Night out with friends spoiled by unruly kids

I have just spotted someone trying to impersonate me at 18:56 on 26th Jan.

MikeP at a wedding= OFFS who invited that tw~t, i cant stand him what a up his own rectum t0sser who spouts endless drivel and lies and thinks he is something special.

I chose a no kids wedding and it was great, I prefer to attend no kids weddings and if I ever do it again I will go for child free again!!

Mostly it is nothing to do with decent parenting - kids get bored and tired, this can affect the whole day for other guests, the happy couple and the parents themselves

"Children at weddings = spoilt day for everyone."

Let's expand on that :
Badly behaved children at weddings, which is usually the fault of the parents = spoilt day for everyone.

Well behaved children at weddings, the product of decent caring parents = enjoyable day for everyone.

I agree 'today', kids were banned from the whole of my wedding and it was great, no brats ruining the day running round causing bother and crying when they are tired. All of the guests who had kids commented that it was nice to be without them and be able to relax for the day and have time for themselves to relax.

Children at weddings = spoilt day for everyone.
Discuss!

Yesterday, I was taking my exam at uni and out of all things this mother outside the exam hall lets her kid run through the corridors screaming the place down! Worst thing was the fact the invigilator made no attempt to tell the mother that there was an exam in progress. How inconsiderate is this?! I couldn't focus because of this and students who are taking exams have the right to do it in peace and quiet as they have enough stress to deal with. Some students, I'm afraid to say, who are parents of young kids have no consideration for their single and childless peers by letting them run riot in the canteen and distract others in the computer suite. It's a university for god's sake, not a nursery! I remember my graduation bbq being spoiled because a student brings her screaming baby to it and no 1 else brought kids! In fact, when she was partying and enjoying herself, her poor friends were forced to babysit her kid and they don't have kids of their own! It was also their special day too and instead of partying and enjoying themselves, they were being made to be unpaid babysitters to a student who forgot to use contraception (she looked barely 21 by the way)! I do have uni friends who are parents of young kids but they when they are brought to uni they are never made to be a nuisance around others who are studying because they are well behaved and disciplined.

However, my uni sadly has not enough facilities for families of young children. They recently closed the nursery due to the cuts and this means many parents have to go elsewhere to drop their kids when they are studying. That isn't fair because they have to pay for that care provided as well as paying tutition fees. Sadly, this country is not child centred when it comes to childcare. In Europe, they never have such problems like this.

In fact, my friends had numerous problems with childcare support at uni. They didn't seem to care and almost likened my friends to second class citizens because they have kids!

However, I do feel like with pubs, there is a time and a place when it comes to bringing kids to uni. These students need to make sure their kids understand it is a place of study and not a playground so that they don't disturb others who are studying. Especially, if these students don't have kids of their own! Maybe parents are used their kid's unruly behaviour but others aren't.

You can read more of this gripe I wrote about my graduation bbq in more detail in the 'Quick Gripes' section.

About 4 years ago I was in a Japanese restaurant when a family came in. The parents sat there and ignored their children while they ran around the place creating havoc. After a short while I got up and went over to their father. Very quietly, and to not cause a scene, I told him to control his children or leave as they were upsetting other customers. I then told him that if he didn't I would have them removed from my friends restaurant immediately.
Well, he did stop them playing, ate their meals quickly and left. The owner, who I don't even know, came across and thanked me as they found it difficult to be direct about these things themselves. This family had become quite regular visitors and the children never ate, just the parents. They didn't really want their custom in the first place as it is not really a family restaurant. They then gave me and my wife our meals for the night for free.
I've been back a few times since and they usually refer to the other family saying they have never been back since.

Parents are to blame always.
Fed up of going into restaurants and the like to find kids running around uncontrolled annoying other people while their parents sit around enjoying themselves.

What went wrong? Why does the British government have to be annoyingly protective of problem kids or protect problem kids at all costs? Is it possible that some moron politician(s) or some moron child advocate(s) think that it's cute when kids misbehave and if misbehavior is a form of self entertainment for these kids that some politician(s) or child advocate(s) will therefore feel that it's wrong to deny children the right to act up all because SOME kids considerate it fun to act up. If that's the case than it's absurdity on the part of some politician(s) or child advocate(s).

Even if I don't dislike ill mannered children I dislike their behavior,the kids themselves I pretty much don't adore them and I dislike treating them the EXACT way I'd rather treat kids who are generally better behaved and easier to connect with.

To clarify the last sentence in the above paragraph the thing would be that if I "stand my ground" no one including the government and child rights advocates can force me to treat kids who I'm not "big" on the exact way I prefer treating kids who are "truly" and "positively" the opposite. Just so that you readers know I don't reside in U.K. but if I were to travel there the British government and child advocates are to have no right and no business to expect or force me to be "big" on kids who have unappealing characteristics,in fact, I regard it as a violation of my rights if people impose unappealing people on me.Finally as I said in a previous post at least I can be civil to people including kids who I'm not keen about.

I agree MMG. I find living in London stressful anyway and should move out as soon as I can. Its not just the screaming kids, its the traffic jams, the pollution etc I have to contend with. I could only move to the countryside for a quiet life. I would love to have my own farm where I could raise ducks.

On a different note, the only kids I can excuse for screaming places down are those with special needs such as autism, Down's Syndrome etc. They can't help it. Especially autistic kids can't always help it because they find the World a scary and confusing place as it already is. If they are screaming in public it could be put down to a number of reasons, mainly relating to sensory issues:
1) noise - someone else's kid could be making noise that causes distress to the autistic child eg a baby crying/kid having a tantrum or being in crowded places such as a mall
2) bright lights - supermarkets are full of them and they can be sensitive to the brightness
3) touch - uncomfortable clothing
4) smell - some smells such as soap detergent can make autistic kids not want to wear different clothes or have their favourite clothes washed because they are sensitive to the smell
5) taste - autistic kids can be very fussy and choosy over their food because they may not like the taste or texture of certain foods hence some of them being rigid eaters

Not all kids on the autistic spectrum have these issues but many do.

Most importantly there are kids with autism so severe they cannot speak at all. If they are non verbal screaming may be their only way to communicate let alone self harm and other challenging behaviours. However, it should be noted that there are kind, loving parents of these kids who actually teach them manners and how to behave in public and they can learn really well these things through patience and practice. It is these kids who do not have special needs and are just poorly raised that annoy me. ADHD should not be used as a label for a child who just needs a good smack on the backside! But sadly some disabilities are more hidden than others like mine. You can't see autism from a person's looks but you can see it through their behaviour. I feel sorry for parents whose kids have these needs and are throwing a tantrum in public and get judgemental looks from others because these sods don't know that there is something wrong with that child and just assume its bad parenting when it is the fact the kid has a disability.

I defintely say autistic kids are not brats, they are just different including me!

I hear of adults with Aspergers being labelled as 'child haters' when really it is the noise of the children they hate rather than just the kids themselves because it can hurt their ears. Some of them are met with abuse being told 'You shouldn't have kids!'. I am sensitive to noise but I do think that kids need to learn that some noises they make are not acceptable in public and their parents should be telling them so.

I'm autistic and proud of it.

A A Female, you need to get out of London and find somewhere quieter to live. Screaming brat children are one of the least of London's problems. For one thing, you've got the horror of the London games ahead - get out now!

Dear Mr Rupert,

what you are saying is defintely no exaggeration. I do think kids are everywhere these days, especially in Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park. Wimbledon Common is besiged by these uncontrolled brats on Weekends and holidays when all you want to do is have a nice, relaxing walk in the woods to get away from them! We do have a right to have peace and quiet as much as anyone else does. Also when it has been cold, at Rushmere Pond in Wimbledon Common I see parents let their kids walk on the frozen ice which is thin! I wonder how the ice didn't break because it doesn't take much for thin ice to crack and someone to drown in frozen water. You only need 1 fatality to stop parents letting their kids do dangerous things that can get them potentially killed if not seriously hurt.

If you do open this bohemian coffeeshop which bans kids under 14 I would be a loyal customer.

Stalag 14,

libraries are defintely places not to have screaming brats in. The parents need to make sure their kids are not disturbing others who are reading or even studying. How inconsiderate is it to let kids scream in such a place? My uni library rarely has kids being taken their by their parents but there are many quiet spots to study. However, at the library in Wimbledon I always see or hear a screaming brat and I just think why are they let to scream? My friend who has a little kid of her own showed me her uni library and it really wasn't the best place to take her kid cos she kept making a racket and we were getting looks from others and I thought we would get chucked out as a result.

I think libraries need to kick out the parents and their noisy kids if the parents fail to shut the kids up. Its not fair on others who are working hard or studying and require peace and quiet to do it in.

NOTICE
SCREAMING BRATS NOT ALLOWED

Should be everywhere, especially in libraries; my local library is besieged with mummies with screaming brats and absolutely nothing is done about it!

It's no exaggeration to say that most times I go for a coffee out the place becomes besieged by parents with toddlers and/or unruly kids who usually scream and shout almost continually while the parents remain oblivious while they chat. For other people, this ruins the ambience.

It seems to me that it's rare now to find a place to eat or drink without noisy brats ruining the atmosphere. Parents take these things everywhere - car boots, supermarkets, restaurants, coffee houses, pubs, hotels - in fact there's virtually nowhere brat-free. But you know what? I plan opening a bohemian coffee house, which will also sell organic and fair trade food. But best of all, there will be a polite notice at the entrance informing customers that in the interest of patrons visiting for a relaxing time, no children under 14 are admitted. And I couldn't care less if it means less business. It may even work to my advantage once people know.

Ps.
Or you could always buy them the latest Nintendo Watsit, that works wonders!

Bit more expensive than a few sweets though, and only works until the latest game or model hits the market

Every single day I see children being offered sweets, chocolate, biscuits etc. in order to keep them quiet or, as mentioned by AAF, more likely to reinforce the “I get a reward for screaming my head off,” conditioning.

The best way to keep children quiet is to leave them with the grandparents that way they are not inflicted on the general public.

Nice 1 Stalag 14. The only way to shut kids up is giving them chocolate to keep them quiet. However, I hate it when kids throw a tantrum in the supermarket and their parents give them chocolate to 'keep them quiet'. It may shut them up so that these parents can shop in peace but they are reinforcing their kid's negative behaviour. The chances are the screaming brat will learn that when s/he throws a tantrum in the supermarket s/he knows s/he will be given a chocolate bar or some other sweet as a reward for his/her behaviour. This means at future shopping trips s/he will defintely play up or act out in order to get a sweet. I suggest taser guns should be given to staff at supermarkets when unruly kids create a scene in order to control them if their parents won't bother themselves to take the responsibility.

I went to Richmond Park to enjoy the sunshine but why have unruly kids taken over the place? I thought such places are meant to be tranquil and that you can only hear the sounds of nature not brats rampaging down the path with their bikes. Also why are some parents stupid enough to let their kids near the deer? Don't they know that they can get gored to death by such an animal if they are not careful? It only has to take 1 fatality to stop parents doing such things. I understand Richmond Park is huge but it is becoming less of a wilderness and more of an 'outdoor creche'. To be honest such places are there to have peace and quiet and to get away from kids not to be subjected to their screaming when they run riot through the park and spoil the peace and quiet for others. I understand they are there to have fun but I wish their parents showed more consideration towards those who came for peace and quiet by controlling them. It otherwise spoils the purpose of coming. I wrote a quick gripe relating to this. It's in the 'Quick Gripe' section. Feel free to read it.

"Obviously, kids don't come with an 'On/Off' button"

Going by my observations they do!

Next time you see/hear a screaming brat go quiet look for the label on the "On/Off button"
it`s usually labeled CHOCOLATE.

To switch back on just remove chocolate.

Another mouthful of rotting teeth in the future

For once I have to partly agree with Fred E (2-Jan-12 01:23) although his Utopian vision is out of date in most parts of France, where people tend to eat a main meal at midday, and that is pretty much sacrosanct, and is the only thing that they are punctual about. Unfortunately junkfood outlets have largely replaced traditional French Brasserie type restaurants and there are more junkfood outlets in France per capita than in any other country. It is one of MuckDonalds most profitable markets.