to say something to these parents

[morningtoncrescent62]

I'm on a train, on a journey of several hours. Two hours in, and the family across from me are driving me nuts. Both parents are staring at their phones. DS (6-ish) is keeping up a constant, and very loud, stream of 'Dad, guess what?', 'Mum, watch me do this' and so forth. Neither parent is responding at all, not even looking up from their phones. They seem to have learned to edit out their child completely, but I haven't, and I can't concentrate on anything. WIBU to say something, and if so, how do I put it? I don't think I'd be bothered by a child/parent conversation, it's the constant stream of 'hey mum', 'hey dad' at full volume which is annoying. Moving seats isn't an option as the train is full and if I leave this (pre-booked) seat I might not find anywhere else.

Sounds like a pretty standard transport journey to be honest. Please don't say anything nothing good will come.

You could ask the parents to keep their child quiet but you could end up having an even more uncomfortable journey for the next few hours if they react badly.
If they are selfish enough to ignore their child I doubt they would have any concern for you.
Depends on how strong willed you are. I would probably say something but then I wouldn't care about the consequences.

Stick your headphones on and ignore. They've probably had a weekend full of responding and are exhausted! Just be thankful they aren't performance parenting, that's even more annoying IMO!

Tough luck to you, unfortunately.

Noise cancelling headphones . Worth every penny. Takes the train noise away. You still need to put music / audiobook on to cover talk but they are brilliant

Well it's good for you to 'not think' you would be bothered by them having a conversation

Don't say anything, it's public transport - the clue is in the name

Some kids do the continual "hey dad" thing with full interaction.

The noise the child is making is not excessive and nobody reasonable would think it so.

I think you've got a cheek coming on here whining about it tbh

Yabu.
You can't judge their parenting from this small snapshot. The kid will keep on talking nonstop whatever response he gets.
Actually no, I've changed my mind, tell them how to bring up their child and see what response you get then let us know. It'll be entertaining

Talk to the child yourself and shame them into engaging with her? Although might backfire and you might not be able to get rid.....

They sound highly irritating but just put your earphones on and try to cancel them out.

Actually no, I've changed my mind, tell them how to bring up their child and see what response you get then let us know. It'll be entertaining

It's a pity more people don't tell ignorant anti social parents how to bring up their children instead of putting up with their selfishness.
It's their job to listen to and occupy their child...not to be engrossed in their phones. Twats.

They sound like rather uninterested parents. But, myDD does the mummymummymummymummymummy thing regardless of how much attention we pay. Or she will be a cat for several hours, pawing, meowing, climbing on us, rolling around on the floor. She is 3.9 & rather an active child. Perhaps they are exhausted if he is too? Some children just aren't interested in sitting quietly & listening to a story or colouring, it's utterly draining having to entertain them the entire day.

Can you not move/upgrade to the quiet carriage or first class?

They seem to have learned to edit out their child completely

My dad was very good at that! My brother and I used to try to get him to break: "Dad, I saw an elephant today." Dad, the pools man is at the door - you've won!" "Dad, does it matter if I eat this piece of coal?"

My children would keep up a constant stream of chatter whether I engaged with them or not...

They're talking to him now! [wonders whether they were on MN]

Actually no, I've changed my mind, tell them how to bring up their child and see what response you get then let us know. It'll be entertaining

Damn, now they've robbed me of the opportunity to do that.

gotta do you make a habit of telling random people how they should be bringing up their children? If you do it's not them that's a twat.

Mummy?
Yes DD
Mummy, mummy!
Yes?
Mummy! Mummy! MUMMY!

YES! What?!
Look I'm hopping...
Oh yes, how lovely, just like 5 seconds ago...

Please ask them HOW they tune their DC out?! On my behalf - I'm desperate. DD is relentless....

Yep. Move to first class because no posh kids ever behave like this 🙄

Answer him as if he was yours?

Doubedaff No,...not random people, just the ignorant anti social ones who don't give a toss about anyone else and don't know what being a parent is about. If you think that is being a twat...you are probably as bad as they are.

Susan that sounds like my DS age 4. Except that in his case we don't even get as far as the hopping. It is more like

'mum'
'Yes?'
'mum!'
'yes?'
'mum, mum, mum'
'YES?'
'er...I forget'

Repeat. All day.

Isn't everybody reading this on a tablet or phone "ignoring" their dc?