DEAR MISS MANNERS: My wife and I recently joined a local country club. Our kids are grown and graduating from college this year, and we found ourselves with extra income and a social void.
The club we joined is family-friendly. However, the last few times we have gone, we have gotten stuck next to clueless parents who sit with other couples and let their kids sit at their own table. The kids are loud and constantly up and running around.
I'm not happy, as we are paying a considerable amount of money to belong and don't want to put up with these brats on our nights out. I'm at a crossroads.
I said something to the hostess a month ago. However, last evening we were entertaining family friends and got stuck next to a table celebrating a 3-year-old's birthday. To say they were OBNOXIOUSLY LOUD would be an understatement.
I am at the point of contacting the board, but I really don't want to be that guy.
GENTLE READER: Apparently you joined the wrong club. Country clubs, with their sports facilities, tend to attract families, which means children (or what you call "brats"), and that, in turn, leads to birthday parties and children who don't sit still.
You might look for a city club with a good library. Or you could become active in the country club and propose separate dining areas for adults and children.
Whether you succeed will probably depend on the demographics of the membership. But if you continue to characterize children as you do, your chances are zero.