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Felixstowe cafe warns parents over children's tantrums | Felixstowe cafe warns parents over children's tantrums |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A cafe owner has said she will speak to children having a tantrum if "parents are too scared to discipline their children". | A cafe owner has said she will speak to children having a tantrum if "parents are too scared to discipline their children". |
South Kiosk in Felixstowe posted on Facebook it would give parents "five lenient minutes to ask the child to stop screaming" before stepping in. | South Kiosk in Felixstowe posted on Facebook it would give parents "five lenient minutes to ask the child to stop screaming" before stepping in. |
It received hundreds of comments and has since deleted its page. | It received hundreds of comments and has since deleted its page. |
Owner Kim Christofi said she was child friendly but some parents "left me with no option but to have a quiet word". | Owner Kim Christofi said she was child friendly but some parents "left me with no option but to have a quiet word". |
'Part of development' | 'Part of development' |
The cafe is frequented by families and is next to Martello Park, which has a children's play area. | The cafe is frequented by families and is next to Martello Park, which has a children's play area. |
It had a five-star rating on Facebook based on reviews left on its page, but this had plummeted to two stars within hours of Ms Cristofi's post on Sunday morning. | It had a five-star rating on Facebook based on reviews left on its page, but this had plummeted to two stars within hours of Ms Cristofi's post on Sunday morning. |
For more stories, visit the BBC Suffolk Live page | |
The post was shared more than 500 times and had some 600 comments, many of which said it was not the cafe's place to discipline children. | The post was shared more than 500 times and had some 600 comments, many of which said it was not the cafe's place to discipline children. |
"I would never bring my child with special needs anywhere near here," said one. | "I would never bring my child with special needs anywhere near here," said one. |
"Having a tantrum is part of their development," said one mother, "the parents may be ignoring the child for a reason and I strongly suggest you just let them get on with it." | "Having a tantrum is part of their development," said one mother, "the parents may be ignoring the child for a reason and I strongly suggest you just let them get on with it." |
Another comment said: "Good status to put up before school holidays - NOT!!!" | Another comment said: "Good status to put up before school holidays - NOT!!!" |
'Hysterical tantrum' | 'Hysterical tantrum' |
Ms Cristofi said she had no regrets about the post, which she believed had been misunderstood. | Ms Cristofi said she had no regrets about the post, which she believed had been misunderstood. |
"Children are very much at the heart of our business," she said. | "Children are very much at the heart of our business," she said. |
Describing a typical incident, she said: "You'll get a family arrive and for some reason the child will start screaming, throwing a hysterical tantrum. | Describing a typical incident, she said: "You'll get a family arrive and for some reason the child will start screaming, throwing a hysterical tantrum. |
"We hope the parent will step in, but in the latest incident that didn't happen and the child was really embarrassing herself. | "We hope the parent will step in, but in the latest incident that didn't happen and the child was really embarrassing herself. |
"The parents left me no option but to have a quiet word. We ask them 'would they stop screaming, would they like a drink and colouring book?'" | "The parents left me no option but to have a quiet word. We ask them 'would they stop screaming, would they like a drink and colouring book?'" |
She added that other customers look to her do something and often thank her once the offending family has left. | She added that other customers look to her do something and often thank her once the offending family has left. |
"I'm specifically talking about really unruly children, destructive behaviour - smashing up the toy box, knocking down the chairs." | "I'm specifically talking about really unruly children, destructive behaviour - smashing up the toy box, knocking down the chairs." |
Some Listeners to Radio Suffolk came out in support of the cafe. | Some Listeners to Radio Suffolk came out in support of the cafe. |
"If the parents are chatting away and ignoring it, I don't think it's unreasonable for someone else to have a word," said one. | "If the parents are chatting away and ignoring it, I don't think it's unreasonable for someone else to have a word," said one. |
Others said they felt she should speak to the parents, not the child. | Others said they felt she should speak to the parents, not the child. |
"Children with autism can have meltdowns which can look like tantrums, but nothing is going to stop that child, least of all some stranger telling them off." | "Children with autism can have meltdowns which can look like tantrums, but nothing is going to stop that child, least of all some stranger telling them off." |