Restaurant Scene

Okay maybe this isn't the right sub for this, but I need to get this off my chest. It's been bugging me for a week.My wife and I are in our early 60s. Our two sons are grown, out of the house and thankfully doing okay. I am not here to say I was the best dad ever. But I'm still pretty pissed off about something that happened last Saturday.If even one person reads this, please let me know your thoughts from my one-sided description about what went down.We got back from a long-overdue vacation, feeling pretty good about the week. Both of our sons spent time with us, and it might be the last time for a long time before the four of us get to take time off together again. But that has nothing to do with the story.After we got back and unloaded the car, Wife and I went out to dinner out our favorite tavern/restaurant. Literally 1/2 of the place is a bar, the other 1/2 is a dining room. We like the bar side.On Friday or Saturday nights, the bar side can get really loud. We don't really like that, but that's just how it is. We accept that.We sit at a high table at the back of the bar side.Family of four sitting at a low table literally right next to ours. Mom, Dad, two boys. Just like us 20 years ago.One look at the youngest boy, about 6yo, and anyone could tell he's having a hard time dealing with all the noise. He's rubbing his head, staring at his knees, he's obviously distraught. I get that some kids have sensory issues. Maybe that was the case, maybe not. It was just plain loud. I was having sensory issues.And that's when it started. The dad came down on this kid hard. Stern, low, threatening voice. I'm thinking "what the fuck?" I could barely hear the poor kid's whines above the bar noise. If anyone there was gonna be bothered by that poor kid, it would have been me and my wife. I felt bad that he was uncomfortable, and thought maybe his parents would consider that.Dad kept saying shit like "Okay, I've tried to give you a chance, and tried to help you out Blah Blah Blah..." I was getting really pissed, and unfortunately the dad caught me glaring at him - which I'm sure he blamed on his poor son. No dude, you're the one who's pissing me off right now.So their meals got delivered. After 10 minutes or so of trying to "logic" with younger son, Dad grabs him and drags him outside. Mom and older son finish their meals, pack up the uneaten food, and leave.Like I said, I will never claim that I was the best dad ever. But read the fucking room. Maybe that room just too much for a 6 year old kid. If angry dad-man had just taken his son outside for some fresh air, talked to the kid instead of at the kid, they could have come back in and enjoyed their not-inexpensive meals.Kids just get overwhelmed. It happens. When they're in that state, sternly expressing your best flawlessly-constructed argument about how they should behave better is just not the right tactic. Being the Dad, or being the Mom, means being on your kid's side. Quit fucking worrying about what a bunch of half drunk old farts in a bar think of you. We've seen it all before, and believe it or not none of us a perfect, either.Sorry, just had to get this off my chest. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2KynSXB