What I find interesting is that each person commenting on this letter was once a child who, I guarantee, behaved less than perfectly at one time or another during childhood (probably many times). Let's not be too hasty to condem this mother because I'm sure our own mothers could tell some stories on each of us.

Most parents do the best they can (and do a pretty darn good job), but sometimes a two year old is going to be a two year old. One thing my husband and I do if we feel that our kids may not make it through the meal quietly is to ask for our bill after we order our food. We pay right then and let our server know that we might be needing to go boxes if the situation deteriorates. That way we are all set to go if we need to make a speedy exit. Trust me, parents are not out to ruin your evening. We are just looking to have a nice evening, too.