to think that children old enough to..............................

[GhostOfJuliet]

go to McDonalds should be able to behave?

I was in McD's at lunch time with my mum and kids (3 and 5). There were three boys in about 10/12 ish. Well just as my 3yo was taking a bite of her burger she was hit by a wad of paper thrown by one of the boys.

I spoke to them and told them clearly that I wasn't happy and it wasn't to happen again. How many MNetters would've done the same thing?

pmsl at orgasm/origami confusion ghost!!!!!

i bet you haven't heard that one before!!!!!!

no,i meant I wouldnt be rude, not you

I think you're absolutley right.

Sod whether they are'children'. in my opinion, 10/12 year olds are old enough to know better. They know the difference between right and wrong, just the same as my DS (6yrs) does.

If we continue to ignore behaviour like this, it will be seen as normal.

I wouldn't expect my DS to do that, and if he did, I would expect him to be told.

I'll remember that next time I see a group of teenagers knock over a pensioner, run off screeching and laughing as we passerbys struggle to help her to her feet. Or the local teenagers caught spraying graffiti and their parents swearing blind that they are really angels.

Respect is earned, not given. There are far more teenagers out there who would not behave like that. Stop excusing bad behaviour.

Oh I love reprimanding todays youth

I confiscated a group of teen boy's fottball last year as they kept kicking it around near the baby swings and it flew by DS's head twice. The first time I warned them to take it elsewhere, the second time I put it in my buggy and told them they could have it back when we left the park. They skulked by a tree waiting muttering what I'm quite sure weren't compliments

fio

my ds and his friends bought peashooters in town the other week, obvious how they spent their saturday afternoon in town

I can't see anywhere on this thread where bad behaviour has been excused.
My previous post clearly states
"Tell them off if you think you need to, but castigating them as "feral apprentice hoodlums who show complete disdain and disrespect to others" is unreasonable, IMO."
These children were not knocking over a pensioner, they were throwing a piece of paper.

my dh was sent to a call the other week where a teenager decided as he walked home at 11:00 at night that it would be a good idea to throw a brick, yes a brick through the window of a home in a sheltered housing complex.

Long story short the boys granny was called and she said and i quote "don't be angry with him he's just misunderstood"

The best part of the story is that the old lady whose window ho put in was being visited by her two very large gransons! You can imagine the scene outside the house as dh pulled up!!!!!

No Fio.

You should have stamped on it, I've always really wanted to do that (but am afraid of teenagers, I worry they carry knives in their hoody pockets!)

that was to tubismybub btw

They were still in a place where other people were eating. It is wrong for them to do that. Younger children will see what is happening around them and think that it is ok for them to do it.

I know it is only a peice of paper, but a little respect is required.

tubismybub - whey to go, wernt you frightened that they might 'come and get ya'?? Well done.

The fact that they skulked arround near the trees waiting, suggests that they were quite well brought up and quite used to being given boundries and consequences; they were just pushing it before.????

Hoping that there is some good in the world........!

you have to be careful when stamping on footballs they have a tendency to roll under your feet and you end up with your knicjers in the air and the kids pissing themselves at you.

Think I'll carry a small nail with me in future for puncturing purposes.

that is much safer for you tubismybub however they all know their rights and so may sue you for lots of money

lol ghost, I think I would need some sharp golf shoes on or something - which I generally don't wear, or maybe stilletoes (again, not popular everyday). I would fall over, in some dog poo that some inconsiderate idiot hadn't taken home and the teenagers would a;laugh and b;stab me with their knives whilst c;smoking crack and taking e's because that's what the youngsters do nowadays, isn't it????

how right you are. i may never leave my house again.
lol at the dog poo!

ghosty

They were in school uniform and actually looked like respectable young chaps. Think they were thoughtless at first and like you said just pushing the boundaries a bit once I warned them. What 14 year wants to lose face by saying 'Ok let's do what the lady said and move'?