To think people should actually supervise their children?

[PuppyLoves]

Went to a farm with almost 2yr old dd and it was full of parents, mostly mums, sat around yakking away, no interest in what their child was doing and no supervision either.

My dd was smacked in the face twice by a boy the same age as her. Now I know children of that age do smack when they get frustrated (he wanted the coupe car she was in) so I'm not criticising his behavior but his parents were no where to be seen so I had to tell him to stop as it wasn't nice.

Then there were two twin girls aged about 7 running wild in the under fives play area whilst their mum sat next to the play area and ignored them. When one of them bashed into dd and knocked her over I told her she shouldnt be in there and they both left.

But why don't parents think its their job to look after their children? AIBU to think they should stop bloody socialising and try parenting?

[Fairynufff]

Sorry I went off on my hobbyhorse of discipline but supervising your DC is all part of the same thing IMO

[PuppyLoves]

Its intresting Fairynuff what you say about teachers being able to tell instantly.

[PuppyLoves]

Just re read that, of cousre everything you say is intresting Fairynuff, but I meant I hadn't considered that point in particular before, and it does make so much sense.

[stonethecrows]

I do agree with you Puppyloves to a certain extent, but (and a big but!) children charging around at these places is inevitable. It is also more than likely that their parents may be knackered by this point in the summer holidays and may have just "zoned" out a little.

I am absolutely not saying that slapping is acceptable, but you may just find that, when your DD is 7, especially if you have other children to worry about, that she may well sneak into areas that she shouldn't, and it is possible by that point that you will have taken your eye of the ball for a few minutes too. Doesn't always make you a bad parent, just a tired one!

[PeachyLaPeche]

[paranoid wink]

I feel the same but I have learned to apply the law of exceptions: unless you see it regularly you can't possibly know that this isn't the first timew ever, they'reexhausted from a 69 hour shift and their Mum died yesterday so even though they look OK they're dying inside

It atkes practive but it actually makes you feel good about yourself, and heck it might just be true.

Mind, I am a helicopter Mummy (as I saw the Paed Psych note today- well she should meet my ds1 to understand why) so i'm just as bad, in a different way

[PeachyLaPeche]

' even have a low tolerance for little toddlers who throw sand, snatch toys and hurt other children. I still think parents could intervene earlier, and discipline in proportion. But I think unfortunately it is a whole new generation of mothers who indulge their 'babies' and even the mums I know who had good parenting do it. I just don't get it.'

Hmmm, I do intervene but some people take it too far- the Mum who get really shitty with me when my 13 month old threw a block at baby club (didnt hit anyone) and the nursery staff member who isolated ds3 from the rest of his class and yelled at him when he bit when teething (i;d have been OK with a firm No obv)

(I couldn't get him back through the door then pulled him when I found out, my sister is now maanger of the nursery and fired the woman for hitting a child in her first week)

But IME (and as I ahve 4 thats quite a bit) a firm no always mae other people feel better even if the child is oblivioous so is well worth the effort