A Café Kicks Out Family Over Crying Kids, but People Are Defending Its Owner
A café owner sparked online debate after asking a family to leave due to their children’s disruptive behavior. The incident involved a tantrum that led to items being knocked over and loud disturbances. While some supported the owner’s actions to maintain a peaceful environment, others, including a witness who defended the family, criticized the decision, igniting discussions on parenting and public behavior.
The story was shared by a bystander.
An Australian mother was left fuming after witnessing a family of four being asked to leave a café due to their “crying children.” A bystander woman Laura was shocked as she watched the café’s management warn the family that the police would be called if they didn’t vacate the premises. Laura shared that the parents had made efforts to soothe their two- and three-year-old children.
“It is sad and shows we have a long way to go from children being seen and not heard and understanding the research into the brain development of children. He could have asked them if they needed any help or asked one of the parents to take the crying toddlers for a walk, but he just kicked them out,” she said.
According to the café owner, the incident began when the family’s two children threw a tantrum over sharing a single scoop of gelato. “The older child showed his unhappiness by clearing our shelf off with all our shells and items on the counter. Then he picked up one of the metal flasks and threw it on the tiles – I was surprised it didn’t smash the tiles,” he said.
The café owner said he initially signalled to his staff that the situation would pass, but the family stayed and sat outside. The tantrum lasted 15 minutes, and he went out to ask the family to leave, “The mother appeared shocked. The father told me it was bad business and I told him, not, it is bad parenting. This is the first time in eight and a half years that I have needed to ask someone to leave. I don’t like to do it, but it was loud, the older one was absolutely screeching.”
The owner also said he was puzzled when Laura, who hadn’t witnessed the entire situation, stepped in to defend the family, “She came in and told us we were disgusting, but she was sitting around the other side and hadn’t witnessed it. Then she went on social media to post a video telling people not to come to see us.”
However, Laura disagreed, saying that as a concerned bystander, she had the right to defend the family. “I think sometimes you do get looked down upon when having kids, especially if they’re having tantrums and stuff, but their brains aren’t fully developed at that age, and they need help to process those emotions,” she said.
Thousands of people defended the café owner.
Thousands of people criticized the mum, telling her to “mind her own business” or commenting that the manager’s actions made them more likely to visit the café.
“Good on the business owner, I would’ve done the exact same thing. He has a duty to make sure everyone has an enjoyable experience. I have kids and when they were little, if they carried on like little brats I would’ve packed up and left out of the respect for others,” one woman remarked.
Another added, “Responsible parents should either have taught said children how to behave and show respect for others or remove them from annoying others.” Some even said they “wish more places would kick out misbehaving kids.”
The café owner, said his wife was initially worried when the video went viral, but most of the comments were positive. He added that business has been booming since the incident, noting, “Business has been good, the day after it all happened we had double sales.”
One of our readers, a first-time mom, faced a tough situation when her baby’s constant crying upset her neighbor. In an emotional open letter, she shares her experience of supporting other struggling parents and explains why she’s done apologizing for the noise.
Preview photo credit Mateus Andre / Freepik
