Like it or Not: There are some places where little kids just DONT belong! [Archive]

CanvasShoes

01-25-2003, 05:14 PM

OH!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
And LOL.

I have been thinking about starting THIS thread myself!!! I have two kids of my own, one full grown and married off, and one who just turned 11. And no I'm not the worlds most perfect parent...............

However, I believe there are many, many places where kids don't belong. Along *with* that, I'd like to add (is this a hijack??,,if so I apologize) the places it IS okay to take kids, well, SOME of you parents need to learn to PARENT!!!!!!

It is NOT okay to drag a kid through KMart for half an hour while he continuously screams at the top of his screechy little lungs "Moooo hoooomm eeeee HHEEEE, I WAaaaa HHHHAAanT It !!!!,, NOOOO NOOOO get it!!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah" Over and Over and Over again!!!!

Trust me on THIS one, the first time he does this and you take him Straight HOME to daddy and then, don't stop there, the next time you take off to Kmart and he wants to go? Guess what, you say "nope sorry, remember how you acted last time"? Once or twice of him getting the "daddy treatment" and/or staying home instead of getting to go..............

Oh GRRRR and the GYM? Ladies? What makes you think we want your snot-nosed little boys (and do NOT tell me that little giant is under three years old) staring at our privates while we get dressed? Or the offkey screaming of stupid day care songs in the shower and steam room area? The vamanoosing at top speed around the locker room, getting in the way and ricocheting off of us as we dress!!! ARrrrrggggghhh!!!!!

And decent restaurants? Or plays? Give us a BREAK!!! Oh and movies rated PG13 or higher?

Tell me, WHY are you bringing toddlers and impressionable elementary aged children to movies like "The Devil's Advocate" and "What Lies Beneath"?

(ps, on the What Lies Beneath example this lady and her sister had two little girls about 8 and 10 with them. The movie had some serious sex scenes, partial nudity, adult content, etc.

I mean COME ON!!! On the bright side they were only a few seats away from us, and at regular intervals my mom, sis and I whispered LOUDLY things like "OH, that's criminal, bringing young girls to THIS??!!!, and, during the sex scenes, "Oh MY GOD, can you BELIEVE They are letting those little girls WATCH this, maybe we should get the manager???" long story short, the women left).

Thank you for this rant, it's LONG been a pet peeve of mine.

Dread Pirate Jimbo

01-25-2003, 05:28 PM

quote from Dennis Miller:

I can imagine the trauma I would have suffered by seeing one of these violent movies with my father, knowing the kind of sensitive cat he is:
- Why did the man in the movie have to die daddy?
- Well, that's because he was a little fuckin' rat and rats have to suck the pipe, baby!

Just today my wife and I were at the library and not only did we have to give way repeatedly to some woman pushing one of those baby stroller SUVs up and down the aisle while the building echoed with the noisy sounds of children screaming and crying.

No kids in quiet places, please!

roadrunner70

01-25-2003, 05:40 PM

Kids don't belong in bars? Fuck you, you rabbit felching piece of smegma. Who do you think gets me my drinks when I'm too drunk to stand up? Huh? And when it comes time to drive home, who do you think works the pedals and the wheel?

Jeez, dude...use your head.

Cat Whisperer

01-25-2003, 05:46 PM

We went out for a very nice dinner with some friends at Christmas (we're talking 4-star restaurant here), and lo and behold but what did appear, but the squalling of someone's baby. When I'm getting dressed up and paying that kind of bucks for a social dinner, I expect an environment that is screaming-free.

voguevixen

01-25-2003, 06:10 PM

I'll chime in and add that children should not be in Lowes Depot Supply or any other hardware emporium/lumberyard where oblivious drones are driving forklifts full of 2x4s inches away from where your toddlers are clambering up and down a precariously stacked display of water softener salt. I realise you have important family decisions to make, like between the white switchplate or the off-white one, but I think if you're going to drag the whole extended family (grandma & grandpa included) to the store, one of them could be designated sitter and stay out in the car with the kids!

(and ROFL at superbee!)

Mr2001

01-25-2003, 07:08 PM

Originally posted by FairyChatMom
Kids selling door to door? A simple "No thank you" works for me.

I've got my GS Cookies on order - I just couldn't say no to that cute little blond sweetie-pie! She knocked when I was vulnerable. The sneak...
You're supporting them? Just where do you think telemarketers come from, the Intrusive Sales Fairy?

pepperlandgirl

01-25-2003, 07:24 PM

What bothers me is when I small children come up to my door to sell something, and there are no adults present.
"Oh officer, I don' tknow what happened! I turned them lose on the neighborhood to knock on strangers' doors and they just disappeared!"

danceswithcats

01-25-2003, 08:46 PM

Welcome to Buttcrack Burgers! Two in your party?

Will that be smoking or non-smoking?

Screaming children or non-screaming children?

Rabbit-felching or non-rabbit-felching?

Flatulence or non-flatulence?

Right this way, please!

Daikona

01-25-2003, 09:05 PM

How about a college dorm for a place they don't belong? Our residence director or whatever he is and his wife just had a baby. A newborn baby, living in an apartment in a college dorm. Who alternatly wakes up that end of the building with her middle of the night wailing, and is sleeping at 2 in the afternoon, resulting in *normal speaking voices* in that end of the hall getting a stern warning.

Jonathan Chance

01-26-2003, 08:51 AM

Hell, sounds like my first year on dorm anyway.

Max Carnage

01-26-2003, 09:28 AM

They also don't beling in the row in front of me at the movie Darkness Falls I saw last night. or in any row in that theatre. It's a damned horror movie about the Tooth Fairy! I hope your kids lose a tooth tonight. Then see if they want that quarter.

ASD

01-26-2003, 09:34 AM

Originally posted by ganglian
Kids do not belong at the gym! NO they dont!
They are at risk in the weight room, you are NOT supervising them, nor are you supervising them in the pool.

My gym has a daycare. Keeps the kids happy and means the parents don't have to hire a babysitter. We never have random kids running around.

CanvasShoes

01-26-2003, 09:51 AM

Originally posted by ASD
My gym has a daycare. Keeps the kids happy and means the parents don't have to hire a babysitter. We never have random kids running around.
So does ours, however it also has swim lessons and karate lessons for young ones, hence the brats in the locker room.

There are moms who are considerate enough to keep their children under control and reasonably quiet. But there are also the ones that just relax in the sauna and hot tub area and let their little monsters run free after swim lessons and whatnot.

The gym rule is" "no boys past their third birthday are allowed in the women's locker room". But there are several that I KNOW are past that age. (*and yes, I call management if I see them).

If the moms would keep them away from the rest of the ladies in the gym (the locker room is designed with lots of little locker "alcoves"), but nooooo they have to have the little peeping toms right out in the main shower/hot tub/steam room area.

It's very disconcerting to have some curious little boy staring at your naked body while trying to relax iin the hot tub or sauna! And that can't be that great a thing for a parent to allow a small boy to see either!! (though I'm sure many men will disagree with me).

Scarlett67

01-26-2003, 11:16 AM

The copy shop (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=158879)

ganglian

01-26-2003, 12:17 PM

Originally posted by NightRabbit
Oh poor baby, if you can't deal with a 7-year old selling Girl Scout cookies you really need to lighten up.

To clarify; it was the lil' urchin at the door who bugged me, it was the big barrell shaped redneck woman with her arms folded behind the urchin, trying to intimidate the sale at my front door that offended me. The big ol' sign out front is kinda design to keep her ilk out of the building. Does that make me a snob, oh well.....

[i]
Other than that, I agree. There was a big stink made by a dining hall worker recently because one of the student magazines on his table had art that wasn't appropriate for his young children.

Guess what, dickwad? A college dining hall is not a place for toddlers! And campus magazines shouldn't have to pass a G-rated litmus test! Give me a break! [/B]

ganglian

01-26-2003, 12:25 PM

Originally posted by CanvasShoes
OH!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

And LOL.

I have been thinking about starting THIS thread myself!!! I have two kids of my own, one full grown and married off, and one who just turned 11. And no I'm not the worlds most perfect parent...............

However, I believe there are many, many places where kids don't belong. Along *with* that, I'd like to add (is this a hijack??,,if so I apologize) the places it IS okay to take kids, well, SOME of you parents need to learn to PARENT!!!!!!/B]

With regard to my general problem with kids in general, you, my dear, just hit the nail on the head. Nine times out of ten, it aint the kids, they will be what they are, it's often the example of the parents being reflected.

[i]It is NOT okay to drag a kid through KMart for half an hour while he continuously screams at the top of his screechy little lungs "Moooo hoooomm eeeee HHEEEE, I WAaaaa HHHHAAanT It !!!!,, NOOOO NOOOO get it!!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah" Over and Over and Over again!!!!

Trust me on THIS one, the first time he does this and you take him Straight HOME to daddy and then, don't stop there, the next time you take off to Kmart and he wants to go? Guess what, you say "nope sorry, remember how you acted last time"? Once or twice of him getting the "daddy treatment" and/or staying home instead of getting to go..............

Oh GRRRR and the GYM? Ladies? What makes you think we want your snot-nosed little boys (and do NOT tell me that little giant is under three years old) staring at our privates while we get dressed? Or the offkey screaming of stupid day care songs in the shower and steam room area? The vamanoosing at top speed around the locker room, getting in the way and ricocheting off of us as we dress!!! ARrrrrggggghhh!!!!!

And decent restaurants? Or plays? Give us a BREAK!!! Oh and movies rated PG13 or higher?
/B]

I can tell you of the time that I complained about the rednecks who keep bringing their kids of innappropriate gender into the locker rooms as well, age is a factor, but ten years is too old.... and Restaurants, Chuckie Cheese, okay, but get the kids the hell of the Sushi bar, they likely arent gonna eat Japanese food anyway.

[i]Tell me, WHY are you bringing toddlers and impressionable elementary aged children to movies like "The Devil's Advocate" and "What Lies Beneath"?

(ps, on the What Lies Beneath example this lady and her sister had two little girls about 8 and 10 with them. The movie had some serious sex scenes, partial nudity, adult content, etc.

I mean COME ON!!! On the bright side they were only a few seats away from us, and at regular intervals my mom, sis and I whispered LOUDLY things like "OH, that's criminal, bringing young girls to THIS??!!!, and, during the sex scenes, "Oh MY GOD, can you BELIEVE They are letting those little girls WATCH this, maybe we should get the manager???" long story short, the women left).

Thank you for this rant, it's LONG been a pet peeve of mine.

It's nice to encounter a parent who "gets it."

ganglian

01-26-2003, 12:26 PM

Originally posted by superbee
Kids don't belong in bars? Fuck you, you rabbit felching piece of smegma. Who do you think gets me my drinks when I'm too drunk to stand up? Huh? And when it comes time to drive home, who do you think works the pedals and the wheel?

Jeez, dude...use your head.

I note your location, you were born in the Ozarks and moved to the big city late, didnt you, Gomer?

ganglian

01-26-2003, 12:30 PM

Originally posted by Daikona
How about a college dorm for a place they don't belong? Our residence director or whatever he is and his wife just had a baby. A newborn baby, living in an apartment in a college dorm. Who alternatly wakes up that end of the building with her middle of the night wailing, and is sleeping at 2 in the afternoon, resulting in *normal speaking voices* in that end of the hall getting a stern warning.

I offer you my college memoirs. The time we got a new roommate who basically lived on campus to avoid child support somehow. One sunday afternoon, he has his 3 year old over (Dumb in and of itself) and then tells us he's going out from smokes and will we watch the kid. He was gone for three hours, we ended up calling his ex wife to come get junior. She was embarrased and apologized which was cool, but we got some insight to the divorce....

Truth Seeker

01-26-2003, 03:06 PM

Originally posted by ganglian
I note your location, you were born in the Ozarks and moved to the big city late, didnt you, Gomer?
Oh my, looks like somebody got wooshed!

I think I can top all of you. How about an eight-month-old baby . . . at the symphony.

I saw this with my own eyes, not to mention heard it with my own ears. I was flabergasted. The kid only made a couple of brief outbursts during the performance but that was way more than enough. First, it visibly threw off the performers. Second, everyone in the auditorium felt like they were sitting on a ticking time bomb. It was awful. I simply cannot imagine what made the parents think that this could possibly be OK or, even more incomprehenisble, what possessed the management to allow it. I have recuring nightmares that the parents sucessfully argued that they shouldn't have to purchase an extra ticket.

I'm usually quite tolerant of small children in "adult" situations like nice restaurants, especially if the parents are making a good-faith effort to teach them proper behaviour. We were all kids once and had to be properly socialized and we ought to help pass it along. However, parents who don't even bother to try or bring their kids to completely inappropriate places are another thing entirely.

Let's be quite clear on this, though there are some meritorious exceptions, most parents do this kind of thing because they are inconsiderate, self-centered pigs. It's a sort of tragedy-of-the-commons applied to child care. Their reasoning runs. "Yes, I know little Mortimer is an uncontrollable terror. He drive's me nuts. However, it doesn't drive me any more nuts if he drives you nuts too, so I just bring him along and do whatever I want to do. See, I'm going to have to listen to my baby wail anyway, right? So in between wails, I'd rather be listening to the symphony than not. Yes, of course bringing my baby to the symphony bothers everyone else. What's your point?"

EVO95

01-26-2003, 03:38 PM

ganglian, the jerkstore called, and...

Flurk it.

MrPeabody

01-26-2003, 03:43 PM

Sorry dads, but Hooters is not the place to bring your children when it is your weekend.

MsRobyn

01-26-2003, 04:21 PM

Aaron is not quite six months old, and there are lots of places we'll take him, and lots of places we won't.

We've taken him to the sports club, because he really digs basketball, and they have a nice big projection screen TV that showed basketball. And it's not a bar bar; it's a restaurant that serves alcohol. He behaved just fine, with no screaming, crying or anything. He just hung out with us and watched the game.

However, we won't take him to a movie or live performance. That's what Gramma is for -- to babysit so we can go out and do things. It's not that Aaron isn't a well-behaved child, it's that he's not old enough to be able to control his behavior yet. Next month, soccerbaby and I are going to New York to see a play with her chorus. Aaron gets to spend time with his grandparents. It's not that Aaron shouldn't see the play, because he likes watching that on television. It's that I can't be sure how he's going to behave. The orchestra may be too loud, or the lights may scare him, or it may go over too long and become hungry or cranky and be disruptive as a result. As far as I'm concerned, we've got a lot of time to teach him how to behave at a movie or play or whatever. And he will learn how to behave appropriately in these places.

Robin

istara

01-26-2003, 04:29 PM

MsRobyn - you sound like a really cool parent!

Thylacine

01-26-2003, 05:22 PM

How about my house? I do not have children, few of my friends have kids. Babies in containers are fine. Older kids unable to tell when to leave the cat alone are a problem. If your kid disappears for a minute and comes back without an eyeball don't blame me.

Kid proof houses look very different to mine. I have sharp corners, non locked cupboards with poisons in them and heavy books all around. My knives are within reach in the kitchen, my cat plays rough. There are a thousand ways for your kid to die in my house, did it never occur to you that people without sprogs may not live in a way suitable for them?

Let's meet up in a local park or something please. I like kids, I like you but my house is not child proof and you do not come here often enough for me to make it so.

Phouchg

01-26-2003, 07:55 PM

God Bless The Bellagio (http://www.bellagiolasvegas.com/)

from their site:

You must be 18 years of age or a registered hotel guest to enter Bellagio.

The following exceptions apply to minors who are at least 5 years of age and accompanied by an adult at least 18 years of age:

Restaurant reservations for Aqua, Circo, Jasmine, Le Cirque, Picasso, Shintaro or Prime
Attending a wedding in our Wedding Chapels
Attending a convention function
Attending a performance of "O"
Gallery of Fine Art
Children of hotel guests and non-hotel guests are allowed if accompanied by an adult. Non-hotel guests with children must have their tickets in hand prior to arriving to Bellagio.
Visiting a Via Bellagio shop by appointment only
Strollers are allowed for hotel guests only.

AMEN!!

Phouchg
Lovable Rogue

CanvasShoes

01-26-2003, 08:05 PM

Originally posted by Thylacine
There are a thousand ways for your kid to die in my house, did it never occur to you that people without sprogs may not live in a way suitable for them?

Laughed out loud so hard it scared my dog! I guess I just have a sick sense of humor. (ps. sprog=rugrat, correct?).

Thylacine

01-26-2003, 08:14 PM

correct!

from The Macquarie Concise Dictionary (http://www.macquariedictionary.com.au/)

sprog

noun Colloquial 1. a baby or young child. 2. a new recruit, as in an air force. [origin obscure]

SpazCat

01-26-2003, 09:18 PM

Originally posted by samarm
You took a kid to see Saving Private Ryan? That's fucked up - it's a violent movie. The poor kid was probably scared shitless.

Story Time!
My parents dragged me along to see Jurassic Park when it came out. I was about 13 or so. As we were leaving, a man asked his daughter, "How did you like the movie, honey?" Child responded, "The dinosaurs were scary."

Some people should not be allowed to breed. Ever. Under any circumstances.

Except MsRobyn. We need many many more of her. *dagnabbit, where's that "applause" smiley?*

ganglian

01-26-2003, 09:41 PM

Originally posted by MsRobyn
Aaron is not quite six months old, and there are lots of places we'll take him, and lots of places we won't.

We've taken him to the sports club, because he really digs basketball, and they have a nice big projection screen TV that showed basketball. And it's not a bar bar; it's a restaurant that serves alcohol. He behaved just fine, with no screaming, crying or anything. He just hung out with us and watched the game.

However, we won't take him to a movie or live performance. That's what Gramma is for -- to babysit so we can go out and do things. It's not that Aaron isn't a well-behaved child, it's that he's not old enough to be able to control his behavior yet. Next month, soccerbaby and I are going to New York to see a play with her chorus. Aaron gets to spend time with his grandparents. It's not that Aaron shouldn't see the play, because he likes watching that on television. It's that I can't be sure how he's going to behave. The orchestra may be too loud, or the lights may scare him, or it may go over too long and become hungry or cranky and be disruptive as a result. As far as I'm concerned, we've got a lot of time to teach him how to behave at a movie or play or whatever. And he will learn how to behave appropriately in these places.

Robin

As I'm sure will be beaten like a dead horse before this thread is through; it's about knowing where is appropriate and where is not.

The restaurant you describe is borderline, but the theatre, bars, the gym (I'll not debate the daycare angle, My gym doesnt have it, just kiddie programs), and others are just not cool.

I'm not big on baby visits to the office either, although that one likely won't change. All I ask is that if you must bring the kiddies to work, if you really must, just accept the fact I dont want to deal with them.... thats all I ask.

norinew

01-26-2003, 10:08 PM

I've always hated to see toddlers and preschoolers running free terrorizing public places like stores and restaurants. Everyone always said "Oh, you'll feel differently when you have kids" to which I always responded "Oh, no I won't!" And guess what? I don't! I only take my kids where it is appropriate for them to be, and I make sure they display proper behavior in public. If they don't or can't behave, we're goin' home, no doubt about it!!

All this has made me less tolerant of parents who refuse to control their kids in public, but more appreciative of those who are visibly working hard at it.

CrankyAsAnOldMan

01-26-2003, 10:10 PM

The maddening this is, many of these same places do their best to open themselves up to kids when the times are right. Our symphony has family concerts, and they also have an instrument "petting zoo" where you can bring 2-5 year olds to see the instruments up close. The library has a story hour. The gym has a "tumble tots" session two days a week. I can understand a parent wanting to expose their children to culture, to reading, to fitness, and to see that adults do these things. But it's possible to do so without making things difficult for other patrons.

As for a baby or child, god yes bring them to the library; little kids should be exposed to books and reading early and often! But try to keep them in the kid's area or near the checkout desk, away from the quiet areas. If they do start to have an outburst, do your best to get them out at quickly and safely as possible.

CanvasShoes

01-26-2003, 10:52 PM

Originally posted by norinew
I've always hated to see toddlers and preschoolers running free terrorizing public places like stores and restaurants. Everyone always said "Oh, you'll feel differently when you have kids" to which I always responded "Oh, no I won't!" And guess what? I don't! I only take my kids where it is appropriate for them to be, and I make sure they display proper behavior in public. If they don't or can't behave, we're goin' home, no doubt about it!!

All this has made me less tolerant of parents who refuse to control their kids in public, but more appreciative of those who are visibly working hard at it.

Exactly!!! And again, I am in NO way saying I'm some super mom, I've made plenty of errors along the way, but why is it that some people can't seem to exercise basic good parenting and common decency when it comes to forcing their children's behaviour upon perfect strangers?

Once, when my son was small, I was in a post office and was frantically trying to get him to behave. He was fussing and squalling and wouldn't stop trying to yank on the ropes and harrass other people.

After about 3 minutes and about the same number of times he broke away from me and yanked on the rope, I picked him up by his overall straps like a little suitcase and hauled him out of there...................

To thunderous applause by the other post office patrons. LOL.

Not to hijack, but I think part of the problem might be that people don't feel free to discipline their children. Nor do the other members of the "village" feel free to assist them in it.

Do you remember when we were kids? If we even so much as DARED to be rambunctious or rude to a stranger, he/she wouldn't HESITATE to put us in our place with a harsh and stern "you go back and mind your mother"!!!!

And mom's weren't afraid of handing out well deserved butt swats either. I am NOT advocating child abuse here, I'm talking about a more insult than injury one-time swat on the fat of the butt. Neither of my children, once they passed toddler hood (and only got swats), got spanked more than once or twice a year, and got no spankings at all once they hit 9 or so.

But they still got punished. I remember once, my daughter thought she was being real sly and swiped a little bracelet from Long's Drugs when she was about 13 or so.

I glanced over at her and saw her playing with it. She tried to claim a friend had given it to her at school. (with the price tag still on it?, lol). I turned the car around and marched her in to the store and made her hand it over to the manager.

Oh she hated my guts!!! And yes I felt awful that day. And still had twinges of guilt, until the lovely email she sent me telling me that she's so glad I lived a "good example" for her and how it helps her in her every day life now that she's an "old married lady" of 23!

Eeks, how I run on. Anyway, the moral is, even if one makes mistakes, if you try and parent the best you can rather than just let them run wild so that you'll be their "buddies" your kids will turn out SO much better.

bdgr

01-26-2003, 11:59 PM

Originally posted by MrPeabody
Sorry dads, but Hooters is not the place to bring your children when it is your weekend.

Beg to differ. I take my kid there, both with and without my wife. Its not like its a strip club or anything....Its just a chicken wing resturant with slightly suggestive name. In fact, kids eat free on saturdays at hooters, so its a great place to bring your children.

Mehitabel

01-27-2003, 12:05 AM

Today was Bring a Toddler Day at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC, and nobody told me. I was so :o !

Now, of course museum are good places for kids. And they should be started young. And there were a few little darlings around, staring at the dinosaurs and giant sloths and models of neutron stars wide-eyed while holding securely onto Mom or Dad's hand, who were ready. Then there were the other 99%.

Look, I know it's cold today, and I know some of these kids have older siblings who want to see the Museum and babysitters are expensive, but maybe the kids shouldn't be ducking under the railings and climbing the Williamette Meteorite, hmmm?

There are some kid-friendly places in the Museum, and new rooms like the dinosaur halls and the Planetarium have been designed with glass walls around the whole railing so the kids can't crawl in and tug the Apatosaurus tails. But maybe a couple of hours at a time is all a kid can take.

Cat Whisperer

01-27-2003, 12:07 AM

Originally posted by Thylacine
How about my house? I do not have children, few of my friends have kids. Babies in containers are fine. Older kids unable to tell when to leave the cat alone are a problem. If your kid disappears for a minute and comes back without an eyeball don't blame me.

Kid proof houses look very different to mine. I have sharp corners, non locked cupboards with poisons in them and heavy books all around. My knives are within reach in the kitchen, my cat plays rough. There are a thousand ways for your kid to die in my house, did it never occur to you that people without sprogs may not live in a way suitable for them?

Let's meet up in a local park or something please. I like kids, I like you but my house is not child proof and you do not come here often enough for me to make it so.
This is exactly what our house is like. We have no kids, and one of our cats who had never seen a toddler in her 5 year life was *completely* freaked out when she first met one. She was a hair away from shredding the kid when the mom grabbed him up and took him out. I would never knowingly let my cat hurt a kid in our house, but I do warn parents that our (non-declawed) cats are not used to kids, and for their own good, keep them away from the cats. And for the health of the child, keep them away from *our* stuff, too (so they don't hurt themselves, and so we don't hurt them when they break something valuable to us.)

Sublight

01-27-2003, 04:50 AM

Originally posted by ganglian
they likely arent gonna eat Japanese food anyway
They aren't? I better tell my wife about this, it may complicate things when our first one gets here.

:D I kid.

Flutterby

01-27-2003, 05:38 AM

Originally posted by ganglian
and Restaurants, Chuckie Cheese, okay, but get the kids the hell of the Sushi bar, they likely arent gonna eat Japanese food anyway.

That really depends on the kid. I myself was a picky eater when younger, but several cousins of mine are/were not. Two of them love to try new things and will eat almost anything (tofu, curry, Thai food, etc) and one when little her fave dish was.. escargots.

These same kids are, for the most part, extremely well behaved. I wish some parents were able to control their kids as well as my aunts and uncles have done with my cousins.

curly chick

01-27-2003, 06:18 AM

I have no kids, but I was with my sister in law and my neice in Tesco before Christmas. SIL was at the checkout so 2 and a half year old neice and I were looking at the toys in the toy aisle.
She was pointing out each of the toys and telling me the names of all the cuddly characters and what not, when I looked up and saw that her mother had finished at the checkout, so I said "Come on Neicey, time to go"
She took my hand and turned to go.
There was a woman stood nearby, pulling two little screaming sprogs out of the shelves and her chin nearly hit the floor.
She asked me how the hell I had managed that.
Err, maybe because the parents have trained the child?

Parenting skills seem to have gone out of fashion and this results in uncontrolled and uncontrollable brats.

Having said that, though, I think there are many places children should not be, regardless of how well-behaved they are. Pubs certainly; films for which they are under age and as for the tale of the baby at the symphony, good grief!!

Winterwren

01-27-2003, 06:18 AM

I have not spawned, but I started taking one niece and one nephew out to restaurants, stores, and certain music clubs in their pre-teens -- but we'd already (thanks to my sister) established certain ground rules:
* No screaming
* No touching things without permission
* No running around indoors (we take a park break for that)
* No fighting with each other
* "Please," "thank you," and other courtesies towards service staff in restaurants and stores
* No whining
* If you need a rest room, try to give me at least ten minutes' warning, so I can find one.

These are basically the rules my parents laid down for me when I was about five for public behavior, minus the "I will paddle your butt until you can't sit down for a week" clause. My deal with the little heathens was "If you can't abide by these rules, tell me; maybe we'll go out in another few months. If you agree to them and break them, I won't take you out for a year."

But they agreed, and it worked, and I got compliments on "my" exquisitely well-behaved children; they got remembered and got treats in the restaurants we frequented, and life was good. And I have the satisfaction of knowing that at least two of my siblings' spawn are well-behaved in public, and that their kids will probably be.

Siemsi

01-27-2003, 09:18 AM

I completely agree with the OP!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you ......thank you.....thank you!

BTW......when I was an infant/toddler/young child.....If my parents could not find a babysitter, guess what.....they did not go out!!!!

If they wanted to see an adult movie at the 9 pm show.......guess what?!!? They called the grandparents to babysit. They weren't selfish by dragging their poor kids out and about at 9pm at night!!!!!!

Oooh! I know the soccer moms are gasping right now. Good.

Children do not belong in a restaurant at 7-8 pm at night. It is BEDTIME. Yes bedtime for the children. Not a cute "family time" to take the rug rats to Ruby Tuesday's, etc. **smacks head**

There are even idiot mothers who take their infants to the hair salon while getting their acrylic nails done. The baby cries, and the mother cannot do a thing. Unbelievable. Let's not be selfish now.

This amazes me. I wish I had the guts to say something the next time my hubby and I are in a bar/grill and the rug rats are complaining and carrying on like spoiled brats. Guess what......GO HOME.....It's past your bedtime!!!!!!!!!

Spoons

01-27-2003, 10:46 AM

The racetrack is another place that may not be suitable for children.

Sure, kids like to look at the horses and they seem to enjoy the excitement of a race. But unless the parent can ensure that Junior is not going to get in the way of the other patrons; or worse, be left alone somehow, then the child should not be there.

I well remember the time at the track when, with about two minutes left to post, a parent decided it was time to let her toddler navigate the stairs of the grandstand on her own. While Mommy was alternately beaming proudly at Toddler on the stairs and screaming at anybody else who dared to try using the stairs to get around Toddler ("Can't you see she's a child? You might have hurt her in your rush. Slow down!"), a group of would-be bettors were scrambling over chairs and seats and other patrons in an effort to get to the betting windows before the windows closed.

In another case, I noticed a little girl of about ten holding a mutuel ticket and standing outside one of the bars at my local track. She stood there for a while; somebody finally had the good sense to call a security guard to see if the girl was lost. No, apparently her father had handed her a winning ticket and told her to cash it (minors cannot purchase or cash tickets) and then to meet him in the bar (being a minor, she could not enter the bar). So she stood, waiting for her father to come out.

No, unless you are prepared to spend the entire day with your children, and will keep them out of the way of the other patrons, perhaps the racetrack is not the place to take kids.

Shodan

01-27-2003, 11:02 AM

It is NOT okay to drag a kid through KMart for half an hour while he continuously screams at the top of his screechy little lungs "Moooo hoooomm eeeee HHEEEE, I WAaaaa HHHHAAanT It !!!!,, NOOOO NOOOO get it!!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah" Over and Over and Over again!!!!
How dare you insult my family that way. My kids would never do something like this.

It was me.

Regards,
Shodan

even sven

01-27-2003, 11:36 AM

I don't have kids, and I hate a screaming brat as much as the next person- but arn't you guys being a little harsh? Kids are a part of our society, and they are our future. Yeah, they don't quite have all the rules of society drilled into them yet, but they've got to learn somewhere. We can't just hide kids in closets until they are old enough not to make people uncomfortable.

Plenty of people are raised by single parents. These kids pretty much have to be dragged around on errands. It sucks being a kid while your mom is stuck in line at the post office, but it sucks even more when the electricity gets shut off because the bills arn't paid.

As for restraunts- how are we supposed to get any culture into our kids if we consistantly tell them that McDonalds is the only thing they should want to eat. Do you know how many kids are needlessly picky eaters simply because we train them into thinking that hamburgers and french fries are the only food they should like?

And what do you know about their bedtime, anyway? Maybe their parent works swing shift. Maybe they take afternoon naps. What business of your is it when other people's kids sleep?

Anyway, it drives me nuts to see parents let their kids run out of control. But I understand that being a parent puts you in some pretty tight spots- especially if you can't afford babysitters on a regular basis. And I understand that the cultured worldly adults of tommorow have to start somewhere. It is not a good thing to keeps kids hidden in the family room watching the Disney channel all day. Maybe I just find it a bit refreshing to sometimes be around people who havn't had all the life and vitality badgered out of them by social propriety yet. Anyway, I think we ought to cut parents some slack, especially if they are honestly trying to keep their kids under control.

An Arky

01-27-2003, 11:59 AM

I agree with you, even sven. As a parent of small children, I am very sensitive to where or where not to bring them. We don't go to the opera, non-kid movies, bars, or late night places with them. And I too am irritated when kids act up and their parents don't do anything about it. We DO go to family restaurants, the library (kid's section), church, shopping, etc.

But we want our kids to be able to behave properly when the day comes when we want to take them to a fancy restaurant, classical concert, frufru boutique or someplace else that requires a modicum of decorum, so we take them places and "practice". We're getting there, but my 4 year old likes to run around and make pronouncements of his discoveries. We've never had anyone frown at him or us, just the usual bemused "kids will be kids" looks.

My rambling aside, the point you made about the cultured worldly adults of tomorrow starting somewhere was what I thought was right on; how can we expect kids to learn to behave if we don't take them anywhere and teach them how to behave when there?

even sven

01-27-2003, 12:24 PM

I guess I am just a little sensitive because I grew up in the ghetto. Our schools were abysmal. We couldn't afford fancy summer camps and day schools. Our libraries were small, sad, and mostly closed. If it wern't for my mother taking time out of the single-parent gig to expose me to culture by taking me out of museums and intersting restraunts and cultural events, I would probably still be there in the ghetto, and not an intellectual college student.

Scarlett67

01-27-2003, 02:48 PM

Originally posted by An Arky
how can we expect kids to learn to behave if we don't take them anywhere and teach them how to behave when there?
I agree; parents should take their kids out in public and teach them how to behave. But first, please teach them proper table manners (for example) at home; when they've learned there to an acceptable degree, then take them to McDonald's; when they've learned a bit more there, then take them to a family-style-sit-down restaurant; and so on. Please do not start the lessons at an intimate little French place where my sweetie and I have come for a romantic evening and expect to pay $150 for dinner, including the proper ambience. Your (generic "your") 4-year-old running around and babbling and stopping at our table to stare at us is not going to contribute to said ambience.

Similarly, start your kids off on the theater experience by taking them to kiddie movies; then when they've learned to behave a little better, take them to a PG comedy; and so on. Please don't take them to see "grown-up" films or live plays until they have learned to sit quietly in their seats and are capable of paying attention and appreciating the performance.

Music -- same thing. I am much more forgiving of children running around during an outdoor folk concert with grass-and-blanket seating than during a $75-a-seat symphony performance.

Please, parents, choose your "practice" venues carefully. I don't think it's unreasonable for the rest of us to expect adult behavior when we specifically choose an adult venue. It's not a prejudice against children in general; I would not accept immature, noisy, inappropriate behavior from adults either, and if the kids can behave properly, they're more than welcome.

zev_steinhardt

01-27-2003, 03:00 PM

Well, as long as someone brought up Jurassic Park...

When my wife and I saw JP in the movie theathers, we took along our oldest son, who was not yet five years old. Throughout the entire movie, all the kid did was kick and turn over in his seat. He did not sit still for a single moment. I tried to convince him to sit still and stop kicking, but he absolutely refused to be still. He did this for pretty much the entire movie.

He was born about four months later... :D )

Zev Steinhardt

CRorex

01-27-2003, 03:02 PM

Originally posted by Daikona
How about a college dorm for a place they don't belong? Our residence director or whatever he is and his wife just had a baby. A newborn baby, living in an apartment in a college dorm. Who alternatly wakes up that end of the building with her middle of the night wailing, and is sleeping at 2 in the afternoon, resulting in *normal speaking voices* in that end of the hall getting a stern warning.

Try living in a residence hall where the hall director has two children ages 2 and 4. Staggering drunk around your floor and seeing a wet naked 2 year old runing screaming up the stairs makes for a bizzare afternoon.

Daikona

01-27-2003, 06:52 PM

Originally posted by CRorex
Try living in a residence hall where the hall director has two children ages 2 and 4. Staggering drunk around your floor and seeing a wet naked 2 year old runing screaming up the stairs makes for a bizzare afternoon.

Well, I can't say I have much experience with staggering around drunk in the afternoon, but it does sound like it'd be weird.

laserkitty

01-27-2003, 09:17 PM

About a year ago I went to a Rob Zombie concert and saw not one, but about 4 couples with children under the age of 10 there. You have no idea how much this pissed me off. Not only was it late & on a week night during the school year, but it was loud, smokey and scary!! Never before in my life have I wanted to just smack the shit out of so many parents for being such complete and absolute morons.

MsRobyn

01-27-2003, 10:06 PM

Thanks to everyone for their applause and votes of confidence.

The trick is to realize that all children have limits in terms of attention span, interest, and fears, and a responsible parent is reasonably attuned to these limits. I know that Aaron is okay with maybe 90% of what goes on around him, but he's been frightened by loud voices and sudden noises, and so movies and live performances are not a good idea. I have a fairly good idea of what will keep him quiet and entertained, and I am prepared to exploit these when/if need be.

And when Airman and I (or just I) want to have a nice time alone, well, that's when we get a sitter or Gramma to watch Aaron. Everyone's happy. :)

Robin

bagkitty

01-28-2003, 01:00 AM

Originally posted by ganglian
..... they likely arent gonna eat Japanese food anyway.

Hmmm, children are a priori not inclined to eat Japanese food? This leaves me wondering... are Japanese children born with some kind of immense embryonic sac attached that they derive nourishment from until they are old enough to eat Japanese food? Of course, this may explain the whole "Hello Kitty" phenomenon...:smack:

j_kat_251

01-29-2003, 08:00 PM

Story Time!
My parents dragged me along to see Jurassic Park when it came out. I was about 13 or so. As we were leaving, a man asked his daughter, "How did you like the movie, honey?" Child responded, "The dinosaurs were scary."

Some people should not be allowed to breed. Ever. Under any circumstances.

Maybe it's just me, but I think you may have left a valuable detail out of that story. Otherwise, I have no idea to which people you are referring.

Flowerchild

01-29-2003, 08:34 PM

I have yet to see a scary movie without a crying baby, Halloween:H20, Halloween:Ressurection,The Ring. All of them with crying kids.

Last time I visited my aunt, I took all my cousins out to see the sites of Philly, she has 5 kids one's 16,another 13,another10, one 6 and one 3.When we went to the please touch mueseum, that was for the little ones, but independence was for the rest of us, the mueseum with the Declaration of independence was for the older ones too,then later I took the littles ones out to a kids movie.

i think that the point of my huge Hijack was that thw whole time we were out, the little ones didnt squirm once,and because of that, i gave thewm a treat.people were amazed when we made it through the entire museum and the whole tour without them complainingf once.

BTW: The Please Touch Mueseum is a kids Mueseum in Philly were the kids get to play with all these different adult things while the parents take pictures.

CanvasShoes

01-29-2003, 08:43 PM

Originally posted by Siemsi
This amazes me. I wish I had the guts to say something the next time my hubby and I are in a bar/grill and the rug rats are complaining and carrying on like spoiled brats. Guess what......GO HOME.....It's past your bedtime!!!!!!!!!

Okay, I will FREELY admit I'm evil, but here's a suggestion. You don't have to acknowledge that you even SEE the family with the brats. And this is even better, since you aren't openly accusing the perps, they CAN'T unless super bold, really "attack" you back.

What you do is....................

Start looking around in a perplexed way....... Say (loudly enough to be overheard by the "perps") to your date, or mate or other family members. "My Gosh!!! It's 7 [insert bedtime here} oclock!! Does someone actually have a small child out at THIS hour??? That poor little thing!!! I can't believe someone that could afford to eat here couldn't get a baby sitter for the poor little mite"

See, the trick is, you never make eye contact, you don't get obnoxious and/or use profanity and you keep your tone "nicey-nice" and Oooooooh so concerned. Then, you LOAD your "perplexed" comments with thinly disguised "shame on yous".

I'm always amazed at how quickly the perps eat and leave.

CanvasShoes

01-29-2003, 08:51 PM

Originally posted by even sven
I don't have kids, and I hate a screaming brat as much as the next person- but arn't you guys being a little harsh? Kids are a part of our society, and they are our future. Yeah, they don't quite have all the rules of society drilled into them yet, but they've got to learn somewhere. We can't just hide kids in closets until they are old enough not to make people uncomfortable.

Plenty of people are raised by single parents. These kids pretty much have to be dragged around on errands. It sucks being a kid while your mom is stuck in line at the post office, but it sucks even more when the electricity gets shut off because the bills arn't paid.

Yes, I understand that many people don't have that choice, we are really talking about people who are over the top inconsiderate with where and when they bring their children.

Insofar as "they've got to learn somewhere"? That's what McDonalds/Wendy's/Chuck E.s are for. Then, once they master that, you "step up" a bit to Village Inn (like an IHOP), and maybe Red Robin's and so on. We should not, for a 50 dollar a plate dinner, have to listen to the raucous screams of a 5 year old (who SHOULD be able to sit through a dinner) at the local Dinner Theatre or 4 Star.

Errands are one thing, and yes, sometimes kids just go off for no reason (even the best of them). But the whole point the OP was making was that there are SOME places in which children DO NOT belong.

CanvasShoes

01-29-2003, 08:54 PM

Originally posted by An Arky
I agree with you, even sven. As a parent of small children, I am very sensitive to where or where not to bring them. We don't go to the opera, non-kid movies, bars, or late night places with them. And I too am irritated when kids act up and their parents don't do anything about it. We DO go to family restaurants, the library (kid's section), church, shopping, etc.

But we want our kids to be able to behave properly when the day comes when we want to take them to a fancy restaurant, classical concert, frufru boutique or someplace else that requires a modicum of decorum, so we take them places and "practice". We're getting there, but my 4 year old likes to run around and make pronouncements of his discoveries. We've never had anyone frown at him or us, just the usual bemused "kids will be kids" looks.

My rambling aside, the point you made about the cultured worldly adults of tomorrow starting somewhere was what I thought was right on; how can we expect kids to learn to behave if we don't take them anywhere and teach them how to behave when there?

Then you're NOT one of the parents about whom we're griping. You are one of the "good ones".

Remember the OPs OP? hehe

OpalCat

01-29-2003, 09:00 PM

Originally posted by ganglian
Kids do not belong at the gym! NO they dont!
They are at risk in the weight room, you are NOT supervising them, nor are you supervising them in the pool.
They simply fucking shouldn't be there

In the weight room? No. But my gym has a huge daycare area and they have their own swimming pool (open only during special "family hours") and so at least at my gym, they DO belong there.

Our gym also has a family room and big signs that say "no opposite-sex children in the dressing rooms" and for the most part that is followed.

I do get pissed when parents don't keep control of their kids in public. Dominic is 7 and he's never gone running amok in a store or restaurant, etc. I don't understand why some parents don't take care of their kids.

Guinastasia

01-29-2003, 09:07 PM

In college, my philosophy professor once said that the best form of birth control was a visit to Eat N Park on a Sunday morning for brunch.

(He described one kid grabbing scrambled eggs off of his (my professor's) plate!) EEEK!

He was joking around, of course, about it being birth control, but he was more or less musing at how inconsiderate and downright rude some parents can be.

I remember going to church once, when I was about seven years old, and I was kneeling down after Communion to say my prayers, with my hands folded. The three year old in front of us proceeded to grab at my wrists and try to pry my hands apart! The whole time, his mother just smiled and said, "Honey, no, she's praying." But did NOTHING to stop him.

OpalCat

01-29-2003, 09:21 PM

Originally posted by Siemsi
Children do not belong in a restaurant at 7-8 pm at night. It is BEDTIME. Yes bedtime for the children. Not a cute "family time" to take the rug rats to Ruby Tuesday's, etc. **smacks head**

Eh... my son's bedtime is 9pm. That gives him 10 hours of sleep every night, which is enough. There are times when we've gone out to dinner late, especially on weekends or other times when he doesn't have to be up in the morning.

Before he was school age, he went to bed when we did--late. As we are night people and his father worked late shifts, this made a hell of a lot more sense than having the kid on a totally different schedule. And yes, this meant that we went to restaurants late. Sometimes even REALLY LATE! Imagine that, midnight at a 24 hour restaurant with a 2 year old. My, the scandal. Nevermind that he's behaving himself perfectly well and that he'll be getting plenty of sleep... I suppose because we didn't live on *your* schedule of "acceptable hours" that we're bad parents.

Dominic is always well liked in restaurants. He gets special treats all the time. On several different occassions we've had the server sit down at our table to chat with him.

MelCthefirst

01-29-2003, 09:57 PM

Whilst I personally agree with most of you about where children should and shouldn't be taken and as a child I wasn't taken to scarey movies, restaurants etc and I didn't expect to get a toy every time I went out shopping, I think there are some cultural differences here.
In New Zealand, for Maori people, it is perfectly acceptable for children to run around freely whilst adults are having a conference or whatever on the Marae. I think this is then translated to other situations such as supermarkets, restaurants etc. Many Maori and Pacific Island parents don't have a problem with this, they have more of a community minded way of bringing up children. They expect other adults to help parent their children. This is even more necessary now that NZ has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy for a developed country, and most of these pregnancies are in the Maori and PI communities.
This doesn't explain the white kids who remain mostly unsupervised in public.

j_kat_251

01-29-2003, 10:10 PM

Oh, right. So only fat darker-skinned people can let their kids run amok? Wonderful.

Audrey Levins

01-30-2003, 02:44 AM

People who want to "expose" their children to the finer cultural activities in their community shouldn't also force the public to be exposed to their children. I don't mind a child in a restaurant as long as I am perfectly unaware that he is there. The same way I am able to ignore the other patrons. I don't go out to eat so I can listen to loud obnoxious screaming children....and since any adult who is loud and obnoxious and screaming would be thrown out of said restaurant, it seems a bit much that, just because the perp is five years old, I have to suffer through it.

And this is particularly directed at the people who let their children come up and sit at my bar--by themselves!--and play the touch-screen game on the bar. It's on the bar for a A REASON, people--that game has all kinds of nudity all over it, and it's for adults only! And, more importantly, I AM NOT A BABYSITTER! I am a bartender, for God's sake!

You should see all the parents who get all annoyed when I tell them that, unless they are present to supervise their child, I cannot allow said child to remain at the bar. "But he's just playing," they whine. "I can see him from where we're sitting!"

And they're usually sitting about thirty feet away with their backs to the bar.

*grrrrrr*

SPOOFE

01-30-2003, 03:04 AM

Ooh, lemme play...

Tip to parents who want to take their kids on vacation: Don't. Unless you're SURE that they'll be well-behaved and controlled. And if you can keep them supervised.

I was on a cruise for two weeks, and good god, on a boat with 2,000 passengers, a quarter of those must have been under the age of ten. I'm surprised none of those little freaks* got thrown overboard.

(*Leopold reference, calm down.)

Rilchiam

01-30-2003, 03:14 AM

Lot of well-written, well-thought-out posts here.

But I hope all y'all are taking into account the fact that, with a very few exceptions, kids don't want to be in "grown-up" places like Chateau Maison any more than you want them there.

I wish I'd had parents like Siemsi, Opal, Robyn et al. Unfortunately, my mom was one of "those" people who, for instance, dragged me to weddings and such, in blatant disregard of "no kids" stipulations. I've sat in the foyers of expensive restaurants, waiting for my parents to finish their dinners (after finding nothing at all on the menu that I liked). I've been in office conference rooms and break rooms. I've sat through meetings and lectures. I was dragged hither and yon and wasted hours of my life. I don't believe I ever ran amok, but that's because I was generally a quiet kid, unless there was another kid to inspire me into acting up. What I did do was stuff like look at the books on peoples' shelves. Maybe I shouldn't have done even that. But who was more wrong: me for not going catatonic or my parents for bringing me places where there was nothing at all for me to do?

Disclaimer: I know I've said this before. But hell, so have many other people in this thread said what they've said.

Rilchiam

01-30-2003, 03:21 AM

Forgot to say: Guin, Audrey Levins and SPOOFE all get :eek: s.

madmonk28

01-30-2003, 09:22 AM

I find myself in the supermarket with screaming kids a lot. Sometimes the parent is making no attempt to control the spawn. Here's what I do:

When the parent is not around (these parents always let the brats roam free), look at the kid and say "hey kid, shut up."

They ALWAYS get real quiet and go stand next to mom. Then when you see them as you shop, make eye contact. They get real scared that a stranger confronted them, they cling to mom's coat and they stay shut upped. Viola

OpalCat

01-30-2003, 09:32 AM

My mom took me to law school. Yes, law school. I was about 3 or 4 and I sat at a table in the very back eating M&Ms. I was never disruptive, but I do remember it and remember being soooo bored. All through my childhood I had to sit through meetings and conferences and stuff, either in the meeting itself or out in the hall. I remember the agonizing ennui and as a result I really try to never drag Dominic along to anything where he'll just be sitting there bored out of his skull.

My mom does have an excuse, by the way. She was a single parent on welfare and lived 2500 miles away from her closest relative.

Bongmaster

01-30-2003, 10:04 AM

Originally posted by CanvasShoes

It is NOT okay to drag a kid through KMart for half an hour while he continuously screams at the top of his screechy little lungs "Moooo hoooomm eeeee HHEEEE, I WAaaaa HHHHAAanT It !!!!,, NOOOO NOOOO get it!!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah" Over and Over and Over again!!!!

Trust me on THIS one, the first time he does this and you take him Straight HOME to daddy and then, don't stop there, the next time you take off to Kmart and he wants to go? Guess what, you say "nope sorry, remember how you acted last time"? Once or twice of him getting the "daddy treatment" and/or staying home instead of getting to go..............

Oh GRRRR and the GYM? Ladies? What makes you think we want your snot-nosed little boys (and do NOT tell me that little giant is under three years old) staring at our privates while we get dressed? Or the offkey screaming of stupid day care songs in the shower and steam room area? The vamanoosing at top speed around the locker room, getting in the way and ricocheting off of us as we dress!!! ARrrrrggggghhh!!!!!

And decent restaurants? Or plays? Give us a BREAK!!! Oh and movies rated PG13 or higher?

Tell me, WHY are you bringing toddlers and impressionable elementary aged children to movies like "The Devil's Advocate" and "What Lies Beneath"?

You just said everything that was bottled up inside me too...GOD DAMN IT! Its not even just bad parenting in some cases, but complete disregard for those around them. Kid is screaming like an idiot in Kmart because you didn't get him another GI Joe? Home, immediately, and punishment. Why is this allowed to continue? If they kid can not/will not behave in public take him home until he can.

Violin D'Ingrate

01-30-2003, 02:11 PM

I would like to add weddings to list of places not to automatcially assume your child is welcome. Many invitations are addressed to "The Smith Family" or "Mr. and Mrs. Robert Smith and Family" or something that indicates that the whole family is welcome. But if you receive an invitation that does not include your child, he or she is not welcome.
I did not invite children to my wedding, but 5 showed up anyway. Not only did I have to pay to feed these unexpected guests, but I had a lot of explaining to do to friends and family members who left their children at home, while random nimrod acquaintances of my spouse brought kids. I don't bring my child to weddings unless he is invited, even though he's well behaved. It doesn't matter. If the bride and groom don't want kids there, don't take it personally, just get a sitter or don't come.

OpalCat

01-30-2003, 02:19 PM

I always ask before bringing Dominic to any function--parties, weddings, dopefests. I think it's rude to assume that children are welcome.

vanilla

01-30-2003, 04:38 PM

About bedtimes, my sons isn't til 10-10:30 on school nights so he has gone out with me at night sometimes.
He has always behaved well in public (not always in private though!)

Protesilaus

01-30-2003, 05:04 PM

When I was working in a movie theater, I once had a customer buy a bunch of tickets to Scary Movie, including several children's tickets, while holding an infant. But I think the worst parent I encountered was the asshole who took his young daughter to see The Cell. Exiting the theater, the poor girl was shaking.

Elza B

01-30-2003, 08:12 PM

I like kids. I hope to have some within the next three years or so. However, as time goes on, I am stunned more and more by the mentality of many parents. And although I manage to avoid many badly-behaved kids right now, living in NYC, I'm moving back to Virginia on Saturday, and right smack in the middle of Suburban Hell. I'm dreading it. It's as if some kids are *encouraged* to run amok by their parents. I helped raise my two young cousins, who are now sixteen and thirteen, and when *I* took them out, not even their mother, they knew to behave or else. I took them to the movies once when they were about nine and six, and when the movie started, they wouldn't stop talking. I warned them several times, but they continued. So, finally, I took them both *out* of the movie and took them home. They were warned and they lost their opportunity to see that movie. What made it even worse was that the movie was supposed to be my treat. But, as I explained to them, they didn't appreciate that I spent my own money on them, so they had to pay me back out of their allowance. So they essentially paid for a movie that they didn't see - their own fault. But they never misbehaved in a movie again.

Although, the worst kid experience I've ever had was in a Broadway show---the Seussical. First of all, I half blame the producers for it. They hired teenybopper Aaron Carter to play one of the parts, so the entire theater was filled with obnoxious pre-teen girls. Now, I don't care how old these girls were, I don't care how many of them there were. But their parents should have *told* them how to behave in a Broadway show before bringing them. They were loud, obnoxious, unruly, and they TALKED and screamed for Aaron through the entire show. I was there with my parents and my eleven-year-old female cousin (who behaved *perfectly* because I told her in advance how one behaves in a show), and I was extremely pissed. We'd paid $50 a ticket and could barely hear the show. I went to an usher during intermission and complained, and basically got "well, they're all just kids. We can't really do anything about it." In hindsight, I wish I had gone to the manager of the theater and gotten our money back.

Ava

Eternal

01-31-2003, 12:32 AM

Look, I know we're all thinking it so I'll just say it: Let's get rid of kids.

Can you believe its the TWENTY-FIRST century and we're still reproducing the old boring way? We should have tranferred all our consciousnesses into computers by now, reproducing by using robots to make new computers and implanting the seeds of consiousness into them!

Silentbrad

01-31-2003, 03:39 PM

Protesilaus The Cell is pretty bad, but here’s my top three bad parenting experiences:

3. LotR: The Two Towers – My wife and I had to move three times to avoid parents with screaming, scared kids. The last time we moved, the parents were saying “I thought this would be more like Harry Potter.” Why, why in gawd’s name would you possibily think this movie would be like Harry freakin' Potter? Who brings five year olds to a three hour movie? At the 10:00pm showing? On a school night?

2. Red Dragon – Once again, three families with scared children. At least two of the families left after about 30 minutes. Were these people misled by the title? Did they think it was a Disney flick, like a sequel to Pete’s Dragon? Sweet dreams, little 8 year olds.

1. Hannibal – Opening night, 11:15pm showing, movie about a serial killer, described in the local paper as “disturbingly graphic”. Hey kids, wanna see a movie? Don’t forget the BABY! If she fusses, throw that blanket over her. That’ll be good enough to muffle the THX surround sound. You know who would be perfect to carry the blanket? The “big” brother, in his PAJAMAS WITH FEET! He’ll have lots of company, what with the SEVEN other kids in the theater. This is one of the very few times I ever asked for the manager. Of course, there was nothing she could do. All the kids were there with parental supervision. How could the parents have decided that this was appropriate entertainment for the kids. They must have know about the content of the movie. It was a sequel, named for one of the most gruesome cinematic serial killers of all time.