General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Adults that spoil kids aggravate me [View all]Missy Vixen
(16,207 posts)>A lot of people get depressed during the holidays.
Maybe you're one of them. Maybe that's why you had so little tolerance for kids at what is basically a holiday for kids.<
A master stroke! Accusing the OP of intolerance AND mental illness, because she has objection to the non-parenting of those whose children are acting out at the same social gathering she was at? Wow. I'm sure it escapes the delicate sensibilities of the Outraged Parents posting on this thread, but there are holiday social gatherings that children are not invited to, and are not welcome at. Color me shocked when their parents bring them anyhow. My latest example happened less than two weeks ago.
My husband flies radio-controlled airplanes. The club he belongs to organizes a dinner get-together for the holidays at a local restaurant. The guys who put this thing together are ex-military, retired, and work to make it a nice occasion FOR ADULTS. One of the younger club members brought his two under-ten children, one of which was a baby that screamed more or less continuously throughout dinner. The older daughter insisted on being a part of the "gift exchange", which are typically items that would not interest a ten-year-old. (I received holiday-themed pot holders and a kitchen towel, for instance.) Did I mention that the baby was screaming? Still?
Believe it or not, there are people who love children, but do not want someone else's children in their face during a social event meant for adults. If you bring little Pwecious to an office party, adult cocktail hour, a funeral or other event during which MOST people would know it would be best to leave the child at home with a sitter, you'd best prepare yourself for (at the very least,) polite and pointed comments.
We specifically rearranged our holiday visit to avoid dealing with our six-year-old twin nephews, and their exceedingly permissive and clueless mother. To echo the thoughts of the grandmother above, our grandmother attempted to speak to our SIL about the misbehavior of her children. The SIL was soooo OUTRAGED she screamed at our 85-year-old grandmother. Obviously, raising five kids of her own (and at least four of her own grandchildren,) didn't qualify her to speak to her great-grandson's misbehavior.
It's always comical to me to read these threads. After all, we're smart enough to subsidize other people's children with our tax dollars, but God forbid you mention that perhaps Britteneigh or Conerrrr shouldn't climb on the furniture with muddy feet, pull the dog's tail, scream while family members are attempting to have a quiet conversation, or order a dirty martini at the office party they weren't invited to in the first place. We must be "depressed", or "intolerant". No. We're tired of enduring the discounting and nasty comments because we expect the same behavior WE were instructed was appropriate as children, and we sure as hell don't see it now.