tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035515932306404722.post8511801078875670662..comments2024-03-26T03:19:32.389-06:00Comments on Notes From Josephine: Rant: Do Kids Have To Go Everywhere?Katy Josephinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00504394399778675539noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035515932306404722.post-77104309627778701222012-08-11T08:34:47.962-06:002012-08-11T08:34:47.962-06:00Hi Michael, you bring up an interesting point that...Hi Michael, you bring up an interesting point that I hadn't thought of. Yes, the culture has changed, and the way we spend time with our kids is different. Like you, my siblings and I also spent time using our imaginations to entertain ourselves, and I'm glad for that now. A bit more imagination and a bit less consuming could be a very good thing in my opinion. Thanks for adding your perspective - I always like hearing from you.Katy Josephinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00504394399778675539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035515932306404722.post-31735075724836151442012-08-10T09:19:59.232-06:002012-08-10T09:19:59.232-06:00Hey Josephine. Nice post and funny too. The weird ...Hey Josephine. Nice post and funny too. The weird thing is, as a parent myself with two kids aged 5 and 3, I think I am well placed to see both sides of the argument. I think the days of stay at home kids, to be seen and not heard, are gone, and that's a good thing. On the other hand, I think you make a perfectly valid point about kid-free zones and/or times - it isn't a bad thing at all.<br /><br />I think some of the change is also to do with how we as society (in the US I'm sure, and here in the UK and pretty much everywhere in the western world and beyond) have become so commercial. When I was growing up in the late seventies and eighties, kids my age didn't spend their lives shopping with parents, meeting at the shopping mall every damn day and eating out. We stayed at home, played with toys, went swimming, climbed mountains, played cops and robbers, and whatever else kids did. Now, I fear that for a lot of kids, the idea of spending a day out at the shopping centre is the norm and thus you see parents and their kids everywhere!Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035515932306404722.post-86593140802258590152012-08-03T05:32:06.850-06:002012-08-03T05:32:06.850-06:00There is a big difference between kids and dogs! Y...There is a big difference between kids and dogs! Yes some kids are badly educated but so are some adults. Children are a blessing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035515932306404722.post-20829851044859671452012-07-27T06:24:57.135-06:002012-07-27T06:24:57.135-06:00Dear Commenters, thanks for your thoughtful respon...Dear Commenters, thanks for your thoughtful responses to this post. I just read a local news article about the debate around actually banning children from some businesses and the arguments for and against this idea. <br /><br />Honestly, I like the idea of having some places that are off limits to kids, in the same way they are off limits to pets. At the same time, I remember my days as a young mother in public with a child that wasn't exactly behaving. It's hard, and I always appreciated the tolerance and understanding of others as I struggled to know exactly how to manage those situations.<br /><br />Still, I believe boundaries of some kind could and should be established in many businesses, especially movie theaters and restaurants. I see nothing wrong with kid free nights or kid free seating. <br /><br />Here's the thing: if I go to someone's home who has children, I will expect to deal with them as graciously as I can. However, I will also expect to eat dinner or shop without a kid running circles around me squaling and fighting with his brother. In return, I'll leave my dog at home.Katy Josephinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00504394399778675539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035515932306404722.post-27059455465892400072012-07-25T17:45:10.975-06:002012-07-25T17:45:10.975-06:00AMEN!!! I raised my kids to have proper manners so...AMEN!!! I raised my kids to have proper manners so that when we went out to a nicer restaurant, other diners and myself, would not be disturbed!! I think that if these parents who can conveniently ignore their children want to pay for my meal, then by all means, bring your child into the bar area of the restaurant! Otherwise - stay HOME! UG!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035515932306404722.post-85383598169698228152012-07-25T11:18:31.725-06:002012-07-25T11:18:31.725-06:00Great rant! I sympathize completely. I will leave ...Great rant! I sympathize completely. I will leave a store rather than be subjected to an extended tantrum or excessive whining. What really makes me cringe, however, is when the parent hollers at the kid, ramping up the anxiety level even more.queen_cupcakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18364405341560661291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035515932306404722.post-31781216861396607192012-07-25T08:47:28.903-06:002012-07-25T08:47:28.903-06:00Word to your mother!! (OK, that was bad.)
I work ...Word to your mother!! (OK, that was bad.)<br /><br />I work in a library (Sssshhh!) in the information services department, where all of the public access computers, word processors, and in-house databases are located. Every day we have people attempting to study, research, write and concentrate. And every day someone brings a hysterically screaming child into our midst, plops them down on the floor, and proceeds to ignore them for the duration of a game of online poker or search session on eHarmony.com. Grrrrrr!olenskahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02476948850792084856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035515932306404722.post-18084929164001639062012-07-25T08:45:58.558-06:002012-07-25T08:45:58.558-06:00I was NOT the perfect mother, but my son always sa...I was NOT the perfect mother, but my son always said thank you and please, and looked at people in the eye when he greeted them with a handshake. It upsets me to no end that he will not send thank-you notes! I also made him do his own laundry starting when he was 10 years old - it's funny to see how through the years he's had to teach other folks his age how to do it!<br /><br />It's the time of 'helicopter parenting' and it's only going to get worse. Thank goodness there are people like Lenore out there. http://freerangekids.wordpress.com/Carolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06394558427981331885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035515932306404722.post-64027363413409694722012-07-25T08:41:37.900-06:002012-07-25T08:41:37.900-06:00I'm going to get on the boat with all of you. ...I'm going to get on the boat with all of you. I also never wanted children and not that I'm in my mid-forties, I still have no regrets. I'm always amazed at how different parenting has become compared to the way I was raised. We would have NEVER been allowed to behave badly in public. My mother could just look your way and give the fear of God. We were taught manners and respect to our elders and my parents were not afraid of babysitters. I'm going to assume that these parents feel that all the spoiling, and doting on these screaming children will, one day, produce a better person. But all I can see coming out of it is an adult who's not able to deal with reality on their own. An adult faced with people who don't see him as perfect and wonderful as mommy did and can't understand why. And an adult who will forever be disappointed with not getting his way all the time. I just can't see that telling your children no every once in a while is such a bad thing. As a grown person, they're going to face it almost every day of their lives. Wouldn't it be better to make them stronger, self-sufficient human beings able to make it on their own?Melissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11463790018871096781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035515932306404722.post-31460776438248295072012-07-24T13:03:41.570-06:002012-07-24T13:03:41.570-06:00LOL. I don't have kids and never wanted any, s...LOL. I don't have kids and never wanted any, so I freely admit I am biased against them. My husband and I deliberately choose to eat brunch every weekend in our local pub SPECIFICALLY to avoid children and have a quiet meal. Nothing bugs me more on a Sunday morning than discovering that three families have decided to bring their 7 children to the pub and now they are all running around, crawling charmingly on the dirty carpet and fighting each other with pool cues. So now my local is a Chuck E. Cheese!?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02521204516836711361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035515932306404722.post-14452393189837209262012-07-24T12:27:20.099-06:002012-07-24T12:27:20.099-06:00AMEN! Behind every obnoxious, uncontrolled, snot-n...AMEN! Behind every obnoxious, uncontrolled, snot-nosed, whining tantrum-throwing child, there is a stupid parent who has NO training, NO concept of discipline or social civility and NO clue! <br /><br />I would support any place of business that would stand up in this twisted atmosphere of "child worship" and ban children, er, I mean special unique little snowflakes who are told they are smarter and prettier while being groomed to be brats for a lifetime!Musing Mermaidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01460946411318795459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035515932306404722.post-36549885626324546232012-07-24T12:10:59.643-06:002012-07-24T12:10:59.643-06:00What about babies in movie theaters. ARGHHHH! He...What about babies in movie theaters. ARGHHHH! Hey I'm totally with you on this one. I'm old-fashioned - have you ever heard of discipline!? And yes you can discipline a child without corporal punishment and still get your point across. When my kid cried in a store, I swiftly took him outside, had 'that talk and look' and if he didn't shut up, it was back home for him and more of that look and that talk. He learned quick. <br /><br />I'm so looking forward to grandchildren I cannot stand it!Carolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06394558427981331885noreply@blogger.com