An early-morning confrontation between two mothers and an older customer at an Australian cafe has sparked debate among social media users over children's behaviour in shared public spaces.
The dispute happened at about 7:15 a.m. at a cafe with outdoor seating. Podcast host Lauren Treweek described the incident involving a friend and another mother on Ready or Not, which she co-hosts with Lucinda McKimm.
Treweek initially recalled the customer telling the mothers to 'tell your kids to be f--ing quiet,' but immediately qualified her wording, saying she did not believe the woman had sworn. In Treweek's recollection, the customer said, 'You need to tell your kids to be quiet.'
Mother Calls Customer a 'Vile Woman'
Treweek estimated that the older customer was in her 70s. She said the woman had ordered a takeaway coffee before objecting to the children's noise. One mother, who had a newborn with her, reportedly replied, 'I'm sorry, they're kids.'
Treweek recalled her friend responding, 'Get your takeaway coffee and go elsewhere, you vile woman.' The wording of the event comes from Treweek's account, not an independently verified recording of the confrontation.
The podcast host ended up defending her friend's reaction, saying, 'I thought, good on my friend for saying that because that is disgusting.'
McKimm said hostile encounters in public could discourage parents already anxious about leaving home with young children. She suggested that a mother who experienced an unpleasant visit might avoid returning to a cafe and feel more isolated; she did not establish that this happened to either mother involved.
Instagram Commenters Disagree over Children's Behaviour
Comments on the podcast's Instagram video reflected different views. One person asked, 'If it's not a playground, is running around and screaming appropriate?' The commenter argued that parents should also teach children how to behave in cafes and shops.
Another wrote, 'It's 7:15 a.m. They do need to be quiet! People are still sleeping. Be respectful!'
A further commenter said children making ordinary noise in cafes was acceptable but argued that they should not have unrestricted freedom to run around. Others defended families' right to use public spaces. One Instagram commenter argued that people are 'entitled to a child free life, not a child free world,' while another objected to intolerance of children who were not misbehaving.
Mother Says Children Played in Shared Outdoor Area
One of the mothers later responded in the comments section of the podcast's Instagram video. She said the children were playing outdoors around a large tree with a built-in seat, in an open area shared by several businesses.
She described the children as running around and having fun in a public area that also provided seating for cafe customers. She disputed the suggestion that the children had been disrupting customers, saying they were playing in a shared outdoor area.
Sydney etiquette expert Kate Heussler distinguished normal childhood noise, including excited conversation, laughter, and a newborn crying, from behaviour that interferes with other customers. She said parents should intervene if children run between tables, disturb customers, or create safety risks.
Heussler also criticised the escalation by both adults. She said the customer could have raised her concerns politely, while the mothers could have defended their position without turning the disagreement into a confrontation.
The dispute remains based on Treweek's account, the mother's subsequent comments and listeners' reactions. The older customer's version of events has not been made public, and her identity has not been made public as of press time.
