Dad on bus 'look at all these people sitting who won't let a child have a seat'

[Pipistrelle40]

Just that really, he got on with two boys aged about 10 and 8. People looked at each other and laughed. Old enough to stand surely.

What annoys me is the families with a young toddler taking up a whole seat when they could sit on their parent's lap quite easily. I often think it's done purposefully to ensure a random stranger doesn't sit next to them.

Also, secondary school children taking up all the seats and not offering them to the elderly or paying adults.

Yes, I recall as a child that we were usually standing as we were never ever allowed to sit on a seat if there was an adult wanting it.

It comes back to the fact that everything seems to revolve around children these days.

Namejustfornappies.... Thats horrendous. What ignorant arsewipes. People too preoccupied with there own entitlement. I often stand on bus, especially if i think someone needs a seat more xx

Would might give my seat to a toddler but not one that gets on the bus and screams 'I want a seat' repeatedly.

Then she bangs her head and on your conscience be it. Most toddlers are obnoxious until they learn and grow out of it. Teaching her that on a bus is not the place to start. Unless you want your journey stopped because a toddler is injured and the driver has to wait for the paramedics to arrive.

My 8 year old still sits on my lap on the bus.

I mean I get the antipathy but why do so many people have to be so abusive about it ?

my dd aged about 9 got up from her seat unprompted by me (I hadn't noticed) to give her seat to older person.

A RIPPLE of approval ran round that bus, and it was so lovely for me as a parent to feel that, and to make sure DD was aware of it once we got off.

See good manners get a good reaction from people, this girl has a headstart in life.

If course little children (under 6) can't balance so deserve a seat but 8 and 10 is just ridiculous.

I do think children can stand on a bus but I don't think the Dad would have been that bothered. Maybe it was the look on the children's faces that made them laugh. I don't see how the Dad is a twat if he never said anything to them.

Any kid over 5 should stand of a less able adult IMO. 8 & 10 year old boys - he totally deserved to be laughed at...

The kids are likely embarassed by their entitled, attention seeking parents poor things

If was aimed at the Dad it was a wasted laugh I suspect he was more interested in where he was going. The fantasy's you have while travelling on a bus. The boys probably had a look about them.

I would consider giving up my seat for a child too short to comfortably reach a support to hold them steady, or if they were being squashed between large, standing adults, because at 8-10 you often are still too small and slight to avoid being painfully crushed by adults being thrown against you if the bus stops suddenly, or to push them out of the way if they are obstructing your capacity to reach a handle or pole to hold onto and not paying you any attention when you say excuse me. So it depends on the actual situation in the bus and who seems to be most genuinely in need. There are more than enough rude and entitled adults in the world - children are not the only culprits!

What I really don't like is when I see someone with a baby/toddler on parents hip and no one offers a seat.

Disgusting! I'm disabled, don't look it, but I am and for 12 months a couple of years ago I had to use the local bus service. More often than not I managed to get a specially designated disabled seat; much to the annoyance of many an old lady or gentleman who thought old age made them entitled to sit there (I was 54 at the time). I also came across parents with children as young as 4 getting on the bus fresh from nursery and riding two stops (what's wrong with walking?) who ignored the fact that I was hobbling and in obvious pain. Sadly we live in a selfish society where children are brought up to feel it's their right to have whatever they want without consequence and the older generation think they're entitled to say and do what they want just because they're old! Manners cost nothing, courtesy should be something we do without thinking. My adult daughter was always with me and at 25, she was brought up to stand for her elders on buses, which she did plenty of times and was thanked profusely by somewhat surprised people! Which is sad. My grandson is 7 and he is being brought up to be kind, thoughtful and helpful. I will help anyone, anywhere any time, friends and strangers alike, so will both my daughter's, it's nice to be nice!

My elderly disabled mum finds it much harder to get up once she's been sat for a while.

If someone asked her to move down a row she would do it, with a lot of struggle and pain, and it's probable she would fall if the bus was moving. If I was with her, I would ask the person why they wanted her to move.

Unless you want your journey stopped because a toddler is injured and the driver has to wait for the paramedics to arrive.

Most parents learn to shield/steady their children with their legs and keeping an arm on their shoulders. A seat is not essential.

A seat is not essential for the vast majority of the people sitting on them, come to that...

I have never seen mothers shield their toddlers with their legs and keeping an arm on their shoulders. I use public transport all the time small children are just as vulnerable as the elderly. A toddler is between the age of 1-3 they are very small and at times hard to keep still. Children under 5 and the elderly are seen as the same in vulnerability you cant change it to suit yourself so you can keep your seat.

Vast majority of people don't expect others to give up their seat for them or their children unless it's needed.

That's true... my bus would be a double decker down stairs would be about 10/15 seats. There would be several wheel chair and buggy space. Up stairs would be seating

I am currently walking with a stick and find that children give up their seats for me more easily than adults. I asked one woman to move her shopping so I could sit down and she pointed to one of the sideways seats for me to use instead. I calmly explained that I do not have the strength in my back or legs to sit safely in one of those and repeated my request. It was done with much huffing and puffing but I sat calmly ignoring her,

Enm, just wanted to say, lots of posters saying how children growing up entitled, blah, blah, then in next sentence mentioning disgruntled older people casting glances, etc.
We can't have it both ways.
Everyone wants a seat. Not everyone can have one. Someone will lose out.

I used to live in Brisbane, Australia, where there were signs on public transport stating that school aged children MUST not sit while adults were standing. Exactly how it should be. That dad is a dick, and he's raising his kids to be dicks who believe the world owes them something.

The problem with telling children they must always give up their seat for people older than them is that this apparently does nothing to teach all those self-centred, entitled adults sitting all over the place that if there is no handy child to glare at, they should get off their great fat arses themselves for someone else in apparently greater need - a 20-40 something adult really has no more physical or emotional need to be taking up a seat than an 8 year old child, yet they frequently sit, stolidly reading their newspapers, setting an atrocious example to the young they whinge about, and not giving up their seats.