My daughter’s tablet at a restaurant: is the next table overreacting?
Editors' DilemmaOctober 28, 2026· Be the first to vote
A story made up by our editors to get the debate going, not a real account.
My side
We were at a restaurant with our four-year-old. Service was slow, she was starting to climb on her chair and whine. To get some peace, I gave her the tablet with her favorite cartoon. Instant calm. Except I hadn’t thought of headphones, and the sound was pretty loud. After twenty minutes, the couple at the next table turned to us: “Could you turn the volume down, please? We’ve been hearing that song since we sat down.” I told them it was that or screaming, and I figured they’d prefer the song. They asked to switch tables.
Their side
The couple explains that they came to celebrate a birthday somewhere quiet. They have nothing against the tablet, only the sound, which was drowning out their conversation. They asked politely, and my answer made them feel they had no right to complain. According to them, turning it down by half would have been enough, without taking anything away from our daughter.
So, who's wrong?
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