A viral video resurfaced this week, leading many citizens of the internet to ask the brave question: should children be seen or heard in public?

Reposted to X, the video (which was previously shared by both the New York Post and featured on A&E’s “Customer Wars” in 2024) featured a woman confronting another group of patrons for having a baby with them, insisting that they were “idiots” for being there at a bar/restaurant in Austin, Texas.

The baby, who seemed to have started to fuss a little (not a total meltdown yet, if you’re familiar with babies and their powerhouse lungs) and the group stated they were waiting to pay their bill and leave. The woman, however, continued to call them names and insult them.

“You guys are idiots,” the woman said repeatedly. “Get your fucking kid out of the bar. You have a baby in a bar.”

While the friends of the parent, onlookers and eventually some helpful staff helped neutralise the situation (and, notably, they were all fine with having the baby there to dine), this video has inspired plenty of discourse over who exactly was in the wrong here.

“They’re both wrong. You shouldn’t have a baby in a bar,” one commenter on X replied, “but if you’re going to address it this is the wrong way to do it.”

“People with babies are allowed to go out,” another added. “When the baby started crying, that’s the cue to leave. It was NOT the cue for that Karen to put her drunk ass in the middle of it.”

Other commenters noted that there are plenty of hybrid restaurant/bar/pub locations around the U.S. – and there’s nothing all that sinister about sitting down to eat a burger or wings with your family at those kind of establishments.

“My favourite place is a bar in my small town. If I want to bring my kids to have a pizza and wings in low light comfy leather booth, fuck off,” another commenter wrote.

“When they have a meltdown I’ll work on fixing it but food needs to be settled, the bill needs to be settled. I’m not throwing away a $60 table order because your ears are offended at the sound of new life learning this world.”

How anti-kid stigma hurts more than just parents

There are adults-only spaces in this world – they’re a necessity and an important thing to have – and most establishments have clear rules about if, when and where it’s safe or appropriate for kids to be there.

Outside of that, children........

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