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?

Oh dear! I whose idea that was?! Sorry, but I did laugh when I read your post!

I teach 4 year olds and they can do it.

YANBU with toddlers it’s understandable but at those ages they should be expected and able to keep quiet. My social media timeline was full of children of those ages taking part in remembrance services, my own included, at our service the youngest there was 6 and was a little unsure but still able to keep silent.

Off topic, but as a child during the large parade and service in St Giles in Oxford, there was always a cannon fired to mark the start of the two minutes silence. I rather miss it.

Oh yes, it was a bagpipe that started the silence and then ended it here! Can see the cannon being scary for dogs and babies!

Lazy, disrespectful parents who have clearly not taught their children the importance of RD in our country, what it means and why the 2 minute silence is significant.

If a group you could maybe send an email to their leaders saying that for next year could they be taught how to behave

I doubt there's a scout leader in the country that would allow their young people to behave like this. I'm a cub leader, and we took over 50 children to a memorial service yesterday - a parade, followed by a church service and an outdoor service by our war memorial for the 2 minute silence, followed by another parade. Over 2.5 hours in total, and the children were impeccably behaved. I was very, very proud of them. We have one child with severe ADHD, and he managed to stay quiet and still for the silence, by humming very softly to himself.

I would have been really frustrated by the parents of the children you described - I agree that wearing poppies etc should be a personal choice, but why take your kids to such an event, and then not control them for the silence? It makes no sense, and would make me very cross.

My almost 2 year old and I were in a supermarket during the 2 minute silence on Friday. He was in the trolley seat and I put my arm around him, gave him something to hold and bless him, he rested his head against my chest and stayed quiet!
I think those children should have been standing quietly with their parents and actually, should know that at their age.

Disgusting. Any child over 3 without special needs should be able to stay still and quiet for 2 minutes.

Then again patients at work look at us gone mad when we ask them to wait a moment while we stay silent. I totally missed the one on Friday as I couldn't get a patient off the phone.

I was driving yesterday, but found a place to park at 10.55.

Between 7-11 years old I would 100% expect them to be quiet for the two minutes. Tbh. Any child over about the age of three who does not have SN I would think should be quiet.

Same with me. Four minutes isn't a lot to ask.

I knew someone was bound to come up with this. 🙄. Off course all those rude children had SN 🙄Yanbu op, my 6yo knows better, an 11yo there's no excuse, even for a 9yo.

I agree with your dad’s view completely.

Yesterday was my sons 3rd birthday and we went to Thomas Land. They held the 2 mins silent. My 3 year old stood in silence. I was on my knees cuddling him but he was silent and he waited in place which was hard for him as he could see his Nonna (grandmother) who was about 50 feet away from him as she was making her way over to him with my siblings and her husband. My son adores his Nonna but he stood, in silence and waited like a good boy. My mum was so proud of him and once he could move, he ran to her.

It is all about good parenting. If my 3 year old can be still and silent then a 7 to 11 year old can.

Absolutely unacceptable. Thought you were going to say toddlers to be honest. Yesterday ds (7) went with his Scout Group, they all managed to stand still and silent for 2 minutes, as did his 4 year old sister. Then he had to do the same before his football match and again everyone managed.

It's just such a weird choice to bring them but not have them observe the silence. I'm not British and don't observe it - so I don't go to a service.

Sadly, this doesn't surprise me. Mine would have been told to stand still and be quiet or I'd take them home.
Gentle parenting my arse!

I honestly thought you were going to be talking about toddlers! I don’t understand the point of taking your children to a service like this if you are not going to teach them the respect of staying silent for those two tiny minutes. And those children would have done a silence at school on the 11th. I have a 6 year old who would have looked around him to see everyone else was silent and he would have stayed quiet without needing to be told.
Unfortunately we have bred a generation that put themselves and their own above everybody else. If precious Jonny wants to play football during the silence then why shouldn’t he.

Selfish parents.

I do too. Your dad sounds a very special and sensible person, knittedcardi. I'll take the word of a veteran any day over the posturing and shushing from adults who should know better.

If you want to stand stock still and pay your respects then do. Quietly and without swivelling your eyes and neck around to see what others are doing.

Some people just love to control what others do, even when it's not within their gift and performative really does cover it.

I agree that there should be no compulsion to take part. There wasn't any. The service area was cornered off so not to disturb anyone, or impose on anyone, that didn't want to take part.

If you don't want to take part, I don't think you should attend a Remembrance Service.

I also couldn't avoid my eyes wandering, it was really distracting.

They were playing in front of the memorial and then in between the rows of people.

I don't think anyone would argue with you that's it's simply dreadful parenting to allow this. Possibly not the childrens fault as they may not have been to a service before (covid etc) but for the parents to bother to attend the service but not bother to keep them quiet is ridiculous.

Our service yesterday had beavers & cubs (so age 6-10) and alll were perfectly behaved, despite many of them not having a clue what was going on.

To be fair I think people in a cafe have deliberately chosen not to go to a service and observe the traditions. It's not fair to force worship on those who have opted out.

Mine were expected to observe the minute's silence from age 4-5 as part of various sports teams whenever they played (or even trained) on Remembrance Day. They had church or school services from the start of primary school as well. There is absolutely no way kids of that age shouldn't have known what was expected of them- and if they didn't their parents certainly should have!