We usually pick up as much of the mess as possible an pile it on a plate for easy removal. We also try to pick up most of the food that ends up on the floor as well. We don't leave it spotless but we try to make it a little easier on the waitstaff. AND we leave a big tip as well.

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We pick up a little, but I can't pick up every piece of rice that misses my son's mouth. The do have brooms and carpet sweepers for that. We tip really well and try to keep our son from deliberately dropping or throwing food.

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If my/your child is making mess it's mine/your responsibility to clean it up as much as I/you can. I don't have children yet, but I've always felt it was my duty to try and clean up any mess that I make when I go out to eat, regardless of it being a sit down or a fast food place. Fortuantely my fiancee feels the same way so we always try to make it as easy as possible for the wait staff to clean up after us (we wipe the table down with a napkin, and put all our refuse in a pile). It always sickens me to see tables left in complete disarray after other parties with or without children leave their tables. This all goes back to that article a couple weeks ago where CEOs were talking about how you treat the wait staff shows the type of person you are.

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hot button issue here!!! TEACH YOUR CHILDREN!! MANNERS!!! would you let them smear poop all over the bathroom? NO. why would you let them smear food all over? I am a server. It is NOT my job to clean up after YOUR kids! operative word here being YOURS, not mine! If your children cannot behave in a civilized manner in a public venue, then they should not be allowed. It is not only unpleasant for serving staff, it is unpleasant for other diners, who are paying for the privilege of a peaceful evening.
I am also a mother. I NEVER allowed my child to be a heathen in public. A parents role is to guide, teach, and be an example. What kind of example does it set when a parent is desrespectful of service staff?
Think about it people.
Use some common sense.

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I can't believe that's even causing a debate. There's a certain level of table mess that one might consider "normal wear and tear," but in extreme cases I'd certainly ask the waitstaff for some cleaning items so that I could take care of my own mess.

Admittedly in nicer places they would absolutely refuse me this and insist that they could handle it, but I'm well aware that they're being polite and I do tip accordingly and mention my appreciation to the management.

From reading the comments over there, it looks like the "size" of the mess is the deciding factor but more people are thinking that people need to not only take responsibility for their children, but also use the opportunity to teach their kids that if it isn't acceptable in the house, it sure as heck isn't in public.

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Thinking of others is something that is missing in todays young parents. Watching out of control kids running around while mom is chatting on the phone. CLEAN UP YOURSELF. When we went out with our kids we carried along a old sheet that was placed on the floor under the babies chair. Anything that ended up on the floor was caught on the sheet. Smearing food wasn't allowed. If the kids acted up they were removed to wait in the car with one of the adults. The restaurant isn't responsible for your kids you are.

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As a past waitress at a few different restaurants, I found cleaning up after children a series of mixed emotions. If the parent just didn't care what their kids did, and offered no apologies, I generally hated it. These parents were also the ones who considered 25 cents per child and 50 cents per adult an acceptable tip. If the parent was apologectic for a larger than average mess, and left a sizable tip, I was more than happy to clean up after them. They paid me for my extra work. Now that I go out to eat with my children, if they make a mess, I pay (in the form of a large tip) the server to clean it up. I do however want my children to be as polite and neat as possible when eating, but accidents do happen.

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yes. please clean up after your children. one time at a favorite restaurant, there was a large party, about three couples with kids, getting ready to leave. though not before one of the mothers in the party changed her toddler's diaper AT THE TABLE and left it for the waitstaff to deal with. i thought it was a joke at first. it was absolutely the most disgusting thing i have ever seen in a restaurant. the waiters and busboys didn't want to clean that up, and they DO NOT get paid enough to do so. it's called common courtesy, which unfortunately, isn't very common.

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Ooh, that "someone gets paid to do that" attitude really frosts me. My grandmother felt that way. While I've never worked in food service, I've done retail for many years. Because it's so rare, if I'm in the area when a child puts something back in the RIGHT PLACE, I thank both them and the parents.

I never would've gotten away with what some of these kids are doing these days. I think most of us reading this feel the same way! ;)

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Parents need to teach their children how to act in public places so that this is not even an issue.
And for the idiots not teaching their children how to act in public they should clean up the mess that is created by their offspring. Maybe that will help teach the children something...

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I come down on the "clean up after your children" side. I often eat out with my two-year-old, and no matter how much I try to teach him to behave properly in public, some food is going to hit the floor. I pick it up. Big deal. And I tip well for having a server polite enough to deal with my child. Big deal. Just take responsibility for your own child's actions until they are old enough to take the responsibility themselves.

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My mom had a pre-school/daycare at her home. Once a year the kids would go out for a "nice" lunch, not McD's but one of the nicest restaurants in our (small) town. The kids knew they wouldn't get to go until they were "ready".
Up to the point where they went out, every lunch was practice. Their manners had to be the same at school as they would be at the restaurant.

When the time came for the lunch out, the parents were specifically not invited. (Kid's are often more unruly around their own parents ) An adult or two came along, but mainly just as drivers. The restaurant knew they were coming and they'd arrive a few minutes before the normal lunch opening time. The kids knew the menu, knew what they wanted. The waitress would take each kid's order and 8-10 kids would be eating their lunch in the middle of a rapidly filling restaurant during a busy meal with only 2-3 adults to watch over them.
They were always welcome to come back. The kids didn't need to worry about "restaurant manners" as they knew them as no different from "table manners".

These were all pre-kindergarten kids. After seeing how kids could behave with proper instruction, I'm afraid I have little tolerance for kids making a mess in restaurants. So I think the question should never be who'd problem the mess is. If there is a mess, it's the responsibility adult who brought the kid. It shouldn't be their responsibility to clean the mess, it should be their responsibilty not to create one.

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