Do you think it is rude for children to help themselves to food at someone else's house?

Question

My husband and I both feel that young children should ask there parents if they want something, we also think if you are close friends that it is fine for adults to help themselves when in your home - but not children. How do you feel about this?

Answer 1

At my grandma's house I always help myself without her telling me because she offers me a snack but in other houses I wait for the host to offer us food.  I used to ask when we went to my aunts houses but my mom told me not to do that and wait till they offered to me since we usually went after dinner.  Now in my aunts houses I usually help myself because they are more generouse now that I'm an adult and I usually get a drink or a snack.

Answer 2

I don't think that children should help themselves to food at someone else's house, except in certain circumstances.  There were three or four kids in my neighborhood growing up that were over at my house so much that my mom called them her other kids.  She basically told them to help themselves to whatever they wanted.  In that situation I think it was okay.

Answer 3

maybe there should be a certain shelf that the kids can only help them selves to .but i always had to ask when i was little .i think to a certain age you should have to ask .

Answer 4

Kids should not help themselves to food before being served or asked to. Their parents should give them food when they feel it's time for them to eat.  

Answer 5

I think this all depends on how close.  And maybe how proper the families are.  There are families we've been close to my whole life who I would not help myself.  There are others where I would help myself.  My son is only 3 and so not really helping himself too much yet.  But he would be allowed to help himself at his grandparents or uncles and aunts houses without question, even now.  At other's houses where he is not as well known I would expect him  to ask me.  If he were a little older (8 or 10) and at his own friends house without me I would say that if it was ok with them, i do not find this innapropritae and would feel ok with kids that age helping themselves within reason at my house.

Answer 6

The kids shouldn't even ask for food....only way they should get any as if there offered food or w/e.  But if it's like a family get-together thing then, it's ok.

Answer 7

Where I come from, you always are polite. I never even got into my grandma's fridge unless she told me too, and as an adult, I still don't. It's not a question of whether I'd be allowed to or not, I would be, it's just respectful not to. My family always knocks on doors no matter who's house we are going to, whether family or not, and I find it HIGHLY rude when people ( i.e my boyfriend's friends ) just let themselves in the house, walk into the kitchen and get whatever they want.

Answer 8

When I take my son somewhere I take snacks for him. I don't expect a child to wait until the adults are ready to eat. Children cannot wait, and they have to eat more often as they are usually more active. I think it is more rude for someone not to offer a child something to eat knowing that meal time is more than an hour away. I always offer my son's little friends snacks if lunch or dinner is going to be a while. A child is not going to ask for something to eat unless they are hungry.

Answer 9

It depends, if it is such a friendship that your friends can help themselves to my food, then by all means, I feel their children should as well. I always ask their parents, in case they want them not to eat sweets, but it's not a big deal to me. I guess it depends on how the parents raise them. Most parents feel their kids should ask the host and not them, since the food isn't theirs. But those are the same people who ask for themselves if they can have food.

Answer 10

Yes very rude for anyone children as guest in someone else's house to help themselves to food. Children who do this lack basic manner.

It really the parent fault. Maybe my view are different myself coming from Europe.

There is no excuse for bad manners. One doesn't vist someone house with children in the hope that the host/hostess will feed them.

It's different if they were invited for lunch etc. But for someone children to walk into someone kitchen and help themselves is totally rude. Some have said on this what if the child is hungry? that is no excuse what so ever.

It's ok if the child asked could she/he have an apple or something fine. But to open someone fridge and help themselves is a huge no no.

Children should learn basic manners and know what they do at home is not the same as visting someone ele’s house.

Sadly in some cases they act if they were at home, and think it ok to act like this in other people homes.

Answer 11

Absolutely...it is sooo uncalled for when kids just "dig in",it seems a huge lack of respect and discipline.

Answer 12

I think it's rude. Adults and children should always ask, unless the person says "Feel free to grab anything to eat".

Answer 13

I think no matter what age or what relation you may have, if you are not sure, you should always ask. Whether i'm at my Aunt's house or a best friend's house I always ask because you never know lol.

I think it is rude to assume that it is ok to help yourself unless the host specifically tells you it's ok.  

Answer 14

I think it just depends on how well you know the people. If it's family (like grandparents) then I say no problem.  However, if they are at a friend's house, I don't think they should ask or help themselves to food - they should wait until food is offered.  

Answer 15

For the most part I would agree that it's rude, unless you're talking about something like a plate of cookies that has been set out specifically for people to help themselves from. Then it's only rude if the kids (or adults!) take too many cookies for themselves.