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.

I wouldn't.

Absolutely: but I'd take a few episodes of Peppa Pig over a kid kicking off any day

Again with this, as if its a choice between the noise of your tablets or the noise of your child "kicking off". Aim high, try for neither.

Again with this, as if its a choice between the noise of your tablets or the noise of your child "kicking off". Aim high, try for neither

I'm not talking about my child but thanks all the same. We've hit almost 11 without her kicking off so I think we're probably ok

There you go, you managed it, so why don't you think others should do?

Someone the other day used the phrase 'parentier than thou', which I think applies here.

There you go, you managed it, so why don't you think others should do

Because why should my way be the right way? I lucked out on the easiest child ever. Nothing to do with my parenting.

You know life is so much easier when you accept you can't control other people's behaviour but you can control your own response.

Someone the other day used the phrase 'parentier than thou', which I think applies here

God no. I lucked out. Easy child.

But then I don't have a problem with quiet electronic sounds so I am pariah

Ah, I didn't mean you, Jacques! I should have quoted:

Aim high

phew. I was very much trying to convey that it was nothing to do with me and every to do with her placidity.

YANBU

My daughter does use the tablet on long train journeys, BUT she has headphones (and has done so since she was 2.5). I really don't get why on earth you wouldn't use headphones (or turn the sound off) if using electronics on public transport. It's basic consideration for other people!

My fault for not quoting, Jacques. Wasn't paying attention as I'm painting a ceiling. My favourite task, obviously.

You know life is so much easier when you accept you can't control other people's behaviour but you can control your own response

That's such a cop out. Lets the assholes off the hook, blames the people they are being assholes to.

That's such a cop out

And yet you probably spend any journey you make on public transport raging and seething and getting stressed.

And I don't. So I'll take the cop out every time.

😂😭

So you're getting so wound up over something you won't encounter?

You have WAY too much time on your hands to get angry over these imaginary scenarios

I DID encounter it enough, its why I bought a car. And unfortunatley one encounters these assholes everywhere, a meal was ruined last week by so over-entitled parents and their noisy kids electronics.

And who said I'm angry?

It's pretty much shining through from your posts

Deanna you sound like the sort of person who would benefit from stopping at home. Or.... picnics in secluded areas.

That's right. It's so much easier to control my own response. That's why I don't care if people chuck their litter on the streets or cat call or cut me up aggressively when driving. Why should I wish that people would behave more considerately and less antisocially when the answer lies within me all the time?

It is a cop out to say that it's up to the 39 other people in the train carriage or wherever to reach for their inner Zen. And there's some ridiculous ab absurdum arguing going on here. Of course if your child is actively screaming in a way that will shatter the carriage windows and nothing else but a cartoon on very quietly will calm them, then that's clearly preferable for everyone. But that's very different from assuming that it's necessary for your child to be placated on every 10 minute bus journey with a noisy electronic device, thus increasing the noise pollution of everyone.

Headphones should be used- it also will help a child concentrate, incidentally.

Went to a restaurant recently and saw parents with their 2 DCs, maybe about 5 &7, both on their individual iPads with headphones on. I personally felt so shocked! These kids will grow up with almost zero social skills. They sat there like that for over an hour, eating but not interacting, just watching the iPad. Awful

IME car drivers are much more selfish and inconsiderate than public transport users...

Car drivers are keeping their horrible noisy entitled children to themselves instead of inflicting them on everyone else.

YADNU

Selfish behaviour and lazy parenting.

DS is 3 and has never watched anything on my phone or iPad while out and about. We read, colour or play I Spy. Sorry not sorry if that sounds sanctimonious.

Ontop the reason people were talking about scenarios in which it would be preferable to have a tablet on very low volume, was because people were claiming that no such scenarios exist. We go everywhere on public transport, including long journeys quite regularly, and haven't had to use the tablet yet. But I don't immediately write off someone who is doing as I've got enough on keeping my own toddler amused, or more likely trying to get her to express her joy at being on a train without shouting TRAIN! every 5 seconds.