Sir, – With reference to Donald Clarke's article "Badly behaved children don't deserve a place at the cafe table" (Opinion & Analysis, November 1st, 2014), there are places where a certain standard of behaviour is expected. Maybe parenting skills are worse these days but the fact is that adults going out to a restaurant are entitled to have their meal in a relatively calm atmosphere. Today's parents are seriously deluded if they think it is okay to bring their uncontrollable and spoiled children out into an environment that is meant to be relaxing and just let the chaos of their lives disturb everyone else's. Letting a child run around in a confined space is not only selfish, but also a safety hazard with hot food and drinks being carried around by waiters. Cafes are not creches. – Yours, etc,
KASIA SULOWSKA,
Raheen,
Limerick.
Sir, – I think Donald Clarke is wonderful. Of all the curmudgeons I know – and I know quite a few – he is the most curmudgeonly. – Yours, etc,
ITA McCORMACK,
Maynooth, Co Kildare.