Saturday, July 16th, a ban went into effect at McDain’s Restaurant in Monroeville PA… no children allowed under 6 years of age.

I do not believe that the owner, Mike Vuick, expected such a response from the media and public. The ban made national headlines. Vuick says he’s done 62 interviews, and has attracted attention from as far away as Australia.

From the thousands of emails he has received, most decidely he has received 11 to 1 in favor of the ban.  A local new channel took a poll and found that 64% supported the under-six ban, compared with 26% who said it was a bad idea

I must say, I support this as well.

I have nothing against children, but when I am out for a nice, peaceful dinner… I want a nice, PEACEFUL dinner. I understand there are many parents who have wonderfully well-behaved children. Sadly, though, this does not appear to be the norm anymore. Cheerios fly, waters glasses are tipped, boredom sets in and the young ones wander only to start running due to endless energy young children have (or possibly from a sugar-high). Unfortunately, a significant percentage of parents chose to ignore their childrens misbehavior. Possibly they have simply learned to tolerate the din – or ignore out of concern from what others will think. Many parents now live in fear that any type of serious correction to their children will be seen as some sort of abuse….

Times they are a-changin’. More accurately, they have changed. I fall into the tail end of the baby-boomers, and as a child when I when I would go out for a nice dinner with my parents, I honestly do not remember other children screaming and running around – nor myself for that matter. In fact, I had to sit quietly and behave – otherwise the wrath of my father would fall down on me like Thor’s Hammer. I recall one incident – which was NEVER repeated even remotely close – back when I was not much more than 6 years old myself.

We were at a fine dining seafood restaurant in Florida while on vacation. I ordered milk when my parents ordered their pre-dinner cocktails. Time came and went. No milk. Dinner was brought to the table. No milk. My father then kindly reminded our server she had forgotten my milk…. to which I quickly chimed in, “What do you have to do… go milk a cow?”

My father turned into a steam mill and was redder than the lobster on the table. Faster than lightning, out came a hand straight across my face. That’s the way it was done then. It was not abuse… it was a parent correcting their smart-ass child for rude and inappropriate behavior. I never misbehaved while out for dinner ever again.

Times they are a-changin’.

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