An Oklahoma mom is causing a commotion on TikTok after ranting about noisy kids in upscale restaurants.
In the video, Kelsey Davis films herself trying to enjoy her dinner at Nola’s Creole & Cocktails in Tulsa.
“Can you hear that? It’s a table of children across from us arguing,” an exasperated Davis says, between bites of chicken. “And one of them has their tablet on volume 97.”
At the end of the meal, Davis was left with an $140 tab — and a headache.
“People, leave your kids at home or get a babysitter,” Davis fumes in the clip. “Don’t take them… because I want a good night with my husband. And I just feel exhausted from that date night. So thanks for that.”
Davis, who has five kids, tells TODAY.com that she was “so excited” to finally get a table at Nola’s after years of drooling over the menu.
“The food was amazing, but it was such a stressful experience because of that one awful family,” Davis explains. “They were loud and obnoxious, and had absolutely no regard for other diners. The kids, they weren’t toddlers by the way, were yelling and whooping and hollering and the parents were completely ignoring them.”
At one point, Davis says that all four children, who she estimates ranged in age from 9 to 12, had iPads “blaring.”
“Why weren’t they wearing headphones?” Davis asks. "This wasn’t McDonald’s. It was a nice Cajun restaurant. People need to teach their kids how to act in public.”
Diane Gottsman, a national etiquette expert and founder of The Protocol School of Texas, understands Davis’s frustration.
“When you’re out on a date night, you don’t want to be disrupted by another table making noise — whether it’s children screaming or drunk adults,” Gottsman tells TODAY.com. “But the proper thing to do is to ask a manager for another table — not make a TikTok video for attention. The way this woman handled the situation, it doesn’t put her in a glowing light, either.”
TikTokers are also weighing in on Davis’s video:
- “I agree!!! love kids, but if they can’t be quiet, please don’t take them to fine dining! and please don’t take them on 4+ hour flights!”
- “Girl. I get it. In fact, when me and the hubs go to dinner and being seated next to kids… we asked to be sat somewhere else.”
- “Don’t go in public then? Your expectations for a public place are set to high. Kids will be kids, and other moms are trying to enjoy a meal too.”
- “if parents would discipline their children & teach them how to be civil little humans & prepare them for the real world, instead of letting an ipad raise them we wouldn’t be having this problem.”
- “Honestly this is one I don’t agree with. Some people don’t trust babysitters or have family close by to watch them. Children exist and deserve to go.”
- “Not everyone has childcare. Kids have a right to be anywhere you do. Some may say you’re annoying for recording yourself at dinner. BE KIND.”
According to Gottsman, the parents of the noisy kids should have removed them from the restaurant.
“They clearly needed some sort of discipline. This wasn’t a tired baby who was crying and hungry — it sounds like they were old enough to know how to behave in a public place,” Gottsman says.