Children and restaurants – food for thought?

Sir, – Caroline Bullock hits the nail on the head when she describes the way families with unruly children have ruined the "dining out" experience for the rest of us paying customers who want a nice relaxing meal out in the company of like-minded diners ("Children have poisoned the restaurant experience", Opinion, July 12th). Why has the general public become part-time babysitters to these spoilt children who don't know how to behave, while their parents are having a ball, lashing into the vino and totally ignoring the "little darlings" who are banging into chairs, screeching, and generally making a nuisance of themselves? It is time for parents to take parenting seriously: keep control of your offspring or stay at home and leave restaurants to adults who know how to behave. – Yours, etc,

LYNN CRONIN,

Terenure,

Dublin 6W.