Former newsreader Jan Leeming has sparked debate after complaining on social media that a friend's birthday lunch at The Pig at Bridge Place, near Canterbury, was 'slightly spoiled by a screaming child'. She described one toddler as 'a real menace, allowed to walk around and often screaming … parents oblivious to other clients'. On Times Radio, she said too many parents treat children 'like little princes and princesses' and that kids should be 'trained like dogs' to behave in public.
While the canine comparison has proved unpopular, columnist Polly Hudson argues that Leeming is fundamentally correct. Hudson writes that a parent's job is to teach children not to be selfish or disruptive, as this ensures they will be kind and considerate adults. She notes that for neurodivergent children, sitting quietly may be impossible, but for others, basic rules like remaining seated and not screaming in restaurants are reasonable expectations.
Hudson suggests that parents should remove children who cannot behave from adult-oriented venues, and that family-friendly restaurants exist for those who prefer a more relaxed atmosphere. She adds that most parents are already acutely aware of the disruption their children cause, and that gentle correction is part of responsible parenting.
Drawing a parallel to adults who play music without headphones or put feet on seats, Hudson argues that such behaviour stems from being overindulged as children. She cites a social experiment where people playing audio aloud responded well to polite requests to use headphones, often apologising and admitting they had not realised they were bothering others. The lesson, she concludes, is that children must learn that the world does not revolve around them.
