Why do some parents do this?

[Biscuitbabe87]

I've noticed more often that whilst on public transport, parents with young children handing them tablets playing annoying repetitive music or tv shows(always without headphones)- this morning I've had to endure Dora the explorer for 3 hours! Why on earth do people think this is okay? Or am I being grumpy?

I wish they'd use headphones. I think it's so rude

Well it's that or having them wriggle and scream so take your pick.

Would you rather endure the child moaning, whinging and crying for 3 hours?

But yeah...headphones should be used.

Because people are increasingly selfish and entitled, and lack empathy for other people. I blame Tory government influence on society or what's left of it.

Sorry..that's bleak

They were both screaming and listening to Dora without headphones!

Assuming children are NT, agree with you completely. It's the easier life, isn't it? People are not bothered to be in the effort of chatting to their dc, it seems. A SLT recently told me many children are not even getting enough eye contact, let alone proper language exchange. Between their own devices as preschoolers and their parents' faces being stuck in their own phones etc.. it's actually quite frightening.

I would. The parents would have to engage with them then.

Because if they didn't you'd be on here whinging about the kids complaining the whole way. Or the parent performance parenting. Can't fucking win.

A very young child on a 7.30am train for 3 hours would’ve needed entertaining. They could’ve used headphones but then, so could you.

I’m guessing it would have been worse without Dora and the parent knew this! Maybe the child refuses to wear headphones?

It’s a vicious slippery slope though. Parents who start giving their child a tablet young are doing their child a massive disservice because their child never learns to self regulate.

I too blame the government for the raise in entitled behaviour.

Btw is there a quiet section on the train?

Why does it have to be either/or?

What about books, conversation, drawing, if it’s a long train journey or audio books. There’s obviously a place for a phone or tablet sometimes, but not if it’s disturbing to other passengers. It’s like the loud phone conversations that everyone on the bus or train can hear.

Because they are lazy and don't care about the effect on other people. I was on a flight recently and the amount of kids of all ages on devices without headphones was ridiculous.

Most parents turn the sound off or give them headphones. Its more likely to be adults or teenagers who have noise making devices - including those who have conversations on speakerphone. I see more of that than anything else.

Maybe the child refuses headphones, maybe the parent had been up since 5 and just wanted some time to sit and breathe.

Well no actually, why should anyone be listening to something without headphones. Just fking rude

I never travel on public transport for longer than an hour without ear plugs now.
Its basic courtesy to give your child earphones. If they won’t use them then give them something else to do - stickers, eye spy etc etc.

Because children can only draw or read a book once they are emotionally regulated. Giving a child a book isn't going to calm them from a tantrum because they need to use their prefrontal cortex to focus on the book and they can’t do that when upset.

Screens don’t call for as much concentration and processing though and the bright colours and sounds give the child a dopamine hit. So the child basically learns that the way to cope with difficult emotions is to look at a screen. Plus the games are addictive.

It’s a massive problem and no wonder mental health problems are through the roof. It is only going to get worse.

More parents these days seem to just see their child as an adult travelling companion and think just sitting next to them is adequate. I took my 3 year old to London on the train, 2 hr trip plus tube. We talked most of the way. Maybe parents don’t know how to talk to their children or maybe they find it boring?

Without headphones is rude. I once had to endure a flight with three competing episodes of peppa pig...

100% and empathy will be in short supply too..

Heard of exact same situation from friend in airport last week- children starts to cry, is handed a phone, child shuts up 🤷‍♂️

So the OP has to change what they're doing to compensate for anti social behaviour and negligent supervision on the parents behalf??

How skewed is this, that instead of recognising that people should behave responsibly and respectfully around others, you make it the problem of the person being impacted.

Basic good manners and consideration for others has long been on the decline. If you know your child is likely to play up on public transport, and you provide a tablet to distract them, then the considerate thing to do is buy headphones so you don’t annoy others.

There is also many adults who could learn from this. We've recently been in paediatric A&E for 3 hours and the toddler’s DM was absolutely bellowing on FaceTime to various people, and the DF was playing music videos on YouTube loudly - it was like they were thing to drown each other out. Zero consideration for the sick children around them and their worried parents who could do without listening to that.

Totally unacceptable without headphones. They cost £20. If you're buying a tablet for your kid to use in public then buy the bloody headphones.