War on Brats

This interesting article is very thought-provoking. Right now I'm inclined to side with the business owner. I'm not sure if that opinion would change once I become a parent myself, though. I understand parents who want to have a nice family outing. I have no sympathy, though, for elitist power couples who think they are superior or entitled, and let their children run rampant with no attempt at discipline.

I've seen these kind of people. A couple years ago, Maryanne and I went to brunch at Cherry Hills in Door County. At a nearby table was an older mother with some young children, the youngest of which looked to be four or five. He was running around the dining room, crawling under the tables (including ours), and otherwise being annoying. Part of the problem was that he was being treated like a two-year-old: his mother offered him a bite of her omelette, asking if he wanted a "bit of eggie."

Growing up, there was never a place that my parents needed to be so badly that they wouldn't leave if my sister or I acted like this.

In a situation like this, as a person currently without children, I try to look at the age of the child before passing judgment. Infants and very young children can't be expected to be absolutely quiet. However, there reaches an age where children can be held to a certain standard of behavior. When their parents fail to discipline them and hold them to this behavior, it seriously affects my ability to enjoy myself.

One of the mothers in the article stated, "You go to a coffee shop or a bakery for a rest, to relax, and that you would have to worry the whole time about your child doing something that children do -- really what they're saying is they don't welcome children, they want the child to behave like an adult.' "

It would appear that she fails to understand that the undisciplined child is preventing the other customers from resting and relaxing. Any adult with common sense will know that kids are kids, and can't be expected to behave like an adult. However, children should be expected to act their age, and act appropriately in a public place.

Mood: Annoyed
Music: Badfinger: "No Matter What"