Do people use their kids as an excuse?

[Marseeya]

Do you think people use their kids as an excuse to get away with doing or not doing something?

Just as an example, and I really don't want to single anyone out, but a couple of people on the grocery cart thread would say something to the effect that they couldn't return their cart to the corral because they have kids.

I've also heard some of my fellow college students saying things like, "I can't be at class on time because I've got a child."

What do you think?

 

[missypie]

No, but I do it. I get very irritated with other families who can't make it places on time becuase they have kids...yet our kids are the same age and we can make it there on time.

I admit, however, that I have used "kids' activities" to decline social events that I didn't want to attend.

 

[bicker]

I don't think it really is a matter of parents with children. Rather, I think people will either decide to be accountable or decide not to be. For those that decide not to be, if it isn't "I have a child" then it's "I have a bum leg" or "They have people to do that."

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

Yup. My friend has 3 young, active boys. She always takes her cart back to the rack. My other friend has a young baby who she has to take to daycare before going to work. She's never been late to work. Another friend has a school-age child. She is in school full time, never been late because of him (she has been late due to traffic or her husband though).

 

[daisyduck123]

Do you think people use their kids as an excuse to get away with doing or not doing something?

Just as an example, and I really don't want to single anyone out, but a couple of people on the grocery cart thread would say something to the effect that they couldn't return their cart to the corral because they have kids.

I make one of my KIDS return the grocery cart...each & every time.

 

[Disneyrsh]

We call that 'throwing someone under the bus', as in, "My wife won't let me play golf this weekend because she has a project for me to work on", to which I reply, "Oh, sure, throw me under the bus!"

 

[Robinrs]

Most of the time it's not an excuse, it's a REASON. Taking care of children is way more difficult than it looks.

I admit to being VERY distracted or busy to do so many things when my child was young. Now that he's a teen I have time and energy to do so many thngs I used to NOT do.... being a single parent can be overwhelming.

 

[FreshTressa]

Do you think people use their kids as an excuse to get away with doing or not doing something?

Just as an example, and I really don't want to single anyone out, but a couple of people on the grocery cart thread would say something to the effect that they couldn't return their cart to the corral because they have kids.

I've also heard some of my fellow college students saying things like, "I can't be at class on time because I've got a child."

What do you think?

Yup...use my kids all the time. That is one of the bonuses of procreating.

 

[ozarkmom]

I have used them on occasion to get out of an outing that I didn't want to attend. I've never used them as an excuse for tardiness,not taking carts back etc.

 

[Brianne]

I admit, however, that I have used "kids' activities" to decline social events that I didn't want to attend.

I'll admit to doing this too. The kids do make such a convenient excuse in that regard! But otherwise I make a real effort not to do it.

 

[Galahad]

Now that he's a teen I have time and energy to do so many thngs I used to NOT do....

This is very true. Our youngest is 16 now and I have tons more time, flexibility, energy.... The empty nest will be nice (as long as they come visit...).

 

[lillygator]

I sometimes leave my cart and sometimes return it depending on how close I am - and yes I have two kids...I am NOT leaving them in the car after unloading my goods especially during season when so many here make it so locals have to park in timbuktu....so they are the reason I don't return the cart not the excuse.

Also, my Charming has been in the grocery business in Florida for 25 years, most as a manager and there are paid people to get grocery carts in this area of Florida (can't speak for the Yanks). His first job as a teen was "fetching the carts"...


ETA: my girls are 3 and 1 so no way am I leaving them in the car alone to return a grocery cart.

 

[Marseeya]

This is very true. Our youngest is 16 now and I have tons more time, flexibility, energy.... The empty nest will be nice (as long as they come visit...).

You're lucky. My teenager is a lot more work than he ever was when he was a tot.

 

[aprilgail2]

I use my daughter as an excuse to get out of as many weddings as I possibly can LOL..."sorry, I don't have anyone to watch my daughter"!

 

[MelessaG]

In regards to the cart issue, it depends on the age of the kids. When all of mine were really little I was literally too scared to do it if the cart corral was required me to cross more than two parking lanes (lines of parked cars-not sure what to call them) to put it back. Now that some of them are older, I don't mind (I'm also more of a 'seasoned' mommy who sweats less of the small stuff than I used to). Our Wal-Mart was notorious for having just three or four corrals for the whole parking lot. Now that I'm no longer nervous to leave the kids long enough to return the cart, they've recently installed more corrals. Oh well, at least they got my memo. Oh, and the reason I don't take the kids with me to park it is because they tend to run all over the parking lot and that's even more dangerous than waiting a minute or two for me in the car.

I try not to use my kids as an excuse, but there are four of them and caring for them really does keep me just as busy as I tell people I am.

 

[goofygirl]

Do you think people use their kids as an excuse to get away with doing or not doing something?

Yes, I do think so. It's called "playing the Kid Card."

 

[va32h]

I have been late to an appointment/function or two because of my children. I hate being late, and am normally very punctual, but you can't predict when a child is going to have a poopy diaper, or fall down and need ten minutes of consoling, or the stroller latch gets stuck, or any of the other perfectly ordinary yet time consuming things that go on in the average day of a child.

My youngest daughter has acquired the nickname of "The Inopportune Pooper" because she seems to always pick the worst possible time to need a diaper change. And it's always something nasty, that really can't wait til we get to wherever we're going.

And for some reason, getting three kids into the car just bleeds time. We'll leave the house at 7:30, but it's five til eight when I finally pull out of the driveway. No idea where the time goes.

I have also frequently declined social events because I didn't have a sitter. I suppose the complete answer is "This event is worth my having to pay for a sitter" (financially and guilt-wise, as my kids really don't like having a sitter.)

I suppose that is using them as an excuse, but I really don't feel any ethical qualms about it. It may be an excuse, but it's also the truth.

 

[Keli]

Of course people use their kids as excuses. But as someone else pointed out, those same people would use some other excuse if they didn't have kids. Kids just make it easy because there's no way anyone can tell an excuse from a reason when kids are involved, there's too many variables in the kid world and we all know it, lol.

 

[azgal81]

I think people do maybe as an easy excuse when they don't want to do something but then I would probably do the same thing if I had kids.

 

[Stacerita]

Yep, I play the "kid card" when needed. But I dont take advantage of it. I never use it when Im late. Im late because I stink at time management. I dont use it for taking the carts back. I just dont take them back unless its right there. She is very active and I spend most of my time doing stuff with her or for her so I am generally busy. So that gets me out of doing things. If I really really wanted to do something, I could always get someone to cover me. But if I dont, I pull the kid card. I dont feel guily one bit for pulling the kid card.