11-Year-Old's Lunch Trip to Hooters Causes A Stir Over Tweens and Sex

The uniform that the young lady is wearing in the picture can be seen in many variations at the local mall on any age female. It is not that revealing. I think the name, t.v. and movies are what conjures up images of scantily clad to nude waitresses. I've never been there, but it doesn't seem to be that way.

Hooters considers themselves a family friendly environment. I have been to a few and not all of the women are busty, and none of them had their boobs spilling out of their tops. Too many people making assumptions that haven't even been to a Hooters.

I have a 17 year old boy and we have been going to differant Hooters for about 15 years. Yes, his reaction is differant now than 5 + years ago. I don't see a problem with it at all.

Thank you so much Elizabeth! I am a HooTers Girl and we have a TON of families that come in every single day with their kids. People come out to Hoots on dates and for celebrations. We're not bad people and I'm glad that another woman realizes that. :) We're moms, students, wives, and more; and we make dining experiences a lot more fun for everyone.

Moms bring their boys AND daughters in to talk to us, too, not just dads. We're Hooter Girls, not strippers, belly dancers, or girls on the corner.and our wings have been voted Best in Hampton Roads, VA AGAIN! ... if you're ever in the area, stop by and we'll do the Hokie Pokie with you :) Thank you for your support!
Always,

Gabbi
Hooters of Virginia Beach, VA

THANK YOU!!!! Goodness, it's not like he took them to a strip club, or showed them porn. As a woman, I don't see a problem with this.

What an irresponsible thing to do as a parent. His son is not a science project nor 'an experiment' he is a child and a human being. The father's lack of maturity and responsibility is reprehensible. Not only did he introduce a tone of sexuality into his son's awareness albeit subtle and subliminally imprinted, he has placed his relationship with his peers to taunts which further compounds the problem that is now clearly in the forefront of his son's awareness.

While Hooters is not a strip club, nor prostitutes. it is a place with sexual implications. Would he have brought his daughter to a club that had men in short's and no top where the overtone was of a sexual nature and justify it as a social experiment?

Two (2) years ago, I took my son, then age 10, to Hooters for his birthday, at 5pm before a hockey game.

In the midst of a nasty divorce, "mommy" had her attorneys make an issue in Court papers no less! Prepared for this...I had him count the number of CHILDREN IN HIGH CHAIRS, plus, we took a menu, to keep for such anticpitaed response...to submit as a reply.....which we did, and the menu showcases the "CHILDREN'S MENU".

Additonally, the "sex oogling conduct", their words, revealed far less ":skin" than he see's at the BEACH with mom and her friends........and, instead, introduces him to the opposite sex in a MATURE, respectful environment...which CANNOT be said for the beach!

The food is great, he learned and still dines there with me, to show respect, self control for attractive females or, risks getting thrown OUT if he misbehaves one day as an adult. Again, not so at a PUBLIC BEACH!

To any and all who complain/protest: calm down! Kids know more today y age 9 on their own than we ever did, so, intercede, TEACH them, GUIDE them, INVOKE respect in them......those are RESPONSIBLE adult-like traits. IGNORE them and nature's inevitable course: THAT is malfeasance as a parent!

I take my daughters to male strip clubs now that they are of age.....they seem extremely indifferent. This speaks volumes about the difference in the actual interest in the persuance of sex male to females. Males should persue sex with dignity.....only after which you have established a repoir with your woman do you play the kind of games unfamiliar couples should stay away from.

I wonder if the people who don't believe this is appropriate put an age restriction on taking thier kids to the beach.

A responsible father can't take his kid to Hooters in the middle of the day without getting other moronic parents fired up? I congradulate him on his responsibility on the matter and conducting it with such precise timing and reason as is not to confuse or misconstrue the details of why he did it. If that's so bad then how come so many parents recently went out and bought their 9-13 year old kids Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 within that last few days... you know they walk around shooting, stabbing and blowing people up in that game right? So... them sitting in front of a tv playing those kinds of games for 20+ hours per week is worse than this situation? Parents = DON'T BE LAZY!!! Bob = Way to go man! Be that pro-active pioneer!

This type of act to bring children to Hooters, I thought was a good idea. It allows for young boys to see how they act in front of women. It's just a reality, they should learn about sexuality at an early age and to ask anything they want to their mom or dad because so much about sexuality is not taught. The earlier they learn the better. Most schools only touch up on the subject in health class, so living the emotions and asking is so important. Children should not be afraid to wonder and ask, because sex and sexuality is so prevalent in today's society. Growing up afraid will cause children to be confused about themselves, they should be confident when they reach the age when they express love and romance towards another.

Good Job Mr. Elston

i agree, they look like they're having fun. Boys grow up far more differently than girls do, and it's great to have a dad, watching for his son's changes, and reactions. All children need a positive influance from their parents on sexuality.

No one would freak out if he had taken them to the beach, where the women are much less "clad." So why do they have a cow about this? I say, good job dad.

The criticized him for taking his son to Hooters where the women wear shirts and shorts. If he took his son to Wet And Wild or another water park where women wear bikinis, showing much more skin than Hooters would he be criticized for that also? Wake up people! The Disney Channel has more sexually explicit action in their music videos than Hooters can even think about having!

I personally think that most of the people that disagree with Mr. Elston need to come down off their pedistals and venture into the real world. In 6th grade my now 18 year old son came home and asked me about oral sex. I was open about it and told him what it was. After he said "eww that's gross" he went about his business. The sad thing about it was that he had heard about it in school from the other kids. Now, tell me why Hooter's is bad. I personally do not care for their food but, the waitresses are not to be blamed and called names. Any of you "ladies" out their needs to put themselves into their shoes. I paid my way through both a BA and MA being a waitress so, get off your high horses folks. Maybe you think that Mr. Elston went about things the wrong way but, at least he is the type of parent that cares about his child. I believe that you can explain sex at every stage of life to thier understanding. Maybe if some of you would be open about sex with your kids and not let their friends be their teachers, there would be a decrease in teen pregnancy and STD's. With everything else that can and do help to corrupt our youngsters, I would think that you have more important things to do. Remember, we are raising the next generation, our future leaders and innovators so, as the saying goes; judge not lest ye be judged. Oh, I forgot, let he who is without sin cast the first stone. I don't think any of us can claim that one.

I agree This is the year 2009 if we don't teach our kids the right way we would not have 11 or 12 year olds having sex and babies and a lot of child abuse with unwed teens so I think there are a lot of bible thumpers taking this to heart due to they just rather have there kids learn from friends since they are to scared to have the sex talk I am very open and honest with my 6 year old and he knows about how babies are made and to take precautions if I have to read a gang letter and about colors they wear and how to act in school then the sex talk is a peice of cake. I think being a parent is in the parents hands and this father is a great father for wanting to take great care of his son and see if the sex talk is needed. Some parents could learn from this father and get a set of balls and have a conversation with there kids once in a while get to know them for who they are and not ignore them and this world might have more smart kids that make better choices then there stupid parents do.

Maybe kids shouldn't go to the beach right??? Get a grip people please!!!!!

To Judy B,
One of the first things that parents teach their children is that people who are mean and hateful are ugly and "slimy" on the inside... Unfortunately, you are one of these people. I pity you for your ignorance. Hooters is a restaurant, and the women and girls that work there are clearly far better human beings than yourself. If you object to taking children there then please also refrain from taking your children to the beach, girls' sporting events, and ballets for fear that they would be exposed to the inappropriate bikinis, short-shorts uniforms, and too-tight leotards (assuming you have children; I can't imagine there would be any man willing to subject himself to such a judgemental person). Thank you Mr. Elston for choosing a practical approach to this delicate topic of parenting.

I am a prude when it comes to porn and such...I don't think children should be exposed to such things. However, these kids were exposed to nothing more than what they see on an average city sidewalk in July. If so many parents would be so attentive we would not have the social problems we have. Kudos.