About 10 years ago, wife.imp and I were at a restaurant where a family of five (3 boys) sat down near us. About midway through the meal the boys decided they would have much more fun if they ran through the restaurant playing hide-n-seek tag. The parents simply kept ordering drinks and enjoyed a very stimulating conversation...
Just the other night one of boy.imp's more distracting habits was on display at a local restaurant. He decided he was done early and wanted to get out of his seat and run around. Wife.Imp and I were enjoying a nice conversation at the time. I truly understood what that couple of years ago must have been thinking.
'Hey, they are not breaking anything and now we can really talk...'
However, I was not raised that way and neither are my imps. And, yes, I did let boy.imp get out of his chair whenever he wanted. He did have to stand with his nose against the wall tho'. I mean running around the house at home can be tolerated, barely and then only if we are near the end of the meal. But in a public setting..? No.
The lesson I learned before we had imps (and this was by watching relatives and/or parents of wildly out-of-control imps at grocery stores) is not to be afraid to educate and discipline (not beat but discipline) the imps in public while they are still young and learning right behavior from behavior that is not right in that situation.
So, now that the flu bug has mostly departed the Playground, the treadmill and other aparatus have been staring petulantly at me. I have been neglectful.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
One of 'Those' Parents
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7 comments:
Bravo, Dennis! I hate those parents that wash their hands of all parental responsibility just because they're out in public.
We don't let Isaac run around during mealtimes either. If he's finished eating, he can go play in another room - but no picking at mommy when she's eating. Mommy gets MAD.
Oh how I wish that there were more parents like you.
Great job Dad!
Oh, here's the complete post of the other one. D'uh me! I'm glad you're in the same camp as us! It bugs the heck out of me when I see kids run wild in public,acting fresh and mean to other kids and the parents are oblivious to it like they have blinders on or something.
The hell! THE HELL I SAY! I cannot stand people who just let their children run around like crazy persons.
Go you!
God, your mouth to God's ear, as my sainted Irish mother used to say...
I was once in a restaurant where the parents allowed their rambunctious (BRATTY) child to get into the nearby booth and LICK the salt and pepper shakers. I was appalled to the point of nausea....
Yes, good manners have to be broken in early. Good hell, I sound like we are raising horses, don't I?
Here Here, thank you for raising responsible children
I totally agree with you! We let our boys be heathens at our house - but in public is another story entirely!
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