Bad Children, Bad Parents (Page 3)

I hear you, but I don't think anyone ever knows for certain that they're prepared.  How can anyone be prepared for anything "in all situations"?  How do you plan to have an autistic kid?  Or to raise your kids after your spouse passes away?

As with the example of the woman in the store, as fantastic a job as your sister is doing with her kids, you'd have to agree that you don't see her and her kids 24/7/365, and, while I'm not suggesting that she ever lets them run wild in a grocery store, I don't think anyone's capable of being the absolute perfect parent 100% of the time. I think, as someone else suggested, that we ought to be cautious about labeling this woman as a "bad parent" as the thread title does, on the basis of one instance. 

..with the exception of the woman we saw with her two pre-school-age kids at a 10pm showing of American Psycho.  Any way you, um, slice it, she's a bad parent.  I'll give you that one. 

We see people bring babies and toddlers to adult movies all the time...it drives me nuts...We actually had to leave a theatre for fear of our lives.  We were watching a bugs life...and the guy down the isle from us was letting his two kids run up and down the isle...they would run to my partner and hit him...then run back.  My partner reported this to the manager.  The parent got so upset that he threatened our lives...He said it was a kids movie and kids are suppose to act like that...I said, they aren't suppose to be hitting people no matter if they are in the movie theatre....this all took place in the front row, during the movie...The guy was bigger than me...and looked like he knew how to fight...the manager, who looked like he was 12 (probably 19-21 years old) didn't know what to do...He just kept saying...sir, you can't threaten someone, please sit down.  Once the manager got him seated...we left...In a childs movie, I expect to have kids restless, crying...even moving...but I don't want them running up and down isles and touching or hitting me or my partner. 

As for the title of this thread...I meant to put a ??? after it...sorry...I am not calling her a bad parent...she obviously loves her children, but I think she chooses not to discipline them...and the comment she made of how people look at her strange when she goes out with her kids, made me think that this was not a one time occurance. 

Kids hiding in clothes racks...now thats cute...I use to do that...I remember playing hide and seek with my mother in a store once...I guess I should have told her we were playing that though...when the security guard found me because my mother was frantic...well, I will never play that again unless everyone is aware of the rules.

As a store cashier, I can tell you that saying things to parents sometimes generates complaints to your manager.  Or, worse, complaints about your store to your district manager.  It's not worth it unless the child is doing something that can hurt them.  I'm not going to get myself or my managers in trouble because someone doesn't want to discipline their child unless I can justify it with a good reason.  Unfortunately, annoying other people doesn't count.  We live in an age where it's just not acceptable for people to be critical of other people's actions (for the most part). 

I agree...but these kids were jumping on store equipment that could be damaged or they could have been hurt.  That is the stores responsibility.  When I worked at the Y.  We got our share of complaints...the trick was to document everything...if you think someone is going to complain you logged it ahead of time.  When district comes back...a good manager, already being informed, would stand up for your decision and back you up with the fact of what happen.  Usually district would rather loose a client or two than have a million $$$ law suit because their clerk was afraid to speak up.  Again tho...documentation and communication was the key. 

Thank goodness your father would now be charged with assault in 2007.

I will do this too...when the child is crying or slightly misbehaving.  Children like to look at their reflection in my bald head...so it seems to keep them satisfied for a while. 

Thanks!

I remember going to my sister's house to watch her first born son. She was so EXHAUSTED, physically and emotionally. And even with the exhaustion, she refused to hand me the baby. She tried to tell me that he didn't let anyone hold him except her. I looked at her like she was NUTSO and said "Gimme that baby" and swooped him right out of her arms. He loved me OF COURSE. Then I sent her to bed and played with him for hours, fed him, bathed him, put him to bed then read a magazine while the two of them got some sleep. Mom came over and cleaned the kitchen. Poor sis just needed SLEEP!

Perhaps a different tanget/hijack.

How come none of these stories/memories include Dad.  Where is Dad?  Does Dad not go grocery shopping with the kids.  Is Dad not letting the kids run around.

Just curious.  I would hope that if anyone had a story to tell about any kids I had, I'd be in the story.  good or bad.

My movie post had dad threatening to kill my partner and I...does that count.

Can't speak for others but in my experience, Dad is rarely to be seen.

Had to think for several minutes as I thought I was having a delusion or some other sort of mental static going on.  In fast, I wasn’t.  I actually AGREE with Renee on that one.  It took me a few moments to respond as I had to pick myself off the floor.

I am proud to be the exception.

...or was I agreeing with Marvarnett??  either way.....

Since it's your thread....it can count.