What do you think of people who let their kids run wild in public?

Freefaller · 20 May 2015 at 10:09

In the case of the OP, I really don't see the issue - the child sounds like it wasn't running around, and just expressing itself. Maybe the grandmother could have shushed the child a bit, but other than that I don't see anything wrong.

A child running around, without being supervised, is another story however. I knocked over a child (by accident!) when pushing my trolley out of an aisle, this kid was going full pelt and wiped himself out on the trolley. Clearly I felt dreadful, and upset. The parent thought about blaming me but realised that actually it was entirely their fault - and turned out to be friendly enough - apologising to me(!). However it could have gone completely the other way, which I was expecting.

In the instance I described, then yes I would feel sympathy for the OP as it isn't nice to have to deal with agitated parents when you have completely accidentally hurt their child, but which could have been totally avoidable with a little bit more parental input.

Terminal_Boy · 20 May 2015 at 10:17

maccapacca said:
Should have shopped in Waitrose

This.

You get a far better class of brat in Waitrose.

ikillbears · 20 May 2015 at 10:36

maccapacca said:
Should have shopped in Waitrose

some brilliant comments on the forums today

markweatherill · 20 May 2015 at 11:00

In this situation one surely hangs around the customer service desk until nobody is looking and commandeers the store PA system with a suitable message.

Cosimo · 20 May 2015 at 11:03

maccapacca said:
Should have shopped in Waitrose

They get left at home with the au pair or partner.

Washout · 20 May 2015 at 14:06

I'm gonna invent a sound proof cot and buggy and become a millionaire. Thing is gonna be air tight. Just like my plan.

Bunka · 20 May 2015 at 14:19

Clearly you need to wear a pair of these next time you go to the supermarket.

fatiain · 20 May 2015 at 16:26

My 3 went a bit crazy in Tesco one night, over-excited silliness and after about the 15th time of telling them to stop running about, I shouted in my best Dad voice "STOP RUNNING!".

The whole store stopped. As did they...

firstborn · 20 May 2015 at 20:14

Children running wild in supermarkets or grown ups dawdling around - I find the latter far worse.

I positively encourage my daughter to run riot in public so that she falls asleep as soon as we walk back into the house. I'm then left peace to read the forums

KautoStar · 20 May 2015 at 23:59

Every child has acted up etc at some point in a supermarket.

Now lets discuss those who take children to pubs. They are sub human scum.

Vinno · 21 May 2015 at 00:10

I have to agree with the OP. If I was in the situation I'd have to walk away and wait until the child left the store. Loud screaming children are the devil himself!

bloodiedathame · 21 May 2015 at 06:34

If it were my child and distracting him with a toy didn't work then I'd have left the store. I've got a very self aware 3 year old who tests boundaries constantly and some of the things he gets up to is completely nuts. He woke up at 0130 a couple of nights ago and proceeded to scream at the top of his lungs and laugh about it. Felt terrible for our neighbours, the walls are paper thin. Oh and he then wet himself for good measure (more attention).

atpbx · 21 May 2015 at 06:56

I have no time for other people's children in any situation,

Particularly the children of earth mothers and modern parent types who believe it's perfectly acceptable to leave their children screaming and bawling, or even more annoying, running around uncontrolled in dining or social situations.

Skidder · 21 May 2015 at 07:05

KautoStar said:
Every child has acted up etc at some point in a supermarket.

Now lets discuss those who take children to pubs. They are sub human scum.

A pub in my village has Lego walls for kids to create cities on and crates of Lego and an extensive children's menu with free crudité and hummus for kids. Sub-human scum I tell thee.

atpbx · 21 May 2015 at 07:26

Skidder said:
A pub in my village has Lego walls for kids to create cities on and crates of Lego and an extensive children's menu with free crudité and hummus for kids. Sub-human scum I tell thee.

Now this is a different proposition, this is clearly a pub where you could expect to find other people's screaming hell spawn.

So I wouldn't go there.

Having brought up two boys and never had this problem when I took them out, such as tantrums in public, running around screaming and bothering other people when they where little, I find it hard to get my head around people that do.

bloodiedathame · 21 May 2015 at 08:22

atpbx said:
I have no time for other people's children in any situation,

Particularly the children of earth mothers and modern parent types who believe it's perfectly acceptable to leave their children screaming and bawling, or even more annoying, running around uncontrolled in dining or social situations.

Do you honestly think that these parents want their kids to be behaving like that? They're kids, they aren't programmed to sit still for hours on end, make no noise and have perfect table manners. What a crappy world it would be if kids were that sterile.

LordSplodge · 21 May 2015 at 08:27

Richie said:
I was wondering when this question would come up. Usually used by parents trying to win/justify an argument about their kids behaviour/actions given that it is a non winnable question for the person answering it:

Person A - Do you have kids?
Person B - No
Person A - Well you wouldn't know/understand

Person A - Do you have kids?
Person B - Yes
Person A - Well you should know better then.

Such a pathetic question to pose to someone....

Do you have kids? Well, do you?

Cosimo · 21 May 2015 at 08:29

Bunka said:
Clearly you need to wear a pair of these next time you go to the supermarket.

[/QUOTE]

Piped music of your choice for all customers!

ubersonic · 21 May 2015 at 09:12

kissenger said:
This did occur to me, but it didn't seem like he did, unless it was one of those ******** disabilities like ADHD.

Aaaand you just lost any sympathy I had for you lol. Hope the kid and his family move next door to you

Pawnless Endgame said:
We ran wild as kids 25 years ago.

Did you? If I had acted like the brat in the OP then my mother would have shouted at me to behave and if I carried on misbehaving I would have gotten a smack, same thing would have happened with any one of my friends.

mothermachine · 21 May 2015 at 09:36

I have learned, now that I'm a dad of 2 young kids, that you can try to be the best, most loving, caring, attentive and disciplining parent on the planet, with two lovely, happy, playful kids, but sometimes, no matter what you do, sometimes your kids will turn into little tazmanian devils and destroy things and annoy everyone around you. It just happens sometimes and I now understand that, as a passer-by, you really mustn't assume that these parents are generally allowing their kids to behave like that on a regular basis, or that it's a simple thing for them to control those kids quickly and effectively. Maybe it's the first time in months that the parents have managed to go out for lunch and simply dragging their kids back to the car and going home would be just too depressing. It's just hard for parents, really, really, really hard, sometimes. I'm now not so quick to judge, being one myself.

I don't blame non-parents for being totally p-d off with it when it happens, though.