Well, if you're a parent in Ottawa, you'd be suing. Honestly, I think grown-ups should be able to dine, kid-free, at a place that isn't technically a bar/lounge (i.e. a place where you have to be 19 to get in). Kids can be loud, and the pre-school aged ones are rude, especially if the parents don't think it's necessary for them to learn "grown-up" rules. I was very young when my parents taught me proper table manners. I was probably three or four years old when I knew how to properly use a knife and fork as well as chopsticks. Not so for today's kids. An acquaintance of mine has a five year old son. At a lunch (which usually is at some kid-friendly restaurant with what grown-ups consider crappy food) a few months ago, he helped his son cut up his food. The kid is five. He should be old enough to use a fork and knife, and to hold it properly (well, relatively, anyway). But no, the kid fists. If the kid still fists his cutlery in a few years, it's not going to be fixed unless someone tells him to do so. I know adults who do this. A guy I knew while I was studying abroad in England did this. But then again, he didn't care about "the rules" and hated mainstream society. He wouldn't wear suits, he wouldn't use products from big corporation, etc... He was probably 20 years old at that time, so hopefully, things have changed by now. He was the kind of guy I wanted to send a copy of Emily Post to.
So yes, parents, you really need to teach your kids proper manners. And you need to do it EARLY. Like age 2.
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