# I don't appreciate little children telling me how to cross a road

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [February 17, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720 "2004-02-17T22:38:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 9

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**Author:** ![htns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@htns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/htns)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/161 "2004-02-24T19:14:06Z")

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> [@blessedwolf](#):
>
> I don’t think the issue is that Johnny Rotten was giving advice to an adult, I think it’s the tone of the sprog put forth by the OP.  
> Compare:  
> “Why didn’t you wait for the crossing guard?”  
> \<in a snotty tone\>“Cross with the patrol next time!”

I picked up on that, actually. IMO, that’s just inexperience talking. The kid will learn better soon enough.

> [@](#):
>
> Bottom line is, sure–let kids speak, let them be heard. But for dog’s sake, they’d better be polite, or they’ll get an earful.

And that earful is best delivered by the parents, not J. Random Stranger. If you feel too strongly about the issue to just blow it off, then locate the parents and talk to them. It works. I know from experience. Just be polite and tactful.

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**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/162 "2004-02-24T19:31:45Z")

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> [@htns](#):
>
> And that earful is best delivered by the parents, not J. Random Stranger. If you feel too strongly about the issue to just blow it off, then locate the parents and talk to them. It works. I know from experience. Just be polite and tactful.

Oh, I don’t know if I’d say that. My experience dealing with parents is that many of them will go to bat for their kid even if the kid is dead wrong. A co-worker told a story at lunch today about a kid he caught cheating with another kid. Their answers were identical, but one kid convinced his parents he was innocent, the parents called the principal, were totally hoodwink. Unfortunately for the little weasel, the other kid told the truth. Much crow was eaten in that household.

My point is not that you should feel free to discipline other people’s children. My point is that you can’t necesssarily expect the parents to do it either.

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**Author:** ![htns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@htns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/htns)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/163 "2004-02-24T19:59:43Z")

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> [@Rubystreak](#):
>
> My point is not that you should feel free to discipline other people’s children. My point is that you can’t necesssarily expect the parents to do it either.

Thanks for clarifying that, **Rubystreak**. It’s appreciated. 🙂

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