This mum was furious when a waiter told her to child to stop singing… but was he in the wrong?
Mummy blogger Lucy Cotterill was furious when a stranger disciplined her 'spirited' child
A MUM was left seething when a waiter told off her child - and has urged him to find a new career path.
Blogger Lucy Cotterill was enjoying a spot of lunch with her daughter Erin, 4, a few days before she starts big school, but their idyllic afternoon was spoilt by a waiter who she claims doesn't like children.
Writing for the , mum-of-two Lucy raged that he had told her eldest to stop singing - and she thinks he was totally out of order.
She said: "Today I watched and bit my lip as a waiter, a person who was serving me and my child my lunch told off not only my child, but another group of children to my right.
"He came over to take our order, and my daughter was singing.
"Nothing loud, and nothing rude, just her latest rendition of You Are My Sunshine - something which I am guessing is going to form part of her preschool graduation, as she has been singing it on repeat for the last month.
"As I was listing our food items he looked at her and exclaimed - 'Stop singing, I can’t hear your mum'.
"There wasn’t a smile, and it was blunt. To her credit, she stopped singing (and then quickly continued when he left)."
Lucy later saw the waiter ask a group of young boys to take their seats so that they could eat their meal, which she took as further evidence that her waiter dislikes children.
She explained: "There was no warmth, no gritted teeth smile of 'Come on now lads, your dinner’s on it’s way'."
Lucy claims the waiter simply said: "Sit down now boys your dinner is coming."
Children's behaviour in restaurants is always a topic of debate, with many people keen for young families to be banned from restaurants and cafes, at least after certain times.
But Lucy, who also blogs at , says that noisy littl'uns is just part of parenting.
She concluded: "Whilst I understand that for some it would be lovely if children could sit nicely and colour in their menus without making any noise whatsoever, most parents know this is a rarity.
"I also happen to enjoy my daughter’s singing. It wasn’t loud, it wasn’t dangerous, and it wasn’t intrusive - she was a four year old girl who was having a lovely day.
"This is a family restaurant in the middle of the day.
"If you don’t like children, then I am sorry, dear Waiter, you are in the wrong job.
"I worked in retail for a large number of years, and I was taught to always treat a customer with respect, no matter how much they may get your back up."
THE KIDS AREN'T ALRIGHT The most shocking parenting fails ever... from a baby dressed as a pole dancer to a toddler puffing on a cigarette
However, Lucy's blog was met with mixed reviews, with many HuffPo readers siding with the waiter.
One wrote: "Sorry, but I side with the waiter. If he could not hear your order then it was too loud. As you said yourself - your child stopped."
Other comments included: "Seems like he was the only person teaching the children manners....good for him" and "Your child is acting badly, somebody steps in to do what you should have done and you get mad at him for it, blimey, what a drama....the guy should be given a pay rise."
One particularly scathing comment from a waitress who claims to have worked in restaurants in four different countries read: "No waiter is happy seeing a British family with their kids dinning in their place of work.
"No sorry for this mother. Teach your child how to behave or take her to a psychologist to check ADHD."
And this dad came up with the best game for his kids to play so he could concentrate on the football.
