Man...I used to like that song.

[texwifeinct]

I am sitting here typing with a headache leftover from my visit to Target yesterday. Now I know what you are thinking, "She got turned down for the $4/any 2 Gillette Q" nope I wish. "Manger limited her Q's" again nu uh. I had the unprecedented pleasure of hearing a cherubic 3 year old scream the Jingle Bell song at the top of his lungs for the entire 45 minutes I was in the store with my friend:hectic1:. Now I go out every Tuesday with my friend, she is 75 and had parkinsons so we like to take our time. Had I been alone I would have just left the store, but I was not going to rush my friend. The mom of said Angel just continued to quietly ask if we could "use our inside voice" I was to the point that when he got to the begining I would cringe at his ever increasing enthusiasm for the song. What the heck.. my boys would never be allowed to disrupt other people in this way. Now at home just buggin me yeah they show their behind, but I mean come on lady get a muzzle already.
And to top it off as we made our escape from "American Idol.. Junior Deathmatch Series" Anther little boy was running after his mom screaming because she wouldn't get him the leggo toy he wanted. yikes.. Why are we as a nation so afraid to have our children behave and show respect?

[jennifermevans]

Why are we as a nation so afraid to have our children behave and show respect?

I am a mom of two toddlers and this drives me crazy too! My in laws will just say "oh, their just being kids". To me, they need to learn how to behave in public! I have left my entire cart because one of them wouldn't behave. It is my theory that they need to learn that you are serious about any threat that may come out of your mouth.

Our friends will ask why we don't take our kids out to eat (we rarely eat out anyway because we are broke!) but I don't think a restaurant is anywhere for a 2 & 4 year old to be! They do not have the mind set to be able to sit for that long of a time. I know they need to learn to behave in that setting too, but not right now!

[mrsdatabits]

What the heck.. my boys would never be allowed to disrupt other people in this way. Now at home just buggin me yeah they show their behind

Haha... I know what you mean. When we are out and about we'll get comments from people that are along the lines of "oh, your little one is so polite and respectful" or "your little one behaves really well" and while I say "thanks, we're pretty proud of how well she behaves in public," I'm usually thinking "you don't know the terror she is at home!!"

My in laws will just say "oh, their just being kids". To me, they need to learn how to behave in public!

I know what you mean, though I get it from my parents as well. It's gotten to the point DH and I don't even ask for advice anymore because that's the response we get. I wonder what happened when we were kids and learning how to behave... I'm sure it wasn't the "oh, they're just being kids"! :shrug7:

[loaslaen]

I am a mom of two toddlers and this drives me crazy too! My in laws will just say "oh, their just being kids". To me, they need to learn how to behave in public! I have left my entire cart because one of them wouldn't behave. It is my theory that they need to learn that you are serious about any threat that may come out of your mouth.

Threatening to leave might not be a good idea if that is exactly what the kid wants. If a kid is acting up in a place he wants to be, then taking him out of it would be ok, but if a kid is acting up where the adult wants/needs to be, then taking him out would just seem to teach him that if he ever doesn't like where he's at then he can act up and he will get to leave. If all needs are met, and the child isn't hungry, needs a diaper change or is sleepy or sick, then they really need to learn how to act in the environment they are in, not be taken out of it, IMO.

[oceanbreeze]

I agree that the kids being allowed to act out like that in public is disrupting and disturbing to everyone in earshot. Growing up, one of my parents would have sat with us in the car while the other shopped if we got that way, or if there was only one parent there- we'd of left and boy you were in trouble when you got home!

Now, the kids think/learn/act that if they do what they please they will break you down and get exactly what toy /treat they desire. Oh, we all know (sarcasm) that rewarding bad behavior is the way to go.
There are too many parents that just give in to it though these days, and the kids are not learning how to behave out in public.

I can't stand shopping when i hear some 3 yr old screaming anything at the top of his /her lungs from across a very large store. Seriously, hush your kid up or leave. Maybe mom can tune it out, but i'm not that kid's mother!

Oh, and if that mom would have asked me to use the inside voice i would have screamed to her to say it to her son. There are thresholds/tolerances that only last so long before you snap.

[loaslaen]

Why are we as a nation so afraid to have our children behave and show respect?

Because if you do nothing, then half the store is looking at you like you don't discipline your child, and if you do discipline him in public, half the store is looking at you like you're the meanest parent in the world.

[shaeharbin]

[quote=mrsdatabits;2309759]Haha... I know what you mean. When we are out and about we'll get comments from people that are along the lines of "oh, your little one is so polite and respectful" or "your little one behaves really well" and while I say "thanks, we're pretty proud of how well she behaves in public," I'm usually thinking "you don't know the terror she is at home!!"

Were you referring to my DD...cause she is the same way. I guess its better for them to be a terror at home instead of in public though.

So sorry OP that you had to deal with the rotten child...maybe next time will be better, I mean what are the odds that they will be in there the next time you shop.

[pedspeech]

Our friends will ask why we don't take our kids out to eat (we rarely eat out anyway because we are broke!) but I don't think a restaurant is anywhere for a 2 & 4 year old to be! They do not have the mind set to be able to sit for that long of a time. I know they need to learn to behave in that setting too, but not right now!

I have taken mine to restaurants since they were born and they are fine. There were occasions when they were infants that I took them out if they started crying but I don't think I have had to at all since they youngest was old enough to sit in a high chair on his own. They are now 8, 4, and almost 2 and waitresses and other customers comment all the time about how well behaved they are. If they know what is expected from the beginning they are able to perform to those expectations. Granted, I am not taking them to fine restaurants (where I am uncomfortable eating myself) but they are perfectly fine when we go to a place as "fancy" as Olive Garden.

OP, I agree that people should be less afraid to discipline children in public. The idea that "I am entitled to behave as I see fit whenever I want" has led to a lot of problems in our society.

[jjspigland]

we'll get comments from people that are along the lines of "oh, your little one is so polite and respectful" or "your little one behaves really well" and while I say "thanks, we're pretty proud of how well she behaves in public," I'm usually thinking "you don't know the terror she is at home!!"

I can take the terror at home as long as they are good in public!

[pedspeech]

I guess I should add that I live in an area of the country where you can spank your kid in the shopping cart or at the Olive Garden and nobody bats an eye. My kids know that, too.