I would have said no as well, but if we had out P and T one I would have given them the HC and used that if it was in the car or pram.
We did ask a waiter at a cafe when we were staying in Melbourne if we could use a highchair when the other family was finished with it, another family had an approximate 3-4 year old in it, and DD was only just 1, in the end we had food all over us and the chairs because DD wasn't very good at sitting on our laps or the seat and eating. Maybe it made them think to go and buy another!
I think it depends on the situation, your right I should have said as soon as we finish sure, I guess I was stunned, but like you guys say she may have been in desperate need. Her child wouldnt have fit in it anyway which baffles me. We didnt have a pram with us and Tara is not good sitting on the chair alone and even with the little booster seat we had it wouldnt have been high enough, which would have caused her to be unhappy anyway which is why I said no.
I take it as my responsibility to make sure my child is distracted when upset or even take them out for some air to cheer them up. I hope she had an ok time though after we left and all was ok.
i hope you don't feel criticised for your decision, what you did was totally reasonable, you don't have to justify it further. I probably would have been a bit stumped when it happened too.
I would have to agree with Nick... I mean other posters here, it's not rude to ask. Strange maybe, but not rude.
DS doesn't sit still in restaurants. I take him to cafes with short waits or restaurants where he can go for a walk outside while we wait. Once he played in the little entrance bit for about 20 minutes - the staff loved it and said it was the most fun anyone had ever had with their glass door before! If DS wants to run around, I encourage him to go outside or somewhere out the way and we take it in turns to go with him. We don't restrain him due to the screaming fit that would occur, which is less pleasant for other diners.
We do take colouring and stories and toys, but that's not as fun as exploring sometimes! I wish other parents would agree with this though, just so I didn't look like the bad mother with the uncontrollable child.
LZ - who is Nick im confused? I dont think you would look like a bad mum at all, different things entertain different kids and I understand kids like to explore. In my situation this restaurant was on a main road and lots of cars outside so not good to explore outside really, but inside lots to explore but they werent loud or screaming as far as I could tell but the restaurant was noisy from all the customers.
I personallly would never ask another mother whose child was happy in their highchair at the time if I could have the highchair but thats just me. I wouldnt want to put the mother out as I said before if my kids are misbehaving its my responsibility to calm them down or take them outside. Granted it was Mothers day so the restaurant is busy. The thing I find weird as the kid wouldnt have fitted into the highchair anyway.
Its interesting to hear what other people would do. Thanks for your thoughts girls.
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I probably would have been a bit stumped when it happened too.
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