To think boisterous is often code for badly behaved?

[abacucat]

Just seems to be the main way I hear it being used in real life.

A lot of smugness on this thread

HomeMadeMadness
No he just sounds like a low energy child to me. All kids run around sometimes, but it's not at unusual for a toddler to find it difficult to sit still. That isn't bad behaviour, that's just basic child development. If a parent lets a 3 year old run around in a restaurant it's bad parenting.

But you've just done exactly what I said the parent in question did: describe my child as a 'low energy child' because he was sitting down to eat a meal in a public space. This lady said he was 'low energy' because he was behaving. In no other way is he particularly 'low energy' (whatever that means) - I pointed out that he won't sit still and watch the TV - and he is certainly more 'sporty' (whatever that means) than her child is. My point was yes, exactly, her child was running around in a public space instead of sitting down to eat his meal because of her bad parenting, but her explanation was that my child is 'low energy', unlike hers.

HomemadeMadness Those untamed ‘boisterous/high energy/ can’t ask the poor excited child to sit still little ones are far more likely to go on to yobbish and unruly teenagers. There is a time and a place for energetic behaviour - indeed parents need to get their children out their exercising outdoors from a young age (walking, swimming, running, climbing and exploring- and a time and a place for quiet and calm sitting almost unnoticed and not demanding constant attention in lieu of destructive behaviour.

I have two high energy children. One of whom I would have described as boisterous when he was younger. Also he wasn't (isn't!) the best behaved child though this wasn't part of being boisterous. However he would always sit in a restaurant etc though it took a lot of input.

My other high energy child is very well behaved most of the time, and also not boisterous.

I also have two not high energy well behaved kids. It is a bit of a lottery really 😄