Plane Pests: Coping With Unruly Kids
Rudy,
I have to take exception to your comment about the woman who refused
to give up her seat to a child having a temper tantrum. What were the
PARENTS doing to stop the tantrum? NOTHING! What they were doing was
reinforcing their kid's bad behavior, expecting everyone to just
accommodate their little darling.
I am sick to death of children who are allowed to scream, yell and
run around in inappropriate places, i.e., movies, libraries,
restaurants, airplanes. The parents expect the people around them to
endure the behavior because it's just the way kids behave. Not true.
Kids will behave appropriately if Mom and Dad demand appropriate
behavior. Parents need to stop what they're doing and discipline the
child.
Travel is tiring for all concerned. But children who throw tantrums
in public do so because they know it will get them what they want.
The parent who puts a misbehaving child in her seat, fastens her
seatbelt and doesn't cater to outbursts will teach the child that
throwing a fit gets her nowhere.
Off the soapbox now, but you really punched a button.
Susan
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