Is this accepted now? Young children and electronics on public transport.

[AnneGrommit]

The last few times I've been on a train (not in quiet coach) and quite often on the bus I've had my peace disturbed by toddlers with phones/tablets either playing noisy games on them or watching programmes. When I've asked parents to rein them in I've been invariably met with either passive aggressive remarks about not liking children (I have three myself) or outright hostility and a statement along the lines of "it keeps them quiet". No, it doesn't. It stops them from pestering you but it's far from quiet. AIBU or is this an accepted "thing" now? Because it's fucking annoying.

[FlyingFox95]

I get this too!! I'm always met with comments about not liking children but I genuinely don't so it doesn't bother me. I generally avoid sitting near children on public transport anyway for this reason (noise can be a nightmare on a longer commute) but I'm generally able to move away when they start so it's not the worst.

So infuriating though

[oldlaundbooth]

Seems to be par the course nowadays.

[AnneGrommit]

Glad it's not just me! I don't dislike children per se and actually find it quite charming listening to toddler talk even though mine are older - it's endearing. I just don't like electronic noise intrusion from anyone and especially not being subjected to fifty rounds of Peppa fucking Pig.

[GreeboIsACutePussPuss]

It's pretty common, and peppa pig on quietly is way less irritating than a bored, whiny child in my opinion, but then my journey to/from work is literally the only time I get to myself, I can drown crappy kids TV out but people of any age chatting annoys me (which I know is totally unreasonable)

[supermoon100]

It's completely and utterly selfish

[Tinselcandle]

AIBU or is this an accepted "thing" now? Because it's fucking annoying

You are not being unreasonable. It drives me fecking nuts.
Doctor's waiting room, with sick and elderly people waiting to be called in, there was a family of two parents, 3 children, and they were all 'quietly' playing on their tablets.

In only their own heads was it 'quiet' It was two tablets with game noises and Beyoncé you tube stuff. It invaded the entire wating room. They were oblivious. It's just, like, what kids do.

Well no. They shouldn't be fucking allowed by their numpty parents to subject the whole waiting room to their irritating and unwanted noise level. Do it at home if you like. Don't subject everybody else to it. Thank you.

[Ginandplatonic]

I find it really rude. I'm certainly not above letting my kids use electronics on long journeys, but they either have the sound turned off (for games) or use headphones. It's not hard to show a bit of consideration for others, and makes everyone's life much more pleasant.

[JennyWoodentop]

this is what earphones are for!

[Theresnonamesleft]

Major bugbear of mine. D.C.'s know either turn it down or wear headphones which I limit the volume to begin with.
Some of you may have come across me in London. I'm the one that asks parent politely to turn the volume down. The argumentative ones I mention about all the bus playing loud stuff and the noise level, never mind the content. The really adamant
Ones insist it's fine/not the same.. strangely they have a change of opinion when I play a bit of 2pac, or watch South Park. 😂

[SilverBirchTree]

YANBU - Major pet hate of mine.

I was in a pathology clinic recently, which shared a waiting room with patients undergoing chemo. A family of three adults, two tween-aged children and a baby came in to get the baby vaccinated. The adults left the children in the waiting room with iphones blasting some zappy game nonsense. As she handed them her phones before leaving them, the mother (I assume) said in a loud pious voice to the children "Now, there are other people here, so don't put the volume more than half way", looking around the waiting room as if waiting for compliments on her thoughtful parenting.

When I asked her to give them headphones or turn the volume off, I was accused of being intolerant of children.

No, just no. This is why people get shirty with parents of young children. To let your children make such annoying noise anywhere in public, let alone in a room full of sick and elderly people who are feeling miserable enough already, is selfish and oblivious.

Headphones, or no phone. I think most children would happily accept headphones.

To say nothing as to why those same children couldn't have been reading a book, or having a conversation, or being taken to the nearby parks or café by one of the two other adults in their party.

[Neutrogena]

Its annoying yes. Best to ignore it like most unpleasant behaviour

[JennyBlueWren]

What about the noise of my reading to my son on the train or the noise of me singing the flipping train song again.

I have only once used my kindle (and a silent game at that) when our plane was kept on the tarmac at the airport (and I'd woken him from his nap on landing :( ) but do wonder if it's just as noisy without as he does need some entertaining and at only 2 can't read to himself.

Can anyone suggest silent/quiet activities for children on trains? I thought a notebook and pencils would work but this lead to my son listing things for me to draw or chatting about his scribbles. We also have cards but that results in saying the name of each Mr Tumble character loudly and especially loud SNAP!

[Spikeyball]

The problem for many people is the avoidable electronic noise. Talking and other child or parent noise is to be expected.

[InfiniteSheldon]

^^ All vastly preferable to electronic noise

[GavelRavel]

I find this totally unacceptable and am astounded when I see people doing it. it's so rude. My kids have electronic equipment galore on public transport but they use headphones like adults do. I'm astounded that people think it's ok. it's so bloody rude, inflicting your noise and choice of noise on other people. and what happens if another family get in and do it? absolute cacophony. I'm not old btw

[CheshireSplat]

YANBU. I think they should have headphones.

[parrotseatemall]

Very rude!! I always insist that anything like that is muted or headphones.

I've had adults playing loud jangling phone games near me too. It's so awful.

[PickleSarnie]

It fecks me off. If you can afford a tablet, you can afford headphones.

I went out for a rare lunch the other day with husband and my two kids. The table next to me had a small child. I'm guessing about 18 months which I appreciate is a really bloody tough age to take out for lunch. So they had dumped an iPad in front of him with bloody sesame street playing repeatedly with the volume turned up. Kids that age couldn't give a crap of the noise is turned on. Ruined my lunch. It's lazy and selfish.

[BoomBoomsCousin]

YANBU but I don't think it's any worse than people having phone conversations. Which I find really grating.

[swapsicles]

I work in retail and it's very frustrating for us and customers when a child is walking/sitting in buggy or trolley just staring at the screen with the volume right up, no-one else needs or wants to hear kids tv and games at full whack.
Particularly when I'm trying to talk to other customers and have to keep repeating myself over the noise. keep it down or use headphones

[PiratePanda]

It's incredibly annoying and disrespectful to those who have to overhear it. We use screens to entertain DS on public transport, but - crucially - he wears children's headphones. They're not expensive and they solve this problem instantly.

Some people are just selfish.

[Alicetherabbit]

Yanbu, I have a toddler and on a recent journey four hours long I was praised by several people for keeping her amused by singing and playing games and not resorting to electronics, I think people are tolerant of child noise, just not tinny sounds for half heard tv.

[Justdontknow4321]

It's never bothered me..

It's no different to people having really loud convos on the bus that I don't want to listen to or people chatting on the phone or people with headphones on but with the volume up full blast so you can still hear it or people eating and chewing loudly, it's not a restraunt so why would I expect people to be eating on a bus? So I ain't going to start moaning about abit of game noise, I'd rather that then hearing a child moan about something.

[GavelRavel]

headphones, headphones, headphones!

if a home reading does this I ask you to consider your rude, entitled and inexcusable behaviour. And be aware that everyone in the carriage is thinking what a massive arsehole you are.

people do it by the pool on the sun loungers on holidays as well which is even worse.

[GavelRavel]

if anyone