Screaming children

[montblanc]

Glad to see so many have these experiences. I went to see Shrek II once and there were only about 12 people in the movie theatre. One family had brought a 2 year old who was obviously bored from the get-go. For the entire movie he continuously "escaped" from his parents, run up and down aisles and across them (right in front of us) while making all kinds of loud noises. I am extremely patient and sat through this performance (partially because my kid didn't seem to mind) but I don't think I will again without a complaint to the manager.

What I see most often is very young children brought to events that are clearly beyond their ability to understand and appreciate. They are expected to sit still and be quiet but that doesn't last long and such a racket is made that the focus of nearby people is on the noise makers, not the entertainment which they have paid to attend.

When someone in your party is disrupting the entertainment of others in a public venue you should leave (come back if things calm down). This is courtesy at a very basic level that isn't hard to understand. To simply say "well they are just children and there are many here" shows a total lack of understanding of social etiquette. Children raised in this environment will then come to believe they are entitled to behave as they please, forget about everyone else's enjoyment, it is all about ME....

 

[Davids-Coco]

That is exactly how I feel. My mom has continuously drilled into us that sucessful parenting is not selfish - you have to leave something even if you are enjoying yourself if the child is not behaving. I don't understand why parents can't understand that your focus in life changes when you have children. They are not pretty little dolls you get to take with you everywhere and will never make a sound.

Granted, I also choose not to hear screaming children unless we are near them. We had to ask to be moved on our anniversary dinner because they seated us in this back room atrium with all the young families and families with children... and they knew it was our anniversary. When a couple started crying and running around (and the atrium projected the sound) we asked. They gave us dirty looks, but we told them that this is supposed to be a wonderful and romantic dinner for our anniversary. That situation frustrated me.

I know that we will both be more tollerant at WDW, but to a point of course. Yes, there will be children there and probably more than most places. But if there is one screaming in V&A, I will definately be saying something.

 

[lenshanem]

I just love this thread!
My 2 bits too:
DD 2 or 3 years old and I are in Walmart. She has been warned that if she starts to pitch a gimmie fit, we will leave. Well, she's 3 so of course she wants everything she sees, pitches a fit, and we leave. Well, halfway out of the store she really freaks out, screaming top of the lungs hissie. We go out to the car, I strap her in the car seat and stand out side waiting for her to finish and calm down. She does, and we go into the grocery store to get some food. She starts up again....so yes, out we go and I tell her we're going home now, and you can sit on your bed for being naughty. Well, you would've thought I ripped her arm off, she started REALLY freaking out. I had to leave the cart in the store and haul her out under my arm like a sack of groceries. You should've seen the looks I got with my screaming kicking spitting flipped out child! One woman caught my eye and I said, this is God getting me back for all the times I've said under my breath hey lady can't you shut that kid up! I thought the lady was going to pee her pants she was laughing so hard.

And today, with my ever charming little 2 year old son at the used book store, running through it tossing books in his wake. Or at the dollar store so my poor long suffering 7 year old could get a treat. Her brother (evil boy) was having a tantrum attack while we waited in line. And of course the lady in front of us paid by check and her 2 little sweet children just stood and looked at my devil spawn. I usually don't take the little beastie shopping, but sometimes I have no choice. As for his behavior at WDW, let's just say we will be waiting awhile before we head back.

So all of you childless WDW travelers, I apologize for my loud tantrum throwing son. I hate it when I have to put up with other people's unruly children, but hate it more when they are my own! I always remove him, that is when I can, when he's acting up. We keep to his schedule as much as we can. I wouldn't like it if I couldn't eat/sleep/play when I wanted either.

Have fun!
Gretchen

OK, forgive me - I just skimmed thru this entire thread and I was feeling a tad of resentment until I came across Gretchen's post. You summed it up perfectly! These child free couples or those with "angels" just might get a taste of it one day themselves!

My 6 year old is an ANGEL. Then came her sister...
I can tell you she is ALOT of work. She is 3 and I feel like I've aged twenty years since she was born. Nothing has been easy with her. I raised her the same way I did my oldest and they couldn't be any more different.

It is really upsetting when people give me dirty looks when I'm having a hard time with her. We've basically become hermits, to go to the grocery store is torture. Gone are the days I could run in somewhere to pick up something fast. I have tried every method out there. She is as her ped puts it - strong-willed, high intensity, etc. , you get the picture? And I feel so bad for my oldest, she doesn't get to go out as much as she should. Thank goodness for the pool this summer!

And even if we do take them out (Like Gretchen I take her out to the car and wait until her tantrum wears out...) we still get dirty looks as we're trying to do something right!

Now when I see a parent having a difficult time with their child I have sympathy for them, not give them dirty looks or make rude comments. They are having a hard enough time as it is without adding the disapproving stares into the mix.

I came over to this board cause my hubby and I are taking a quick getaway from the kids! Thought I'd read up on some tips for an adults only trip, instead I see this. WDW has ALOT of kids, hello! Regardless, I so need the break. I've never been away from my youngest and I'm so burned out.

I can tell you I won't be having attitude with parents I see having a difficult time. I now understand. Not all kids are angels. True alot of it is parenting, but I can tell you from experience alot of it is born personality, too.

How do I know? I knew from the day she was born! She right off the bat tried to act like she was boss, no rocking, no sweet stuff. She was doing Houdini acts before she was even six months old!

Good to add my 2 cents!

 

[Deep-Thots]

Originally posted by lenshanem
OK, forgive me - I just skimmed thru this entire thread and I was feeling a tad of resentment until I came across Gretchen's post. You summed it up perfectly! These child free couples or those with "angels" just might get a taste of it one day themselves!

My 6 year old is an ANGEL. Then came her sister...
I can tell you she is ALOT of work. She is 3 and I feel like I've aged twenty years since she was born. Nothing has been easy with her. I raised her the same way I did my oldest and they couldn't be any more different.

It is really upsetting when people give me dirty looks when I'm having a hard time with her. We've basically become hermits, to go to the grocery store is torture. Gone are the days I could run in somewhere to pick up something fast. I have tried every method out there. She is as her ped puts it - strong-willed, high intensity, etc. , you get the picture? And I feel so bad for my oldest, she doesn't get to go out as much as she should. Thank goodness for the pool this summer!

And even if we do take them out (Like Gretchen I take her out to the car and wait until her tantrum wears out...) we still get dirty looks as we're trying to do something right!

Now when I see a parent having a difficult time with their child I have sympathy for them, not give them dirty looks or make rude comments. They are having a hard enough time as it is without adding the disapproving stares into the mix.

I came over to this board cause my hubby and I are taking a quick getaway from the kids! Thought I'd read up on some tips for an adults only trip, instead I see this. WDW has ALOT of kids, hello! Regardless, I so need the break. I've never been away from my youngest and I'm so burned out.

I can tell you I won't be having attitude with parents I see having a difficult time. I now understand. Not all kids are angels. True alot of it is parenting, but I can tell you from experience alot of it is born personality, too.

How do I know? I knew from the day she was born! She right off the bat tried to act like she was boss, no rocking, no sweet stuff. She was doing Houdini acts before she was even six months old!

Good to add my 2 cents!

Shan --

I think if you'd taken the time to read (rather than skim) this thread, you would have discovered that most of the people posting their stories here have difficulty *not* with the screaming kids and the consequently horrified parents who are pulling their hair out as a result of said kids' behaviors (people like you, in other words), but with the parents who *just don't seem to care about their children's misbehavior*. Our problem, in other words, is with people who seem to be less than responsible in their parenting, and whose abdication of parent-like behavior results in the inability of others to enjoy whatever it is they're trying to enjoy.

Read my original post. Read RickinNYC's post. To us, the truly horrible thing wasn't that the kids in those stories were chopping up crayons or pouring out salt on the table cloths or digging their knives into the table or whaling on Rick's arm. I mean, sure, those behaviors were bad. But the worse behaviors by far were exhibited by the parents who willfully chose to ignore their children's misbehaviors -- or even to blame those misbehaviors not on darling little junior or juniorette, but on us helpless victims!!

(I also didn't see in Gretchen's post where she suggested that one day, those of us who are childless or who have angelic progeny might one day "get ours"....)

Anyway, yes, WDW is full of kids. And some of those kids will misbehave. But that doesn't give parents -- despite the fact that they're on vacation -- the right to abdicate their parental responsibilties and in doing so, make the rest of us miserable.

 

[lenshanem]

Deep-Thots,
OK, I guess I'm tired and a little cranky. Sorry for the tense post.

I just know from personal experience how different children can be including siblings raised by the same parents, not all kids are perfect despite their parents skills.

It really stinks to have someone judge you when they haven't walked in your shoes.

Anyway, I got it off my chest and I should go to bed.

But, ya know what I saw once that really bothered me? A small child wandering around the shallow end of the pool at AKL w/o a parent in sight. That kind of stuff bothers me more than anything.

 

[Deep-Thots]

Originally posted by lenshanem
Deep-Thots,
OK, I guess I'm tired and a little cranky. Sorry for the tense post.

I just know from personal experience how different children can be including siblings raised by the same parents, not all kids are perfect despite their parents skills.

It really stinks to have someone judge you when they haven't walked in your shoes.

Anyway, I got it off my chest and I should go to bed.

But, ya know what I saw once that really bothered me? A small child wandering around the shallow end of the pool at AKL w/o a parent in sight. That kind of stuff bothers me more than anything.

Oh, I think anyone with siblings knows just how different siblings can be!! I, for example, was "the troublemaker." Sigh. My motto always was, "It's not what you do, it's what you *get caught doing* that counts...."

And although I'm childless, I've spent my fair share of time having gotten evil looks from passersby when I've been designated by one of my sisters to remove her tantrum-ridden child from her presence (lest things get really ugly!). In fact, a couple of times, I've been sure that someone was going to call child protective services because I was simply holding this screaming, thrashing bundle of two year-old energy, preventing him/her from getting what he/she really wanted (you know -- a cookie, an ice pop, a toy, etc.)....

And about the kid wandering in the pool: I worked on a burn unit for 2 years. About 75% of our patients were kids, and about one-third of them suffered their burns at the abusive hands of their parents. Talk about things that *really* bother you....

Have a good night!

And enjoy your child-less trip to WDW!! Btw, since you mentioned in your earlier trip that you were looking for things to do, I highly recommend the Seas Aqua Tour at Epcot: Totally awesome!!

Kim

 

[lenshanem]

I was simply holding this screaming, thrashing bundle of two year-old energy, preventing him/her from getting what he/she really wanted (you know -- a cookie, an ice pop, a toy, etc.)....

Oh, if only it were mearly a cookie! Mine will throw a tantrum cause she doesn't like the way we buckled her into the car seat, the way her clothes feel, etc. Anything and everything sets her off.

We have planned on going to Fulton's one night and then the Adventurers Club. Something we never do with the kids! Can't wait!

 

[KathAnn]

Speaking as someone who is childless - and happily so - I think I am going to promise here and now to be a lot more tolerant of screaming children in the future. I told an arguing parents story earlier but I've had my fair share of bruised ankles because kids are allowed to push their own buggies (strollers?) around; I've also had numerous t-shirts and pairs of shorts covered in cola, ice cream, ketchup and mayonnaise because kids are left unsupervised during mealtimes. I've been pushed away from my carefully chosen place to view the Parades as "he/she's only a kid and it IS for them after all". In all of this, I DON'T blame the children. Lack of supervision and discipline seems to be the problem; but I'll cheerfully accept that your little darling of whatever gender can go thermo-nuclear for no apparent reason. How do I know this? My darling niece has just turned 2! And she is, quite frankly, a horror. She's gone from being the apple of her parents' eyes to someone inhabited by an Alien. Her 3 favourite words are "no"; "no" and "no". It's a fight to get her out of bed in the morning; another to get food inside her; and another to bathe her; trying to dress her is like trying to stuff an octopus into a string bag. Don't get me started on going grocery shopping and, if I thought getting her OUT of bed in the morning was bad, it ain't nothing compared to trying to get her back IN it again!

So, I shall be at WDW in November and I solemly swear that I will be the picture of forebearance and tolerance for the entire 2 weeks that I am there. I will not "tut tut" under my breath, lose my temper or make any kind of sarcastic remark about "spoiled" children as I will remember at all times that "She Who Must Be Obeyed" will be waiting for her Aunties when we get back!

Happy holidays to all heading off soon - it will by my turn in 9 weeks!

 

[MinnieFan4ever]

Okay, sit down for this one. We just returned from The World. While we were there we went to the Heart Concert at House of Blues. Now they didn't come on stage until 9:30 or 9:40. If anybody has been to a concert at the HOB they know this is NO PLACE FOR A BABY!!! Well, we see a couple walking thru the crowd with an 8-10 month old wearing head phones sucking on his binky. I was floored. He then began to cry (I wonder why). They didn't leave, they stayed. Sometimes I just want to hit people over the head. Yeesh!

BTW, the concert was awesome. They are very good live!

 

[disneyfreakk]

minnie,

i think i would cry 2 if i was forced to go to a Heart concert

what is up with those parents?? we are going to Type O Negative in Nov, i would hate for people to bring a baby. thats just not fare to the kid! poor thing! i bet if HOB charged admission for everyone( including babys ) then they wouldnt have that problem!!

 

[MinnieFan4ever]

I couldn't agree more. If you have a pulse, you must pay!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Originally posted by lenshanem
I just know from personal experience how different children can be including siblings raised by the same parents, not all kids are perfect despite their parents skills.

It really stinks to have someone judge you when they haven't walked in your shoes.

Isn't that the truth! My 4yo has been my real eye opener. And the funny thing is that he was by far the easiest of my babies. Then he turned 13 months old and the alien moved into his body. Today was fun at the grocery store...

T&B

 

[lenshanem]

This is funny Tigger&Belle. I see you're also taking a trip without kids.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Originally posted by lenshanem
This is funny Tigger&Belle. I see you're also taking a trip without kids.

We are SO looking forward to going to WDW without children! They are our top priority most of the time (I'm a stay-at-home mom and my DH works at home) and they are the center of our life, HOWEVER, they will move out one day and we will be left with each other.

It will be wonderful to go where we want, when we want and not listen to the kids complain if it's not exactly what they want to do (and we have 4 children so it's not possible for everyone to be happy all the time...). Of course I do have my DH to deal with.

T&B

 

[KathAnn]

My neighbour came back from a 2 week trip to WDW (stayed at Grand Floridian - loved it!) about a month ago. She and her hubby were without their 3 kids and having a great time. They decided one night to go to the cinema. So, they purchased tickets, popcorn, coke etc and took their seats. Just before the film started a family of 5 came and sat in the row behind them. The film was suitable for over 12s (I'm sorry I can't remember which one it was), but 2 were under 10 and the other was a small baby. My neighbour said they left after 30 minutes because the baby was crying and being passed from parent to parent, and the other 2 darlings were constantly kicking the back of their chairs or running up and down the aisles. Quite a few other folk left too. They complained at the box office and were given a refund - but nobody went in to tell these parents either to leave, or to stop their children misbehaving.

What I don't understand is - why take a baby to the cinema?? If you can't get a babysitter, then you stay home. My sister has a 2 year old and wouldn't dream of taking her as she's not big enough to sit in her own seat, won't sit still and can be extremely stroppy. She's seen most of the Disney films on DVD and has been fine - but I don't want to take her to the cinema just yet as I think she'd be a bit scared of so much darkness.

Now, I'm not advocating parents NEVER being able to have a night of, but please, can they use a tiny bit of common sense? Kids cry for any reason and to have one howling throughout a film is no fun - either for the child or the rest of the paying public. And, what possessed these selfish people to allow their other children to run riot? It really incenses me that people can act this way - so totally oblivious to their surroundings and the irritation it's causing to others.

Sorry, but a cinema is NO place for a tiny baby. The soundtrack is WAY too loud for their delicate hearing and, besides, don't they have a bedtime routine?

Now climbing down off my soapbox after this elongated moan!

 

[NIK]

I agree with your point KathAnn about parents having the occasional night off. however why insist on doing it at a theme park where thousands of people have paid out to come and enjoy the place too?

I am happily child-free [not childless since this is deliberate and by choice!] I have three nephews that I absolutely adore but there is no way they would come out with me even to the grocery store if they couldn't behave themselves. On the odd occasion when they have made an exhibition of themselves we have left promptly and they have quickly learned that naughtiness gets then nowhere.

I do agree that heat, tiredness and hunger can turn even a little angel into an infant from hell but why do some parents let their kids get into this state? It can't be enjoyable for anyone surely?

My mother is also old fashioned on child behaviour in public and like most mothers has perfected THE LOOK. I'm sure you know the one I mean. I am 40 years of age now but it still works, I'm here to tell you.

 

[KathAnn]

Nik

I wonder if we are related??! I'm 44 (next Friday) and my mother too has THE LOOK. Even now, at my age, if she thinks I've stepped over the mark she will say something, or shoot me THE LOOK. My brother and younger sister both smoke, but wouldn't dream of doing so in my parents' house as my mother is now a non-smoker. She doesn't mind if they go out in the garden - but they don't even dare contemplate lighting up indoors.

I'm happily childless - I can honestly admit to nil maternal feelings. I never wanted to be a Mum, and I'm honestly glad I'm not. While childlessness for me was an option, it took my sister 7 attempts at IVF before she conceived her daughter. I adore my niece, even though she's going through the terrible 2s, and I have 2 teenage nephews as well. They've turned out to be the most polite, well mannered boys you can imagine and my brother and sis-in-law have even been complimented by complete strangers on the way they've been raised. They never took the children to cinemas or concerts when they were tinies and would have been horrified if someone had suggested it. I can cheerfully take them anywhere (and could do so from an early age), safe in the knowledge that I wouldn't end up a frazzled, gibbering wreck by the time it came to get them home again. I'm not saying they NEVER misbehaved; but one warning was all it took to make them reconsider their actions.

I think my mother's lessons have been well learnt - and by the second generation too!


:thewave:

 

[NIK]

My family always claim I'm the founder member of the King Herod Appreciation Society, but I have no objection to kiddies at all - just horrible little ghastly ones!

Going somewhere like Disney you have to expect there will be any number of kids, that's what it's for after all. If they are just being exuberant and having a good time, that's great but if they are being little so-and-sos, that's when I get annoyed because they then tarnish all the young uns who are being good. Kids are Kids and even the nicest most well brought up child will throw a wobbler from time to time.

I think parents do need to take a firmer hold sometimes, especially when their little darlings are disturbing others. If I took my little dog somewhere and she started to misbehave I would, of course, expect to take her away. I wouldn't inflict her naughtiness on anyone else [not that she is naughty - she's a four legged angel!]. Why do some parent seem to think we should all be as tolerant of their monster children as they are?

 

[lenshanem]

While taking a baby to a movie is over the top, I think many of you need to lighten up.

Guess what? You were kids once, too!

And guess what again - WDW is a family vacation destination! Hard to believe, but TRUE!

 

[KathAnn]

While taking a baby to a movie is over the top, I think many of you need to lighten up.

Guess what? You were kids once, too!

And guess what again - WDW is a family vacation destination! Hard to believe, but TRUE

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1. Glad you agree! Cinema and small babies are NOT a good combination.

2. Yep, that's true. But reading through the all the posts on this thread tells me that WE were much better behaved. I am not looking at the past with my rosy glasses on - but I would not dared behave the way some children who've been written about here do. My mother would NOT have permitted it - end of story.

3. Yep, it's true. It's also a vacation resort for the single, short, tall, fat, thin, brunette, blond, British, American, childless and gay folks of this planet too. The point I think we're all trying to make is if a bit of common sense and discipline were enforced by the so-called ADULTS of the group, the thermo-nuclear tot from h*ll syndrome would be something we wouldn't have to witness very often. And, this discussion forum wouldn't need a sub section entitled "Screaming Children"!!

Now hopping off the soapbox.

8 weeks to go to PO-R!


:thewave: