Children Being Noisy During 2 Min Silence?

[AmIAnOldBag]

I was at a Remembrance Service yesterday. It was outdoors. There were about 8 children running about, across from the speaker (so in the middle of the service). They were just being kids, screaming and squealing, playing together. Just to be clear, I'm not blaming the kids for being kids. They were about 7-11 years old.

However, their parents made no attempt at rallying them up, or keeping them calm or quiet during the 2 minute silence (or any of the 30min service). One parent had her son beside her the full time (he looked about 9, not sure though). She was standing beside us, and put her hands on her lips in a 'shh' motion before the silence, told him it was to remember the soldiers and he had to stand beside her and stay quiet, and he got the message. Even if he hadn't, I would still appreciate her attempt!

The parents to the other kids (who were running around playing), just did nothing. I felt a bit sad that people were there remembering their relatives in some cases, yet a lot of noise was happening during the silence and the rest of ceremony.

It's in a rural area so although it was outside, there wasn't any traffic noise etc so the kids perhaps seemed louder because of this.

Anyway, AIBU for thinking some of the parents shouldve stepped in before the 2min silence to keep things reasonably quiet?

Yanbu. I’ve been keeping my children quiet or Away for the 2 minutes silence since they were tiny. My four year old managed it yesterday in amongst the uniformed organisations.

Jeez thats pretty bad. I appreciate they wont always be silent but you at least try! Why bother attending if you're going to be so disrespectful?

You are not being unreasonable at all, it shows a complete lack of respect (on the part of the parents, not the kids who were probably oblivious).

If it was a baby crying or similar then most people would understand that that's unavoidable. Children old enough to understand should either be kept away from the service or told to be quiet.

I'm sure there will be a few 'Kids will be kids' and 'You were a child once' replies but we're not suggesting kids should sit, in silence through a 3 hour opera, this is 2 minutes to show respect for those who fought for our freedom.

The only way you're being unreasonable is in thinking that an 11 year old shouldn't know better themselves, but you're not wrong about the parents! Lots of them will have observed a silence at school on Friday too.

Not unreasonable to expect them to at least attempt silence. We've just taught my (quite loud) very nearly two year old son that fingers on lips means he has to be quiet. If he can do it, I'm sure most other children can too.

Babies and toddlers yes they will make noise but the children you mention are much older and frankly it is their parents who were being disrespectful.

At primary school age they would have been expected to do the silence in school and I bet with any support needed they managed it. Parents should be making sure children are close by and know what is expected.

yes sometimes very little ones, or those with additional needs, won’t be able to manage it or understand but most can.

Can't believe at the time of posting this 20% of people think YABU!! 7 to 11 year olds absolutely can and should be quiet. I think any child over the age of 4/5 should be expected to. Very disrespectful.

Not unreasonable at all!

On the other hand I was in a group on Friday where we had two minutes silence at 11am and the elderly gentleman next to me sat and talked the whole way through.

YANBU. I remember when my son was about 3, we were in a shop and the 2 mins silence was announced. My 3 year old managed to stay quiet for the 2 mins so 7-11 year olds certainly can.

Wow

of course NT kids that age should be able to stand in silence for a few minutes.

Were they attending the service or did they just happen to be in a public area near to the service?

DH had a den of Squirrel scouts (4&5yos) on parade yesterday and although a little fidgety, they managed.

Older Primary is old enough to understand. Its two minutes.

7-11?! I thought you were going to say toddlers 🤯 of course you’re not being unreasonable.

@Comefromaway they were attending the service. It was a grassy area cornered off specifically for the service, which was in front of a war memorial (with signs and lots of wreaths/poppies), and the parents who they went back to their cars with were at the service as well.

YANBU. DD is 3 and her nursery group of 3-5s went to the war memorial on Friday and managed a minute's silence! 7-11 is beyond old enough.

That's so disrespectful.

A baby, you move away.

My 2 & 4 years olds - we didn't go to a service for exactly that reason.

Children that age should know better as should the parents.

All of those children will have probably done 2 minutes in actual silence whilst at school on Friday. They will have been still and silent throughout because that was what was expected of them.
I managed to keep a class full of 4 year olds silent for a whole 15 mins remembrance service. At 7-11 they are very very capable of being quiet when neeeded.
Yanbu at all. That’s exceptionally lazy parenting and so disrespectful.

Notjusta · Today 09:58
Can't believe at the time of posting this 20% of people think YABU!! 7 to 11 year olds absolutely can and should be quiet. I think any child over the age of 4/5 should be expected to. Very disrespectful.“

This. If parents don’t think their kids can be still and quiet for 2 minutes they shouldn’t take them.

YANBU
Especially at that age when many of their peers and younger ones are on parade in uniform.

I don't understand why parents would bring children to this kind of thing if they are not prepared to teach them how to behave at it.

I assumed you meant toddlers so was fully prepared to say you were being unreasonable but at 7+ they should absolutely know how to be quiet for 2 minutes. Shameful of the parents not to step in. Why even bother going if you're not going to respect the silence?

Church service yesterday, and all the colour party members (including some very young beavers, cubs and brownies) behaved impeccably despite unfamiliar surroundings for the vast majority of them.
So I agree OP that YANBU to expect better.

I agree.

Both of mine understood the concept from a young age and were able to stand quietly. And if they couldn't, I would have moved them away from the service so they were not disrupting others.

Why go to the service, knowing full well there would be a minute silence if you are not going to get your kids to observe it?

As others have said the kids would have done assembly's for Remembrance Day and would have observed the silence there.

Yes, completely agree that noise from toddlers/babies just can't be helped.

One of the kids had a football with him & he and another boy were doing tricks with it and laughing, and the parents did nothing 🤦‍♀️

It made me sad because there was a man maybe in his 30s who was obviously quite emotional during the silence. He was quietly crying next to me. It all just felt very disrespectful.