to think it is unfair to compare the behaviour of a 3 year old with that of a 6 year old?

[Ceebee74]

Just spent the weekend at a family reunion and my parents, sister, DP and her 3 and my brother, his DP and his DS were all staying at the same hotel as us. There was a buffet breakfast in the morning and DS1, being a typical 3 year old, thought he was in heaven and kept going back for more/different stuff etc. He wasn't being particularly naughty - just a bit excitable and giddy.

Anyway, when I got home yesterday, I spoke to my mum and she said 'oh you can tell your sister's 3 are used to staying hotels as they knew how to behave...don't worry your DS1 will learn'.

My sister's DC are 12, 8 and 6 so quite a bit older than my DS1 so firstly, they have obviously stayed in more hotels than my DS1 as they are older, and secondly, yes I probably would expect them to behave better than my DS1.

Not really sure what my mum's point was tbh other than, yet again, making me feel like an inadequate parent

I find it a bit odd that you would just let a three year old keep going back to a buffet themselves TBH. Maybe I am misunderstanding but wouldn't a 3 year old findit rather difficult to serve themselves from a buffet or was he just running around the dining room.

Your 3 year old eats, Ceebee?

But YANBU. I think that they have forgotten about the land of the 3 year old. And in any case, I think he sounds delightful!

I think you are being a bit oversensitive. 'don't worry your ds1 will learn?' Which is true, he probably will.

Sometimes older people do forget about toddlers. But, agree that I probably wouldn't let mine help self to food from a buffet, there would be so much wasted food I couldn't stand it, nevermind the Not Done aspect.