Cindy Fuller wrote:

> Amen, Denise! Although I am of the childless persuasion, I firmly
> believe the best way for kids to learn proper behavior and etiquette is
> to be out in public and (gasp!) go to good restaurants. Social graces
> are not learned by eating fast food in the back of Mom's minivan.

That's fine as long as I don't have to be part of the learning process. I accept
that it is part of the package if you go to a family restaurant, but if I pay the
extra to go to a nice restaurant I don't want to be exposed to someone else's
noisy ill-behaved kids.

> Our neighborhood group has several children in it, and they go to dinner
> with us. They are polite, well-behaved, and joys to be with.

I don't think any reasonable person would be offended by well behaved children.
Crying infants have no place in a nice restaurant IMO. They aren't learning
anything. They are too young to be acquiring social graces. Kids who make a lot of
noise or get up and run around have not yet learned them.