Parents that let their children "run wild" indoors in a public confined space are uncouth

[feellikeahugefailure]

So watching swimming lessons (again...) on a mezzanine floor with other parents. Some have brought their other children along and let them run around the place, up and down on a wooden floor that reverberates throughout the whole pool room making a lot of noise. Some even run into me, no apology from either the child or the parent and the parent says nothing to them.

They are uncouth right?

There's not much worse than bring stuck on a train journey with a child with an update and no headphones. Have you ever had to sit through singalonga frozen for 4 and a half hours?

What's wrong with reading a book, doing some colouring in or playing with Lego? Most kids don't need to run around screaming their lungs out and crashing into people.

There is a difference between sitting hunched over screens and running around destroying shops etc

I think part of the problem is that kids today don't get enough exercise to let off all the steam that they need to, so it comes out in the wrong places. Which is not to say that there isn't lazy parenting involved too, but I think it's easy to forget how much fresh air and running around little ones need to be able to contain themselves indoors. I find it a constant battle (with my own laziness) to make sure my 5 yr old son gets enough exercise. Both my girls would happily sit down all day however, which is a separate bloody challenge!

I'm sooo glad mine are all older and have out grown this phase....my middle child was a sod when younger and he was messing about in a restaurant aged about 8 or 9.....I was getting really annoyed so after a couple of warnings i got up paid the bill and we left having missed out desserts....he was much better behaved after that x

Mine are in the hunched over screens stage and show no sign of growing out of it. It's very peaceful

If it's just annoying - sorry just get over it.

My toddler can sit still if required to listen to a story, supplied with stickers, snacks, an iPad etc... but there's only so much of that you can do. No i dont think its realistic to expect a preschooler to sit quietly for more than 15mins. I don't think he's doing any harm then yes I'd let him run about a safe area in the Leisure centre. It'd be choice of him running about being a bit noisy and irritating or a full on tantrum while I try and pin him to a seat. But I agree they do need to be supervised and chastised if bumping into people, climbing on tables etc and stopped if being unsafe.

I got kicked in the face a couple of months ago by a child doing cartwheels in the veg aisle of Asda, not a single word of apology from the parents, they just said "careful" to her, and let her carry on.

You're lucky they didn't have a go at you for scuffing her lelly kellies with your teeth.

A child (about 7 messing around on a scooter on a path) crashed into my heel with his scooter (blood everywhere) and his dim mother who saw it (looking not watching) just gawped and said nothing.