Mother’s shock as cafe customers round on her for crying baby!

A MOTHER who was criticised for her parenting after her baby began crying in a Lane Cove cafe has been overwhelmed by more than 400 Facebook comments following the incident.

Emily Patterson has faced a real-life troll along with an outpouring of public support and generosity from those on social media.

Ms Patterson was at Aristocrat Cafe in the Lane Cove Plaza last Monday with her eight-month-old baby James, who was unsettled and crying ahead of his usual sleep time.

After being tutted at by a woman sitting nearby, Ms Patterson said she felt obliged to apologise and to leave the cafe.

It was then she overheard the ladies saying she was neglectful.

Another mother and cafe owner Nick Drinias both went to offer Ms Patterson their support, saying she didn’t need to go.

Ms Patterson then approached the woman who had complained.

“I told her, ‘I’m sorry they feel my baby’s disturbed them’ and she went to town, saying I shouldn’t have let him cry in the pram and (that she) was concerned about the patrons being turned away from the noise,” she said.

James is still smiling despite the uproar. 

Upset, she wrote about the incident on the North Shore Mums Facebook page, while the other mother who had witnessed the exchange also posted to the In The Cove Facebook page.

The In The Cove post generated about 400 comments, plus offers of a complimentary beauty treatment.

Mr Drinias offered cafe patrons free babyccinos for the rest of the week, and in turn, he was offered rugby tickets for supporting Ms Patterson.

“If I wasn’t perhaps as resilient, it could have gone so much worse for me such as if I was a first-time mum and there were a whole lot of other issues, ” she said.

“My main issue is that the poor old sisterhood had taken a beating that day but after receiving so much support online I felt the sisterhood made a comeback.

“I know there’s a lot in the media about getting breastfeeding to be acceptable in society, but I think the issue is about people judging mothers.

“It’s so tragic that people could be so harsh about others.”

Emily Patterson with baby James, 8 months, and Aristocrat Cafe owner Nick Drinias. 

A MOTHER who was criticised for her parenting after her baby began crying in a Lane Cove cafe has been overwhelmed by more than 400 Facebook comments following the incident.

Emily Patterson has faced a real-life troll along with an outpouring of public support and generosity from those on social media.

Ms Patterson was at Aristocrat Cafe in the Lane Cove Plaza last Monday with her eight-month-old baby James, who was unsettled and crying ahead of his usual sleep time.

After being tutted at by a woman sitting nearby, Ms Patterson said she felt obliged to apologise and to leave the cafe.

It was then she overheard the ladies saying she was neglectful.

Another mother and cafe owner Nick Drinias both went to offer Ms Patterson their support, saying she didn’t need to go.

Ms Patterson then approached the woman who had complained.

“I told her, ‘I’m sorry they feel my baby’s disturbed them’ and she went to town, saying I shouldn’t have let him cry in the pram and (that she) was concerned about the patrons being turned away from the noise,” she said.

James is still smiling despite the uproar. 

Upset, she wrote about the incident on the North Shore Mums Facebook page, while the other mother who had witnessed the exchange also posted to the In The Cove Facebook page.

The In The Cove post generated about 400 comments, plus offers of a complimentary beauty treatment.

Mr Drinias offered cafe patrons free babyccinos for the rest of the week, and in turn, he was offered rugby tickets for supporting Ms Patterson.

“If I wasn’t perhaps as resilient, it could have gone so much worse for me such as if I was a first-time mum and there were a whole lot of other issues, ” she said.

“My main issue is that the poor old sisterhood had taken a beating that day but after receiving so much support online I felt the sisterhood made a comeback.

“I know there’s a lot in the media about getting breastfeeding to be acceptable in society, but I think the issue is about people judging mothers.

“It’s so tragic that people could be so harsh about others.”

Emily Patterson with baby James, 8 months, at Aristocrat Cafe. 

Parent and child stress management specialist Patrice Thomas said mindful meditation can help other parents who find themselves in the same situation.

“Learning how to do that gives you more equanimity in life and a bit more confidence not to take it so personally and put it in the perspective that it warrants,” she said.

“It’s about being mindful of yourself and others.”

She praised the actions of the other woman present and cafe owner.

“I think it shows more about the person making the comments to other people,” she said.

“Good on them for going into bat for her.”