Businesses saying keep the rowdy children at home.

BOZ · Nov 21, 2005

i like the look of satisfaction in the lady's eyes as she reclaims her power from the evil brat.

Dannyalcatraz · Nov 21, 2005

I was in Sam's Wholesale Club about an hour ago...

I saw 2 unsupervised boys playing in the frozen food section, and the older one tried to cram his struggling little buddy into one of them, using his body to push against the door like he was trying to freeze Jason Voorhees.

Anything could have happened: broken glass, food bags torn open...

Parents? Snacking on the freebies at the other end of the aisle.

I have seen parents put halter-style leashes on kids before. I like it. The kid has 15-25' of play, MAX. The parent always knows where the kid is. That kid is not getting snatched, not running into traffic, and definitely not getting away with messing around in the store.

Xath · Nov 22, 2005

I wore a wrist leash when I was little. My sister had a halter leash. People criticized my mom for treating us like pets, but in the end neither of us is traumatized and we're both very well mannered for our ages.

buzzard · Nov 22, 2005

Xath said:
I wore a wrist leash when I was little. My sister had a halter leash. People criticized my mom for treating us like pets, but in the end neither of us is traumatized and we're both very well mannered for our ages.

But do you fetch and heel?

Sorry, had to.

buzzard

S'mon · Nov 26, 2005

>>This is all part of a big change that our society has undergone in the past 30-40 years. When I was a kid, we rarely went to nicer, sit-down restaurants. Those places were generally "adult" locations, where there was no need to police kid behavior, because kids were rarely there (the only time we ever went was for special occasions).<<

That's how I remember it (I'm British, age 32). I've been shocked to see how parents nowadays seem to have no interest in controlling their children's behaviour. In Britain traditionally formal restaurants just didn't allow young children. It has always been different in Europe, but European children seem to get socialised at an early age and are normally well behaved at table, not like us asocial Anglo-Saxons cultures.

Old One · Nov 26, 2005

S'mon said:
That's how I remember it (I'm British, age 32). I've been shocked to see how parents nowadays seem to have no interest in controlling their children's behaviour. In Britain traditionally formal restaurants just didn't allow young children. It has always been different in Europe, but European children seem to get socialised at an early age and are normally well behaved at table, not like us asocial Anglo-Saxons cultures.

I noticed that when I was stationed in Germany back in the mid-to-late 80s. German children, in particular, were very well behaved at the table. Of course, that could have something to do with 10 year olds getting a swig or two of wine/beer and mellowing them out

.

~ OO

Dannyalcatraz · Nov 26, 2005

Eh...I came from New Orleans, and was an Army brat...got to see a lot of the world as a child (including Germany).

1) The Booze theory: I had my first taste of booze (that I remember) at about age 4, as did several of my relatives. I wasn't a tableside terror. They were. In fact, now that Katrina has gathered us all in one city again, I notice that not only are those same terrors still lousy dinner company, but their kids are worse. Its about discipline and character.

2) Europeans like to go to nice places. They like to take their kids. The kids like to go with their parents (almost all kids are like this). The parents therefore put a lot of time into educating their kids on proper decorum so they can go to nice places without getting kicked out (especially after paying to be in the nice place).

3) AFAIK, S'mon's experience was typical of British society, and I've seen similar "no kids" restaraunts in the USA. Its simply easier for the staff to deal with drunks than drunks & kids (even nice ones).

Rel · Nov 27, 2005

Tonight I got a first hand look at what happens to these kids when they get a bit older. My wife and I were on a rare date to the movies without our own child. We saw Harry Potter (which incidentally I thought was pretty good).

We found seats with plenty of time to spare and I went to use the restroom. When I returned my wife said, "We probably don't want to sit here." A moment later I understood because there was a small group of young teens (mostly girls) sitting behind us who were giggling and whispering and so forth. Glancing around the theatre I saw that there were very few seats left at all and certainly none as good as what we had. "It won't be a problem," I told my wife.

They were obnoxious throughout the previews (King Kong looks kick ass by the way) and continued through the brief opening credits of the movie. When they kept up the laughing and asking inane (stage whispered) questions during the opening scene, a couple people around them "shushed" them quietly. This had no apparent effect.

I decided right then and there that these rude obnoxious kids were NOT going to ruin my only chance to go to the movies for the first time in two months. I turned around and gave them the "Daddy Voice" with both barrels: "Shut...up!" I have seldom seen two more chagrinned and terrified faces in my life. They uttered nary a peep for the entire rest of the movie.

What have we learned here? I am turning into my father. :\ Still, it felt good (and it felt even better when my wife gave me a firm, appreciative squeeze on the inner thigh).

I only wish they would have wept a little.