Autistic five-year-old kicked out of restaurant

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Yes, it's ridiculous funny to hear and read parents saying that their autistic kid is being discriminated for things like this.

And how is it fair for other customers to put up with this? I don't see why autism should be an excuse for kicking and screaming and being very disruptive in a restaurant. Especially given the reason for the child doing so; her favorite food wasn't on the menu. Umm, Boo Hoo. Can't always get what you want, kiddo.

I think the customer refusing to pay was just trying to get their point across that the child's behavior was becoming a serious problem.

Wow that was terrible of that lady. I would have been smiling to myself seeing such a cute sight. Of course if our library is anything like others, then they attract the crazy people. I mean those with severe mental imbalances.

After reading a few comments I am appalled those people don't know the difference between temper tantrums and other disabilities. Temper tantrums can be controlled. An autistic child can learn how to control them but if they are allowed to throw one because their parents let them, they are going to grow up doing it thinking just because they have autism, they don't have to control it. These comments on there just anger me.

Honestly, doesn't it sound more like a spoiled 5 year old problem rather than an autistic problem?

It does, it does.

Or could be both. Some parents spoil their disabled kids and they learn how to act that way because nothing is ever done to stop them. Heck even Temple's mother didn't allow her to act that way. I have read her books and she said how when she was six, she was expected to eat at the table with the rest of her family and use proper table manners. She did. She even said in her Tony Attwood interview about how her mother would give her consequences for having a temper tantrum like taking away TV. She sure learned to show appropriate behavior. I bet if that were her throwing that temper tantrum as a five year old, I bet her mother would have done the same like other mothers are supposed to do, take her out of the restaurant. I would have done the same with my own if I had one.

In agreement with n4mwd,
this didn't sound like the 5yo had autism.

The child sounded like a spoiled brat than an autistic child.

It wouldn't matter either way!
Autism or no autism, what that customer
did was idiotic and inconsiderate of the other customers.

This is one reason why some parents
should not take their kids to posh restaurants.

Recieved the same treatment at an IHOP regarding my daughter. Waitress didn't even give us time to calm her down and was picking sides with another group of people at another table. She came up to us three times within a matter of 5 minutes to say rude things about our daughter.

This type of behavior against children is going on in places where you would think children were allowed. My daughter wasn't having a meltdown either but was screeching but the waitress coming by that much to make her rude comments didn't make matters better.

She even went off to talk about us within listening distance claiming that because my signficiant other was wearing a Led Zeppelin t-shirt that she was screeching because we must listen to Led Zeppelin. Sorry hag but we have much better taste in music.

On top of that, my daughter was two. What was that b**ch's excuse? So yeah I know that people are growing less and less tolerant towards children even making a peep. It's outrageous.

Kids do some crazy things. Why can't any of those people remember what they were like as kids?

Have seen similar experiences and not just from my own daughter but watching people's attitudes towards other kids. I think people just hate kids now because they have other plans in their life and can't see themselves having kids in the near future so they take it out on everyone else.

Yes I think so. That was kind of the point I was trying to get across. What did the mother expect the restaurant employee was going to do as a result of explaining the child's autism? Pat her on the shoulder and say "I'm sorry I bothered you" and let the child keep making a fuss?

No. Tell the parents to calm your child down because it's disrupting the enviroment. Tell the parents flat out that they have 5-10 minutes to do this and there is a restroom to go to if you need to talk to your child.

On the one hand, I think it was just plain unfair of the other customer to say he wasn't going to pay for his meal if the kid wasn't removed. It would be rude enough not to tip! It's not the wait staff's fault that the kid is having a fit, let alone the kitchen staff's. That puts the poor staff in an unpleasant position of having to alienate customers.... not an enviable one to be in, if at least half of your job is to make your customers feel at home.

However, I REALLY, really can't stand screaming children. Just on a basic sensory level, it hurts, a lot. If I had been sitting right next to the family, I would've given them a couple of warning looks and then probably told them myself something to the effect of, "That really hurts my ears. Could you please try and calm him/her down?" I shouldn't have to put up with that sort of sensory pain just because someone is young, no more than I should be expected to put up with a toddler repeatedly stabbing me in the foot with a steak knife because "they don't know any better." Last I checked, that was what parents were FOR, to teach their kids, preferably in a nice, supportive way, what's the right thing to do. If they were actually trying with little or no success, that's one thing, and though I still wouldn't be a happy camper, I wouldn't be angry at them. However, if they were just sitting there letting little Johnny or Mary scream to his/her heart's content, I'd have a problem.

My parents weren't always the best at handling issues in public with me. Hell, sometimes they still aren't. They'd often make me more upset than I started off as. But after a while, they started getting it right on a more consistent basis. From someone who has severe food issues, and wants to get the same thing when going to a specific kind of restaurant, I would probably say that what the parents should've done is told the kid that they'd get him what he or she wanted, and negotiated with the waiter to get a special order, if at all possible. If it was really impossible, like wanting chicken satay or pizza at a steak joint, I'd say the parents should've tried negotiating with the kid: get them to choose the next best thing as was possible given the menu, and then make a bargain to go get some special treat that the kid is sure to like afterwards. And there's always the option of getting/making them a meal afterwards if the situation was really unmanageable..... probably not the best of all outcomes, but an option nevertheless.

Screaming children make my heart cry...with joy.

If my mom was there she'd probably tried to console the child while my father would have threatened not to pay. Meanwhile, I'd be enjoying my fine meal.

Oh yes, teach children they can get their special way by kicking and screaming. Wonderful idea



they don't need to know the child is autistic to tell them that.

I agree 100% the girl’s reactions where inappropriate for a restaurant; I hate it when people try to use AS/autism as an excuse to get away with inexcusable behaviour.

However this being said, refusing to pay for your meal? Who the hell do you think you are, rules are there for a reason, if you go to a restaurant and order food, you better goddamn well pay for it even if there is a screaming girl.

In all honesty, you can't get always get what you want, the kid can't always get the food she wants, and the guy refusing to pay can't always eat away from “inconvenient” children, life is one big case of SSDD I’m afraid.

--lee