This doesn't have to do with restaurants but with raising kids the way you want them to behave. So, my son knew not to litter. Without a word to or from us, my son went over, picked up the wrapper and touched the boy on the arm and said "excuse me, but I think you dropped this - the trash can is over there". Then he came back to us and the look on the parents' faces and that boy's face was priceless. And the boy put the wrapper into the trashcan.
So yes, keeping your mouth closed is fine but making a small statement is beyond great.
THIS!
At the end of the day, all we can do as Parents is train our children in the ways they should go.
My husband and I point out misbehaving kids to our children so they see the way they are acting.
My son is a talker and the "worst" he does at a restaurant is turn around and talk to the people behind us. And we let him for a minute or so and then remind him that they are eating too and he needs to sit down. And he is loud- no amount of training has changed that yet, he is 4 and a social bug. He makes all the waiters and waitresses laugh and gets free food when we eat. I know some people would say "ugh, listen to that obnoxious child talking over everyone else". Meh. He is sitting in his seat at least, but yes, sorry- he is very loud.
I think some of these parents think "I am on vacation, so- I am not cooking/cleaning/disciplining/caring...which is irresponsible.
Many of these sound like parents that don't want to be bothered with the parenting and what comes from it. Parenting is hard, kids need a TON of reminders. My son challenges me every single day, but he also has respect out in public because he knows it is a privilege that can be taken away.
I for one am so irritated by the parenting of today. Too many "coddlers" and parents that refuse to discipline poor little "billy".
Disney is a place for families so yes- that means lots and lots of children and todays children have been raised on youtube and ipads and are ill mannered.
Maybe it is the homeschooler in me that does things a bit differently- but I know that teachers have been stripped of the ability to tell kids NO anymore, which furthers the cycle of disrespect to people other than themselves.
My other thought is that these parents are simply Facebook selfish and do not realize that they are in PUBLIC with other people than themselves.
My kids know they have to respect other adults- no they do not have to OBEY them (there are perverts in authority positions too and my kids do not have to obey someone that is telling them to "keep a secret" or "come with them somewhere")