Imagine having two little kids.

Would you ever consider taking them to a cafe for a snack if other people where there working on their laptops, or would you assume the kids might be too distracting to others in that environment?

In this story, one parent chooses the first option and thinks her daughter is actually really well behaved at the cafe. Another customer’s reaction made her wonder whether or not going to a cafe is a good idea.

Let’s read the whole story.

AITA for taking my daughter to a cafe?

Where I live there are an abundance of nice cafes and coffee houses. Some accommodate laptop workers, with WiFi and hireable rooms, some have signs that explicitly state ‘laptop-free table’ etc.

I have a four year old daughter and a six month old son. As a treat, I took my daughter to one of my favourite cafes. It’s large and spacious, with different rooms.

It doesn’t have any specific working space or signage for or against laptop working. It does have signs with its WiFi password.

It’s not ‘kid-friendly’ in that it doesn’t offer any play areas or toys. It does have high chairs. The vibe is relaxed.

The little girl sounds really well behaved.

My daughter is pretty good in a cafe/restaurant setting.

On this day she chooses a pastry and we sit at a table in one of the rooms.

She recognises that some of the other people there are working, like I do, on their laptops, so she does what she does at home – she is quiet, occasionally speaking to me across the table in a small voice or whisper.

I chat quietly to her – I tell her she is being thoughtful, but that the cafe is for everyone and she doesn’t have to whisper, but she continues to do so. She stays at the table, is happy and eager. My son is asleep in his carrier.

One customer seems to be annoyed at the little girl.

As far as I’m concerned we aren’t being at all disruptive, but I’m conscious parents can be oblivious to their own children’s shortcomings.

A young woman sat nearby started to get clearly agitated by our presence. She was on her laptop and started sighing and tutting.

It got to the point where my daughter noticed and looked worriedly at me.

I told her that she was doing well and sitting nicely, and to enjoy her treat, and said we’d go to the park in a bit.

The woman got even more annoyed.

A colleague or friend arrived and joined the woman, who at this point seemed very annoyed – she told him ‘I just need quiet!’ in a pretty irritated way.

I feel like I should emphasise that we really were not making noise – less noise than other workers who were chatting nearby, and the space isn’t designated for workers, so I felt her anger wasn’t justified.

She picked up her laptop and left to try another room, but came back as it must have been busy or full.

She sat back down, stressed out about needing a quiet place for an upcoming meeting and casting looks at us.

They didn’t stay much longer.

I hurried my daughter along and we left because she seemed so hostile it made me think we must have been in the wrong.

But the more I reflect on it, I feel like she was behaving pretty entitled when she could have gone somewhere like the library or to a designated working space elsewhere in town if she needed silence?

Don’t get me wrong, I know my four year old can be wild and not every setting is for her. But on this day, she was actually exceptionally good?

She’s wondering if she messed up.

I’ve made us all leave promptly if I feel her behaviour doesn’t match the setting. Should I not be taking her at all? Is there an unwritten rule about this?

I’m in England. Hence why this seemingly mild encounter felt like a confrontation!

Thanks for the judgement in advance.

It was a cafe not a library or an office. The other lady should’ve brought headphones if she was so bothered by nearby conversations.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

The annoyed customer shouldn’t have gone to a cafe.

This is probably true.

The other customer was clearly the one in the wrong.

Another person encourages her to keep taking her kids to cafes.

If you want quiet, go to the library.

If you liked this post, you might want to read this story about a teacher who taught the school’s administration a lesson after they made a sick kid take a final exam.