Give your child a screen and the rest of us peace

[OlympicsFanGirl]

Second long train journey this weekend and yet again a whole carriage having to put up with loud, noisy, whining kids.

It's grating and it's constant and there are hours to go.

Parents just don't seem bothered.

Rest of the carriage now sharing looks, rolling eyes and sighing.

Just give them tablets and headphones and the rest of us some peace and quiet.

Book a seat in the quiet zone….

the kid kicking your chair should be told to stop but this isn’t a reflection on all parents. Kids get excited, they make noise, get over it.

Agreed, but it’s probably because they were not helped master the skill of volume control during childhood.

Oh God, so would I.

I would too, but ime, there is no guarantee that even adults will stay quiet in the quiet zone. There’s always someone who seems to think that the various signs don’t apply to them.

These kids were not excited. They were feral. They were spoiling the journey for everyone, not just me.

All the other kids on the train were well behaved.

Did you talk to them, did they say anything to the families?

It's over now you can relax.

My mum once turned round to the row behind on a plane and asked the parents to stop their child kicking the back of her seat. Their response was “bet you don’t have children then?” To which she replied that yes, she did and they were far too well behaved to do what their child was doing 😬

If I had behaved poorly, there would have been trouble with a capital T. No consequences for these kids. They’re like the screamers- just being children-extremely tedious for everyone else.

Your a bad parent if you don’t give your kid screens to shut them up? Never thought I’d read that on MN 🤣🤣

My children were never like that on trains and if they ever did misbehave and there was one occasion someone did speak to my children I apologised and moved them on. It takes a community to raise a child but when the parents become defensive then they will have to deal with them as they get worse.

I take lots of train journeys and can’t ever remember being annoyed by a child or children. I can’t think of countless occasions I’ve been annoyed by adults.

@Charlottescobweb

Did you talk to them, did they say anything to the families?

The kicker yes. I told you earlier on the thread. You are forgetful 🤪

The other family - I didn't but others in the carriage did. Everyone was thoroughly fed up with the awful behaviour.

It's over now you can relax

You really have been so lovely sharing amazing advice all through this thread. Couldn't have got through it without you. 🤣

But as you know I was able to relax a few hours into the journey when the parents gave the little darlings screens and the rest of us peace.

Why are you more annoyed with loud adults than adults who let their children scream and shout for two hours. Both are an inconsiderate.

I think the best time to allow your children to watch a movie is whilst on a train.
The main cons of screen time are as follows:

• Decreased physical activity and poor physical development as a result.
• Disrupted sleeping patterns, particularly if children are looking at screens too late.
• Potential negative impacts on mental health and wellbeing.
• Whilst on a train they’re not going to benefit from physical activity, they’re not going to benefit from a comfortable nap and spending two hours watching a movie or playing a game isn’t going to contribute any less to one’s mental health than staring out the window. So I can’t see why not let your child watch a movie whilst on the train even when not feral. I’m also sensing many people are unaware of the benefits of having - some - screen - time each day. https://www.explorelearning.co.uk/free-resources/screen-time-benefits/

I agree with you, Maynov. Young children need something to occupy themselves, otherwise a long train journey is extremely boring. It is not irresponsible parenting to allow that, it's not like endless screen time every day.

This kind of judgement and stress is why I’ve given up on taking my autistic child on public transport for any time longer than half an hour. I take tons of entertainment but even so a half hour train journey can be very stressful when you add in waiting on a platform and delays. I don’t mind other people’s loud children, it makes me feel better about the times mine have kicked off.

I only usually find kids annoying on public transport when they’re mine and I’m worried about everyone judging me for giving them screens/not giving them screens, them being too loud/ignoring me and being quiet, them eating the wrong things to t asking the wrong questions or generally existing in a space that’s for everyone but they can’t do anything right in. When it’s someone else’s kids I’m just happy it’s not me being judged that day.

Definitely agree with headphones. Was really annoyed at a mother allowing her child to watch something at full volume in the quiet coach on a 3 hour journey. I had headphones but they kill my ears after about ten minutes.

Going to be flamed, but I regularly meet up with a former colleague who has to bring her child and I’m delighted that she’s happy to give her a phone/tablet to occupy her while we chat. I love her company, but not her 6 year old’s, although she’s actually a really nice child.

I couldn't disagree more.

Children being put on screens is the worst thing ever. I'm not saying the children should be misbehaving like they are but that's where the parenting comes in and it needs to be done from an early age. I'm a childminder and we manage to have a gaggle of small children sitting well behaved and politely on journeys and at places as we train them early and have high expectations. Some people are just lazy. Screens in restaurants are the absolute worst though. How will the children ever learn to have a lovely meal with their family if a screen is shoved in front of them every time.

And in that one post I can see you are not a parent!
You would obviously be a perfect parent………until you had children of course (and yes I too am rolling my eyes but this time at you).

Totally agree, how very dare they even EXIST!!!! Outrageous.

kicking your chair is out of order and needed to be stopped by the parents.

Regarding inquisitive chatty children when did this become an issue? Were you seated in the quiet carriage? In which case you can be annoyed!

Also did you ever consider if any of those children have additional needs or are Adhd or Autistic? Not every child is well behaved at all times, in my experience, most seem to have their moments or meltdowns at the most inconvenient times for their parents to manage.

How about being less judgemental of others parenting (aside from the 1 kicking your chair). im not sticking my child in front of a screen so they can miss new exciting experiences so as not to be noisy. But we would be playing eye spy or colouring or dare I say it singing songs to pass the time!

Ooh children being children! Well I never. Sounds like a grown up being a child too. Toleration is the word.

Ah if they were sitting there for hours on technology you'd still be giving out about bad parenting.

Most people with children wouldn’t bat an eyelid at a child making noise, I certainly wouldn’t. Please don’t stop taking your child out society has a responsibility to be inclusive. :)