to think that in a shopping centre on a busy Saturday

[Vinomum]

toddlers (and I mean ones that are really still tottery) should be kept in their pushchairs instead of being allowed to get out? It's stressful enough shopping on a busy weekend without having to walk at a snail's pace behind a toddler walking along with two oblivious, dewy-eyed parents watching adoringly as their offspring falls over for the hundredth time.

There are plenty of places to let small children wander, shopping centres at a weekend are not one of them!

"IMO a busy shopping centre is not a safe place for a toddler to be walking around." why because they'll get run over by some crazed woman running through with a grudge against walking toddlers??

YABU. I have just let my 16mth DD toddle about in a busy shopping centre this very afternoon. She has just learned to walk and wants to walk everywhere and is very unhappy at being trapped in her buggy. Luckily everyone in the busy shopping centre was much more reasonable than you and seemed to find her toddling very cute indeed and all smiled and moved out of her way.

Bet she brightened alot of peoples day Wiggle

Vino - and what exciting part of the thread have I missed?

Tutting and huffing and puffing? Could you point to the part where I said that please Ferret? Although I was irritated this morning I was completely considerate outwardly, there was no tutting or barging.

Fair point Goblinchild re the two parents being with the child. Perhaps safe wasn't the right word, maybe appropriate was what I should have said.

I did say in my OP that the toddlers I'm moaning about are ones who are just walking and not steady on their feet, not 2 or 3 year olds (though my 3 yo still stays in the pushchair if it's too busy).

Mine is just such a toddler, very unsteady on her feet, veers off in varied directions and smiles at everybody because she is so pleased with herself. This is what everyone elso seems to find so endearing. She is not deliverately rampaging about as some older toddlers are and we keep a very close eye on her.

I think some people with their first toddler can sometimes forget that whilst cute they are not the centre of other peoples universe. I think they think the world should revolve around their child with so if my child wants to toddle around in a place filled with busy adults then they should and everyone else should step around them.

I think they're wrong and egotistical.

But I don't think anything will change them ever because they are the kind of people who believe that their wishes (and by extension those of their children) outweigh the feelings of everyone else.

yanbu. Shopping centres on a saturday afternoon are not the place to learn to walk.

Parks are great though - and other places with plenty of space.

So what happens when someone tramples on said toddler because they can't see /couldn't be bothered looking etc?

OP i don't think YABU,

DD would rather walk, but on a saturday she goes in a buggy simply because there are so many people about, i don't feel comfortable having her loose.

Well I love watching little ones toddling along (even before I had any Dc)

I am not egotistical at all thanks.

Like I said before, toddlers have just as much right to be out walking as you or I.

Activate, you are egotistical and wrong if you think you have more right to be walking roung the shops than anyone else.

I have trampled on a loose toddler in a shopping centre

I felt v bad and the parents gave me the evils

That's the problem though. Toddlers don't have as much right as everyone else. They're toddlers. It's your decision to let them walk when the parents who don't think the world revolves around their progeny make them go in their buggies when it's appropriate and let them run free when it isn't.

Oh I do hope you are not a parent Activate.

News flash for you!

Children do have bloody right. Its not the 1800's FFS!"

OMG Activate!

toddlers don-t have as much right as everyone else, then?

I hope I never bump into you in RL

It's more the level of impatience at another human being that bothers me. Toddlers, disabled, oldies and those that just want to stop and stare at something interesting for a bit. All very inconvenient. walk round, what harm are they doing?
DS got snarled at last week because he was sketching something. There was space to go by, but it was enough that he made them take a couple of extra steps to get round him.

You didnt say that vino, just like I didnt say barging

And Activate I'll have you know my 3 year old has as much a right as any other human being on this planet, thank yah very muchly!
I prefer him to walk it knackers him out nicely.

Foxinsox im always standing on and tripping over kids, where I work its an occupational hazard!

Rights don't exist without responsibilities - what kind of responsibility does a toddler have?

The only rights a toddler has is to be safe and loved and well cared for

They don't have the right to be getting in the way at adult locations like shopping centres - they have the right to play in playgrounds and walk down the street but as soon as they're underfoot it's the adults responsibility to ensure they aren't pissing everybody else off

I don't let my toddler out of the buggy so people will coo at her or because I think she's the centre of the universe.

I let her out of the pushchair because I want her to learn good, healthy habits and to get used to walking everywhere, and because she loves to walk around

(and because she screams blue murder if I try to trap her in the buggy).

What next? No disabled people in the town centre at the weekend? No heavily pregnant women or obese people in case they walk too slow? Get over yourself.

Rights do exist with or without responsabilities.

Where the fuck do you get this utter bollox from?

"adult locations like shopping centres"

What are you on about? Shopping centres aren't just for adults. Ours has a whopping great xmas display with a train and carousel every December, I'm fairly sure it's not just for adults

What a strange place your mind is.

activate: shopping centres are adult areas?! Really? I thought they were public places where all were welcome.

Having said that there is a world of difference between letting a little one careen around a walkway alone (he's going to make an unexpected turn and get stepped on), letting him run around in a seating area (saying hello to fellow resting shoppers), and walking along holding his hand (albeit slowly).

The first is a bit unreasonable (I've done my best to dodge toddlers doing this and still feel awful if I mistakenly bump them), but the second two I think are perfectly fine. Shopping centres are for families, and families mean children.

Look at yourselves. you're hysterically funny

In a playground, I let my DCs out of their pushchair without question, and if they bump into an adult, or vice versa, tough shit on the adult - my DCs are in their playground.

In a busy shopping centre, I keep my DCs in the pushchair. Not only does this give me peace of mind that they won't run off/get knocked over/get snatched by some maniac, but it also teaches my children that sometimes, other people's needs take priority over theirs. How is this wrong?