Charged with child abuse for bringing baby to a bar

I remember my mom telling me she had brought me to the bar before when I was young... I was under the age of one and talking in full sentences at that point, Im not sure but I think she brought me to show me off... This wasnt a regular thing but i can say back in the day, Id been in a bar quite a few times... If we went boating and went to a restaurant/bar I was there with my parents, etc... Do i think babies or children belong in bars??? Of course not, just making a note out loud that some things havent changed!

Mine were corner bars... or restuarant/bar experiences... They were never the club scene or anything too extreme... I understand that a dj may be an issue (sensitivity to baby ears), but people bring their babies to wedding receptions with dj's as well, and sometimes even alcohol is part of the equation (it could almost be comprable to a bar scene depending on the atmosphere and characters of the attending). The important thing is that babies dont belong in a bar... Do I think it was child abuse? No, but I do think it was a bad decision on the parents part...

I would understand if the family was going out to eat there or something... but in this story they make it sound like they were there to get drunk. In this case, I do not agree with the parents. They should have gotten a babysitter or stayed home!

My mom used to bring me to the bar, but it was because she was friends with the bartender and it was 3 in the afternoon, not because she was there getting drunk! I'm surprised the mom got her kid back. I am really shocked!

It seems to be different around the country. I remember when we lived in Wisconsin I was shocked that children could accompany their parents into a bar.

But then they were shocked that we had drive through liquor stores here, LOL!

Those people are dumb. It isn't that uncommon in WI. I come from a very small town (my graduation class was 34, average is about 22) and there are 9 bars in a row on main street! People would always laugh about the people that took their kids to the bar (none as hammered as this couple though) and be hungover at church on Sunday...

WI has its own culture indeed!

Yep... I live in Wisconsin, back then kids where in the bars all the time... So I guess it wasnt considered a big issue. Things are different now days, and people have stronger views on what is and isnt appropriate, which is great btw...

V, personally I was more interested in a link to another article about Ward Churchill, I cannot stand that arrogant man.
PLEASE tell me they fired him so I can celebrate.

How could she care for that baby if she was impaired?

Going to places that serve alcohol with your family =/= having a blood alcohol level 3 times the legal limit, dancing around incoherently with your 5 month old.

Numerous restaurants, like Friday's or Applebee's, have both children's menus and full bars. I think we probably can't understand what was happening without having been there, but somebody called the cops and I would have too.

EXACTLY! It's one thing to stop by the neighborhood hang out, but to be so impaired that you need a taxi ride home.

It's just selfishness. A five month old baby should have been in bed, not in a bar. This wasn't a wedding or a special occasion, it was two people who did not want to change their lifestyle after they had a baby. The mother also said that the others at her table were going to pay for their cab home...umm, what?

I don't think these people got the memo that you have to be responsible when you have a baby, and there are some things you can no longer do...at least not with a baby in tow. I work until 11:30pm. When I'm driving home, I always see people on the street with babies or young children with them, hanging out with their friends.

That's pretty seflish and irresponsible, but I wouldn't call it child abuse. There's a lot worse that happens to kids out there.

The child should have been home in bed, if they were out with him one of them should have stayed sober. In Australia people take their kids to bars all the time but it's more like a couple of Sunday drinks with friends in the afternoon - NOT on a dance floor with a DJ with both parents getting hammered.

I think the punishments have been fair - enough to really scare them into realising what's responsible and what isn't, but lenient enough that it fits the crime. Just my opinion, though

There is a huge difference between an adult bar and a bar and grille with family dining. I can't believe these idiots- more than three times the legal limit- obviously drunk, would take their baby into a bar.

Ok. if they were out at 7 am they must've been out all night with that baby. I am concerned with the fact that they had a 5 month old out to any unnecessary places. I am a nanny and no one I have ever worked for takes their children anywhere but the doctor, daycare, relatives homes, church, and maybe the store (only if there is no one to stay home w/ the baby) until 6 or 7 months of age. You dont take babies that young to unecessary places and you sure as hell don't stay out all night and you definantly don't go clubbing. I see nothing wrong with taking a one year old to a bar/grill for dinner for 2 hours or so but this was not the case. There are so many things wrong with this situation.

before i go on i do not agree with what the parents did(before anyone slanders me)

my DH mum has a caravan which we sometimes go to at weekends, maybe once every 1-2 months. on sataurday we get up , go out (beach,park kite flying etcc) depending on the weather, we will go shopping ect aswell, by the after noon we will pop into the pub that is down there (everyone knows everyone) we are not drinkers never have been unless a special occision (then we will normally ask my mum or sister to look after the children) which is very rare.
we will stay there for an hour or so play a few games of pool with my DH dad then we make our way back to the van (about 2 mins away).
we will get dinner sorted and then the kids normally have a little sleep after a busy day.

then they get redressed so we can go out, we leave the van at about 7pm go to the arcards with the kids so they can go on the 2p machines lol (they love it) and teddy bear machines. then we go to the onsite family clubhouse which has a DJ disco lights etc....
it can get very loud and we normally stay untill around 12.30-1am the kids love it and as i say we dont drink when we have the children or if i do have one my DH never does because he drives (and he always says if there was an emergancy he can get in the car and drive) wherever we are his the same. even at our wedding he didnt drink and i only had a cupple glassses of wine, because i need a clear head if im to keep my eyes peeled on the children.
but i dont think im irrersponciable for taking my kids to the clubhouse in the evening and staying that late (its normally them who wants to stay that 5 mins longer lol)
and i wouldnt call it child abuse just a wrong choice. which hopefully they will learn from their mistakes and relise they cannot go out drinking with a 5 month old baby on tow.
we have done this since my oldest was about a year old, she is now 9 then we have our 8 year old and my youngest is nearlly 4 and since they was about 5 months we have done the same thing.

I worked in enough restaurants to establish this. If the parents order their drinks at the table, that's one thing. What disgusted me is the parents that took their children into a neighborhood restaurant and SEATED their kids AT the bar, during rush hour while they waited for their non-smoking table. So while they waited for the 45 -90 minutes on a Friday night for their non-smoking table they would sit AT the bar surrounded by smokers and people trying to get picked up for the night.

The bartenders I worked with use to always complain about that because half the time the child was indeed forgotten about amongst all the people.

Then the kicker was (I only hosted at restaurants) was when you sat them NEAR the smoking section. They didn't want themselves nor their children to be exposed to cigerettes during their dinner.

A little too two faced for me.

I totally agree.

some people need there head examined.. What is wrong with people..

When we were kids we'd go down to the hole in the wall bar/pub and get candy and stuff, but they would do taco night on Thursday...

That was the extent of that.