Reach your kids some fucking consideration! [ranty]

[someonestolemynick]

This has been inspired by the mummy who let her two charming kids scoot around Tesco. But it also goes out to the geniuses who keep their little darlings watch Peppa Pig on the bus or the pub. The parent who doesn't think it necessary to teach their kids that the appropriate response to bumping into another human is to apologise.
I have noticed this more and more: children (being children) act loud, entitled or aggressive and the accompanying adult smiles indulgently rather than correcting behaviour that infringes on others.

Ianbu

Lots more children staring school nursery in nappies than they used to, just not reception.

I don't believe the Secret Teacher column is without agenda. It's an opinion piece, even if it is written by a real teacher. Why is HidingBehind's personal experience any less credible or relevant?

I'm sure there are children who start reception not properly toilet trained. But I don't believe it's a problem of epidemic proportions caused exclusively by lazy modern parents. It's bound to be a little more complex than that.

I work in a supermarket and regularly tell children off for using a scooter parents always look surprised and say i did tell them not to

I didn't think they were allowed in supermarkets, same principle as bikes I assumed. Oh well, I'll still continue to tell my 3 and 4 year old they aren't allowed, as that's the kind of considerate person I am.

Yes, I'm surprised so many parents haven't heard of earphones. It is so common for parents to let their kids blast out programmes/music on tablets etc in public spaces... especially annoying in confined spaces like on the train!! Absolutely no respect for others.

Our gardens have a low fence of chains swagged between wide brick pillars (two foot square)

We caught three young lads repeatedly jumping (two-foot stamping) on our fence chains this evening - breaking one and almost toppling the post.
This has been a frequent problem and costs a small fortune to fix. It can't be changed as it's the estate rules/maintained.
When confronted the little smart alecs shits claimed it was a "safety issue" and could "topple on a small child". Thing is, it wouldn't be at risk of toppling had they not been jumping on it!
They also swore repeatedly and called me a "Mong" - not nice at all - and then followed us when we left the house to go to the shops.
Managed to get pictures of them so police coming round at the weekend for them.

Personally the worst behaviour I have seen is adults. Entire row behind us talked very loudly throughout entire film, despite dh asking them politely, then less politely to STFU. And it was an arts cinema and they were 40 somethings! Much worse than the odd scooter imo.

I was just about to go into Aldi the other day and saw two kids, both under the age of seven I would say, leaping and climbing all over the display pallets of compost outside. Quite tall, so if they fell they would have hurt themselves.They were just being kids playing happily but this was on shop merchandise and the mother was stood next to it, playing on her phone. She actually had to be told by the staff to get her kids to stop doing that. No apologies just 'boys, get down now.' She shrugged her shoulders, obviously not bothered.
I also hate it when children run screaming around the shops, narrowly missing you when they run past. Sometimes it's a case of spot the parent and often you leave still none the wiser.

Is it too contentious to suggest there's a world of difference between annoyance and danger ?

No matter how annoying loud devices (or children) are, they're just that. Annoying.

But a few tens of kilos of child whizzing around on a flat surface with little resistance is a bundle of kinetic energy that can (and will) seriously injure someone. My DM managed to break her hip falling against a wall (not floor), so it's not a flight of fancy.

I find this too. I really appreciate it if a kid charges into me and the parent has a moan at the child to be more careful. Of course they need to be a bit self-aware!

Now is that wrong, ? I only ask as I might be one of those irritating parents and would love to know

ForeverHopeful, no, that's totally adorable! She was on reins, so not tripping up old ladies or yanking stuff of shelves two aisles away, and she was singing, not blasting Peppa Pig from a phone!

Carry on!

My toddler is deaf and a child on a scooter in Sainsburys nearly decked him the other week.

I told her to be careful and she said she shouted at him to get out the way? She was very unapologetic and unfazed when I told her he couldn't hear.

courtesydoesn'texistwithmostpeopleanymore *Withers in pain I'm old enough to say that

Foreverhopeful22 if I saw you in the supermarket she would make my day, nothing nicer than seeing a happy child and I'd love her to stop and say hello.

Just to mention...

I took then 3 ds around the da Vinci exhibition when it was touring. My friend had tickets (and 2 calmer girls when they were 3) and ds of course ran around excitedly. I was highly embarrassed (Arts background) and had to leave they central exhibition with him so he could shout at the echoes in an empty gallery. One of the museum staff made a point of telling my friend never to worry about loud young children; they wanted them to come so that they became used to art galleries, no matter how rowdy (though inner within limits!)

And I did see their point actually. We used to make short sharp visits with cake in between, and he did get better.

Our DCs used to think we were horribly judgemental about parents who let their little darlings run absolutely wild. That was until DD spent her summer volunteering at the local museum and got to experience the joys of people who think teenage volunteers in an interactive exhibit are free childcare. DD was stunned at having to stop one child clubbing the other with a wooden block while both mothers ignored them in favour of their phones!

Saw kids on scooters in a museum about two weeks ago. Well, I say 'on scooters' but this particular museum was mainly cobbled so that did not work so well for them.

I remember being in a restaurant on a sunday .. Some distance from us there was a large table of grownups with one child who looked about 1.5
Child starts screaming and throwing herself about,,Daddy decides to take kid out of high chair and move away from the table so as not to disturb the rest of the party,,,,and brings her over to our area... FFS..all I can here is kid screaming and Dad saying in a whiney voice '.Whats wrong Felicity,,whats wrong,' DH had a a quick word,,saying we are trying to enjoy lunch and conversation,,

I can understand you being annoyed with loud, unsafe or inconsiderate behaviour, but come on, you cannot complain about parents putting Peppa Pig on quietly, get a grip! You are being unreasonable. I put it on for my toddler if I think he's going to disrupt other people's meals. It's only loud enough for him to hear, even I can't hear it next to him so no one on the next table is going to hear. And before anyone says I should just teach him to be quiet, he's a toddler. He can't talk and can't understand me telling him to be quiet. What would you prefer, a babbling toddler or a silent toddler near you?

Oh, and having worked in museums for years, yes, museums ARE the perfect space for kids. Great for toddlers to run around in particular! We want kids there, as long as they're not breaking anything, they can be as lively as they want.

Went for lunch in a posh bar / restaurant- 2 tweens were actually playing with a football & kept barging past my seat - when I looked annoyed one of the men in the group actually had a go at me!!

Also once in Pizza Hut 2 teenagers were throwing food.... with their parents next to them.

I'm currently childfree but usually tolerant except in cases like these