Sydney’s Black Mocha Cafe Calls Kids ‘Feral’ And Bans Them

Another day, another cafe that has banned badly behaved children from its premises despite initially advertising itself as a paradise for parents.

The Black Mocha Cafe claims they can’t stand the terrible behaviour of these ‘feral’ kids, and the damage that’s being done to their property.

To be honest, we don’t blame them.

Located in Turramurra on Sydney’s North Shore the Black Mocha has long been considered a happy environment for customers with children. Not only did they welcome kids and their parents, they also provided a kids playroom that was well-known to local residents. However, after becoming so appalled at the frankly disgusting behaviour of the kids they have decided that there is no other option but to remove the playroom.

Owners John and Claudette Osterberg, parents of two children themselves, are heartbroken by the decision, but claim that ‘feral behaviour’ from both kids and their parents was behind the change.

“Black Mocha Cafe no longer offers a ‘kids playroom’… Our cafe was designed with families in mind unfortunately so we have had to make a decision that is heartbreaking for both sides.”

The owners also outlined some of the appalling behaviour of their customers that was behind the change in a list on Facebook, which included the tearing of books and breaking of toys, the grinding of food into walls and carpets, jumping on chairs and destroying fixtures and fittings, screaming unsupervised around cafe (encouraged in some cases by parents), knocking over other customers’ drinks, washing hands in other customers’ water and even stealing food from other people’s plates. They cafe also claimed that parents brought in takeaway food to eat in the cafe, and used cushions as plates for this kids, as well as changing nappies all over the cafe and leaving the dirty nappies on tables and in the playroom.

This might not be much of a popular opinion, but I can certainly say that I would be appalled if any of my kids did any of the things described here. I’m also disgusted that parents would let their kids roam undisciplined in the cafe like this. Cafes that are friendly or even appropriate for kids are few and far between these days, and when parents let their little terrors run wild as described by the owners of the Black Mocha, it’s no surprise that they don’t want kids in their business premises. But it’s such a bummer for parents who can actually control their kids, because it means there’s one more place that we can’t go.

At the end of the day, a cafe is not a childcare centre, it’s not a creche, it’s not a park and it’s not your house. It is someone’s business, and although your patronage is appreciated it will only get you so far. Claims from the owner that parents would buy a single cup of coffee and then occupy the space for several hours while their kids wreaked havoc on the premises are totally out of order. These people have provided the space so that your kids feel welcome, and so parents have somewhere to go to enjoy a cuppa and (if you can chomp it before the kids notice) a slice of cake. How dare you repay them by taking advantage of their hospitality and basically ruining it for everyone else?

All we’re going to say is this: we stand with the Black Mocha Cafe against this terrible example of public behaviour. Yes, kids should be free to be children, but they should also be aware that public places require a certain level of behaviour. Teaching your kids to act appropriately when they’re out, and to act politely when in cafes and restaurants isn’t impossible, and parents who don’t can’t sit on their high horse any longer. Kids have a right to enjoy their childhood, but destroying someone else’s cafe breaks one of the major rules we’re trying to teach them in the first place: respect for people and things. If you think that’s ok, then I worry about how your kids are going to turn out.

As a mum, I want to be able to take my very well behaved kids to a cafe and enjoy a nice cup of coffee, with froth, that I didn’t burn on the stove and pour into a crusty coffee cup. So control your kids or a distinct lack of coffee will leave me with no other choice but to take matters into my own caffeine deprived hands.