How do you feel when you see a child misbehaving badly in public and the parent does nothing to stop it?

Question

Asuebe77, answering your question, I have no children,

Ulelume, I feel I must respond to your inappropriate reaction to my question. I mean no pre-judgement in my question. And examining your answers to other people's questions, it appears that you have a pattern of accusing others of being judgemental. So I really do not understand why you wish to address questioners like that. Again, I am just asking a question.

Answer 1

It makes me feel better about my own children. For all of the challenges of parenting them, they are not perfect. When I see other people's children behaving outrageously in public I realize that I'm lucky my children don't behave like that. I also feel some sympathy for the parents, however inept they appear to be as parents, because it's really difficult to discipline your children under other people's scrutiny. No matter what you do, there's always going to be someone who doesn't think it's the right thing.

Answer 2

And people continue to be so judgemental, I could scream...

Please remember that you do not know every person's life story. For all you know, the mother's husband was just shipped off to Iraq that morning, the children are acting out because they don't know what is going on, and she is just trying to get through the day.

Or maybe the child has a disorder that you couldn't possibly see, as the respondant said earlier about the child with autism. If you don't know anything about this devastating disorder, I invite you to learn all you can. Perhaps you will be less judgemental when you learn how difficult it is for these parents to simply take a shower in their own home, let alone run errands.

In fact, the last published statistic claimed that 1 in 166 children had a form of this dosorder (in the late 90's) and that it is the fasted-growing developmental disorder in the world.

That means if you go to a large grocery store on a Saturday, there could easily be one or two children with autism in that store. And they could very easily be having meltdowns. Meanwhile, you are sitting back in your uneducated mind and thinking "What a shitty parent s/he is. Why not just smack the kid?"

Or maybe there is no disorder, and the parent just doesn't know what s/he is doing. Yes, there is no denying it, there are shitty parents out there. The government does not prevent them from having children. But instead of bitching about how much 'better things used to be,' try showing a little compassion. Instead of condemning that parent, ask him/her if there is anything you could do to help him/her get through that errand faster. It would help that parent out greatly and, just think, you could get that crappy kid out of your life that much faster...

Answer 3

I'd probably do the same thing I did the other day while in the check out line,this kid kept stepping on my toes and then went in the the empty area at a check stand ans was playing with the register.I looked at the mom and told her she had the most obnoxious kids I have seen in a long time.She mumbled something in a language that was foreign to me and the child then stood beside the mom giving me mean looks.If a parent can't control their kids they should leave them at home

Answer 4

you favor to keep in mind that parenting is difficult. quite no matter if it really is a small newborn. really, we are damned if we do, and damned if we do not. If we strengthen our voice or punish our little ones in public, we are undesirable mom and father, and we ought to problem if someone observed as the CPS...then if we do not people imagine we are undesirable mom and father reason we are not doing a lot. in my opinion, I have 3 little ones lower than 4. Grocery paying for with them is a nightmare. They cry and scream for any little project they prefer, and that i overlook about them, and tell them that when they can ask properly, i'd get it for them, yet till then, no. we are also on a respectable funds, so lots of the time, I purely arise with the money for to purchase what we favor, and can't arise with the money for $5 juices, or chocolates. After a even as, they offer up crying, yet interior the advise time, i'm getting nasty looks. and that i also get nasty looks when I've had it, and raise my voice to them.

Answer 5

I feel times have changed so much that these kids do this. Society and government has gotten so involved in trying to tell parents what they shouldn't do that when a parent tries to disciple their child someone screams child abuse. Back in the older days children had respect for their parents and displays like that where unheard of because you were set straight with just a look

Answer 6

There have been plenty of times that my kids have acted up in public. And sometimes you just have to get an errand done. There are lots of suggested techniques for dealing with meltdowns, and one of them is ignoring the child. I've never seen it work, and I couldn't imagine doing it myself, but it's not for me to judge the parenting style of other parents. Besides, I'd much rather watch a bratty kid getting away with something than watch a parent smack a kid around, you know?

Answer 7

as a fellow parent- i want to spank them. it's rude and inconsiderate for parents to let their children be hellions. Unfortunately, this day in age, kids are terrors. If my child was misbehaving in public, we'd g to the car and leave.

However, we have a friend who has a child who has autism. She doesn't realize when she being rude or loud. But if anyone looks, you can tell that the mother is explaining to her her behavior is inappropriate.

Answer 8

well yelling at kids in public is not appropriate it should be taken care of in private, its a fact that most children wont even listen to there parents in public when getting in trouble because they put an act on.
if your child is misbehaving leave the store and take care of your personal problems alone not in front of strangers

Answer 9

I feel very aggravated! I have 3 kids and they know if they act up in the store i will spank them right there in front of God and everybody! Therefor they do not act up in the store. Maybe it's because I live in TX but nobody has ever turned me in for swatting one of their behinds in public. And for the record I am not "smacking" them around a swat to the butt to let them know this is not acceptable is alot different than beating your child.

Answer 10

This is funny. I have 2 kids. Yes, they act up in public. However, if you do ANYTHING to them (yes even yell) you get accused of child abuse. So you deal with it when you get home and threaten them there quietly( so no one can hear you) and with a smile on your face (so no one can tell).