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[Royal Nonesuch]

I was at a diner on Saturday night, and there just had to be TWO crying screaming kids pitching a fit in the booth right behind me. There was also the added benefit of the parents screaming at them, just increasing the discomfort of everybody else. At least it didn't last long, as they soon got their check and left.

[JohnNah]

I was a quiet baby.

And I'll teach my children tough love.

You sound like me before and about a billion other potential parents. Once you have that kid and he/she turns out to be Steve Martins little blond kid from Parenthood, you'll see that all of your bravado is for naught.

Children have to be brought to stores with you but I agree on the movies point. Never, evah, evah, evah bring a tott to a movie unless its G rated.

As for restaraunts, if he gets too loud, I box up my food and take him into the car and eat it there where he can scream all he wants without bothering anyone. My wife keeps telling me that people understand that he's just a baby but I refuse to disturb other people's dinner.

They just like to be active and don't always understand why they have to sit in one place for so long.

Once he gets old enough to understand "go to your room", "go to bed with no dinner", or "no friends play for a weekend", then I'll be able to put the smack down my friend.

[Muppetesque]

They have to get past the cup of espresso first. Kids tend to forget about the kitten after their first sip.

um... I'm not certain, but I think caffeine has the opposite effect on kids ...

[nietoperz]

um... I'm not certain, but I think caffeine has the opposite effect on kids ...

Nope. It has the same effect...

[Woody]

While there are exceptions- I think allot of of people who complain are too easily annoyed

[nietoperz]

While there are exceptions- I think allot of of people who complain are too easily annoyed

Agreed - and that's what stresses parents out: they know that they're going to run the risk of having someone like that around when their child cries, so they often kind of panic a bit...

[kingofcities]

While there are exceptions- I think allot of of people who complain are too easily annoyed

Whatever. That's what parents say to rationalize the irritating of complete strangers with your offspring. Sorry. 90% of the time you see a kid crying in public the parents aren't even attempting to do anything about it. The ol' "he'll wind himself down" approach. That's bullshit. tral is right. Get the kid out of the store/restaurant/wherever. Or in lieu of that at least try to calm them them down in some way shape or form.

[jza1218]

While there are exceptions- I think allot of of people who complain are too easily annoyed

Nah. Parents are just inconsiderate.

[kingbobb]

Whatever. That's what parents say to rationalize the irritating of complete strangers with your offspring. Sorry. 90% of the time you see a kid crying in public the parents aren't even attempting to do anything about it. The ol' "he'll wind himself down" approach. That's bullshit. tral is right. Get the kid out of the store/restaurant/wherever. Or in lieu of that at least try to calm them them down in some way shape or form.

While we make every effort to keep our kids from annoying other people, bear in mind...you ARE in public. Thankfully, Illinois has all but banned smoking in public. But we just spent a few days up in Milwaukee, and Wisconsin still hasn't done much to regulate smoking in public. I find having to suffer someone's second hand smoke far more invasive than dealing with a child that's having issues...and last I checked, people don't develop cancer from hearing a toddler crying about how he wanted one more whatever it was.

Parents should be aware of the imposition they make on other people. At the same time, other people, especially those without kids, need to be aware that removing the child as soon as the wailing starts isn't always the first and best option to make. That mother that left the crying child on behind while she went on ahead? Good move. She's taken a step further in teaching that child that throwing a tantrum is not the way to get something accomplished. If she'd picked the child up immediately and removed them from the store, that child would have learned that throwing a fit is an excellent way to get attention. And young kids have a hard time differentiating between good and bad attention, so the negative aspect would mostly be lost on them.

Having said all that, there's no excuse for taking a child to a film that's not explicity for children, either a "mommy screening," or a G rated animated type film. We saw King Kong and Naria with Xavy as a newborn, and as soon as he started fussing, Vicki took him outside. Certain venues, like movies and restaurants, should be clear priority places where you have less tolerance for outbursts.

And while I'm pretty certain that people are kidding about the whole doing the shutting up for the children, I hope no one every actually does that. Talk to the parents, but don't address the child directly. I think few things piss parents off...especially good ones...than having other people think their ideas of discipline can be applied to other peoples' kids.

[kingofcities]

While we make every effort to keep our kids from annoying other people, bear in mind...you ARE in public. Thankfully, Illinois has all but banned smoking in public. But we just spent a few days up in Milwaukee, and Wisconsin still hasn't done much to regulate smoking in public. I find having to suffer someone's second hand smoke far more invasive than dealing with a child that's having issues...and last I checked, people don't develop cancer from hearing a toddler crying about how he wanted one more whatever it was.

Okay, and runaway trains are more dangerous than butterflies. ??? The smoking thing is irrelevent to this discussion.

Parents should be aware of the imposition they make on other people. At the same time, other people, especially those without kids, need to be aware that removing the child as soon as the wailing starts isn't always the first and best option to make. That mother that left the crying child on behind while she went on ahead? Good move. She's taken a step further in teaching that child that throwing a tantrum is not the way to get something accomplished. If she'd picked the child up immediately and removed them from the store, that child would have learned that throwing a fit is an excellent way to get attention. And young kids have a hard time differentiating between good and bad attention, so the negative aspect would mostly be lost on them.

And see I would chalk what that women did up to "doing something about it". At least she's trying. That I have no problem with. If a parent is making an effort but the kid still cries that's one thing. The vast majority of the time though I see kids pitching a bitch and the parents just letting them go off thinking that if they are ignored they will get bored or wear themselves out. That's just bullshit, sorry. Try to do something, that's all I ask. And if that doesn't work and the child is having a meltdown, get them out of there.

[Woody]

Nah. Parents are just inconsiderate.

no- I agree with your movie story and I have done it myself,

But often times- people are too quick to get irritated

[jza1218]

no- I agree with your movie story and I have done it myself,

But often times- people are too quick to get irritated

I was just joshin ya.

I think it's just a situational thing. Little from Column A. Little from Column B. And it depends on the person's demeanor. Some people are just oblivious about when they're being rude...on both sides

[CountD]

well, how do you politely tell a parent to shut their kid the hell up? I'm talking if it goes on and on....

usually any kind of yelling gets on my nerves, so if I finally have to say something to a parent about it, they get the unabridged version.

[kingbobb]

Okay, and runaway trains are more dangerous than butterflies. ??? The smoking thing is irrelevent to this discussion.

No, it's not. It's a similar imposition on the people around you. Just as people with and without kids don't want to be subjected to other people's crying children, I and most everyone else don't want to be subjected to other people's second hand smoke. But unless your state has passed laws regulating smoking, there's not a whole lot you can do about it except leave.

So I don't see why people should accept or expect that parents of crying children should automatically be the ones to have to leave a situation. Sure, it's the polite and considerate thing to do. But when it comes down to it, if you're in public, and the owner/operator of the place you're at won't do anything to address the problem, you can always leave.

And consider this...that parent? They don't get to leave. Even if they get a babysitter, they always have to come back and face that child again. So whatever they do, they are the ones that have to deal with the consequences of how they choose to act on it. Xavy's had some tantrums, and anyone who's tried to hold a kid that's determined NOT to be held should be able to attest to just how difficult it can be. When he wants down, there's not much I can do short of injuring him to hold him. In that case, the best thing to do is apologize to the people around you, and just let the kid work it out.

I was in line a Wal Mart once, and a man was there with his toddler child. The kid was acting up, crying not overly loud about how he wanted something, but loud enough that I glanced over. The father says that he was going to spank the kid "If one more person looks at me because of you."

I wanted to hit the guy, threatening a child because the father felt embarrased. He was trying to do something, too.

[kingofcities]

No, it's not. It's a similar imposition on the people around you. Just as people with and without kids don't want to be subjected to other people's crying children, I and most everyone else don't want to be subjected to other people's second hand smoke. But unless your state has passed laws regulating smoking, there's not a whole lot you can do about it except leave.

Again, irrelevent. I'm not going to compare something that's a health risk to a kid pitching a fit. It's not the same thing. If the analogy works for you, great. There's a reason though that one is regulated by law and the other is not. It's expected that a parent can be responsible enough to handle their childrens behavior in public.

So I don't see why people should accept or expect that parents of crying children should automatically be the ones to have to leave a situation. Sure, it's the polite and considerate thing to do. But when it comes down to it, if you're in public, and the owner/operator of the place you're at won't do anything to address the problem, you can always leave.

I'm not the one whose family member is creating a scene in public. Why should I have to leave? Don't be ridiculous.

And consider this...that parent? They don't get to leave. Even if they get a babysitter, they always have to come back and face that child again. So whatever they do, they are the ones that have to deal with the consequences of how they choose to act on it. Xavy's had some tantrums, and anyone who's tried to hold a kid that's determined NOT to be held should be able to attest to just how difficult it can be. When he wants down, there's not much I can do short of injuring him to hold him. In that case, the best thing to do is apologize to the people around you, and just let the kid work it out.

These are just excuses. I'm not saying parenting isn't difficult or challenging. I have no doubt that it is. Do what you have to to to make your child behave. But if you're in public and it's not working don't subject everyone else to your screaming nightmare of a progeny just because you haven't figured out how to make them behave. Figure it out elsewhere.