I’ve heard a lot of people complain about the rather advanced age of the average Floridian. Jokes about early bird specials, and those giant wrap-around sunglasses, complaints about under-funded schools and elderly drivers.
But one thing I can say for the people in Florida: they sure like kids more than people in Utah do.
Everywhere we went, my kids were fawned over.
At every restaurant, there were big deals on kids meals (my kids either ate for free or, at one restaurant, they were charged by height, a penny an inch. My daughter got her cheese pizza and veggies for 45¢, my son got his grilled chicken breast and french fries for 30¢). My son greeted fellow diners everywhere we went and, rather than giving him the stink-eye like people give him in Utah, they played peekaboo with him, smiled at him, told us how sweet he was, and once, when he was watching a basketball game on an overhead TV and got too overzealous imitating the players, was saved from falling by a sprightly grandma who was at the restaurant for the Thursday prime rib special.
My kids have been welcomed—not just tolerated, welcomed—everywhere we’ve gone while we’ve been in Florida. I don’t feel such welcoming many places in Utah, except for those places designated for children. I didn’t try out church here, though. Perhaps we would have been asked to leave like we were at our church in Utah for my 6-month-old making happy-baby noises during service.
I’m guessing there’s got to be somewhere my kids wouldn’t be loved here, but we’ve not found that place in the past week. They were even invited to join us when we went to listen to live music on Saturday. It was too late at night and too loud for me to take them with us, but it was lovely to know that we could have, had we wanted to. That’s not something that would be possible in Utah.
My husband thinks it’s because there are so many large families in Utah. The adults around us in Utah are looking to escape their kids. In Florida, the grandmas outnumber the harried mothers quite significantly. These grandmas and grandpas remember the positives of their time as mothers and fathers and welcome the opportunity to relive those days by hanging out with my kids.
Whatever the reason, I’m not particularly thrilled with the idea of going back today to the land where children should be seen and not heard (and seldom seen).
Imperfect Happiness 
I am shocked… I thought b/c of the number of children in Utah, they all but had individual shrines… Very interesting factoid I haven’t heard/read elsewhere. Also, I admit I give stinkeye for bad behavior, but not for saying hello or babbling. throwing food, screaming, and running around like hellions are my limit.
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I think it might just be a matter of there being so many kids here, they’re kind of a dime-a-dozen. There are programs for kids, places for kids, but it’s almost like those are the designated kid areas and children are not allowed to stray outside of those. Heaven forbid I take my kids to the trendy coffee shop in 9th and 9th. (I still do, though, just to piss people off.)
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Oh, not just there!
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I’m just pulling your leg.
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That’s cute. I agree, all those Gs and Gs would make for an extra loving environment!
I have had great experiences with my kids in Utah at restaurants. Many time they are swept up in the arms of the owners/workers and walked around with while we ate. Many families strict up conversations to us about the girls too. We tend to go to the same restaurants often and maybe they recognize us and the girls and feel comfortable with them. Not sure what the reason…
I hope you have better experiences when you return! It’s a bummer to hear you haven’t had many 😦
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How they’re treated at Red Rock doesn’t count, Heidi! 🙂
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😦 i feel ya. . . how can a place with SOOOOO many children make them feel so unwelcome?
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And my kids were, to my eyes, unruly little beasts, too, while we were away. Different culture, I guess.
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