Control Your Child, You Insensitive Parent!Jun 09 '00 Write an essay on this topic.Plain and simple, here's what I mean: When I am in a public place and see a young child (or two) running around disrupting others or otherwise causing disorder and disturbances, do I blame the little critter? Nope. Absolutely not. I fully blame the parent who pretends to be oblivious to the goings-on of their little dickens and how it's affecting others. I'm really sick of going to a show, or a movie, or a school performance, etc. and watching a child run around unsupervised, getting in people's way, picking up things they're not supposed to be picking up, or actually causing problems to the performance and knowing that the parent is just SITTING THERE DOING NOTHING. The worst is when the child begins to do something dangerous and then I sit there and wonder when they're going to get hurt and why isn't the parent there interceding and when is it appropriate for me to step in for safety's sake. For goodness sake... control your child! As a parent, it is your responsibility to help control the public behavior of your children. I'm not talking about squashing all of a child's creativity and enthusiasm. I don't expect children to sit at attention, backs straight, hands folded, quiet as mice. I expect them to bounce around on occasion and squirm and whisper and giggle. But it does no one any good to let a child bother others in the name of liberalism. Find a balance! When you're in a public place, particularly one where people are trying to enjoy something and/or listen to something (music, speaking, reading, etc), keep control of your child. I never look at a disruptive child on the loose and think anything bad about the child. I do, however, have several thoughts about a parent who will sit by while their child bothers others and is completely disruptive. I want to go over to them and say, "Look, it's impolite to sit by while your child is bothering others. Why don't you take him aside, or take him out of here, or keep him on your lap, or otherwise entertain him so we can all continue to enjoy what we came here to enjoy?" I do not treat my children in public the exact same way that I treat them in private. If one of my children acts up at home, I can give them a time out, I can try to talk with them, or I can try to distract them with something else, or I can even let them tantrum it out. If one of my children acts up in public, I may not have the opportunity to use the same methods as when we're at home, so I generally only think about keeping the disruption to a minimum. I will not allow my upset child to cry in public to his heart's content just because I have to prove that I won't cater to his every whim. Instead I will hold him and soothe him, or I will remove both of us to a place where we are not bothering others. I will not allow my energetic child to bother others. I will talk to him, tell him a story, distract him, find a toy or some gum in my purse, and any other techniques that may sacrifice MY enjoyment of the show, but will allow others to watch it. I will not allow my child to throw a tantrum in public. At home, I may let them cry it out, but that's NOT doable in public. Not at the expense of others' enjoyment. So I can remove my child from the situation, or cuddle him, or distract him, etc. Please, if your baby is crying in a movie theater, a school performance, a restaurant, etc... sacrifice your own enjoyment of the evening for the sake of others. If you have to leave, leave, but don't let your child's behavior ruin someone else's enjoyment. Take responsibility for and control of your children.  |
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