Honest question: what is the parent/caregiver’s rationale in letting their child…

[Anonymous]

Some parents are simply idiots, OP. My kids are in middle school and high school as there are still oblivious, rude, and stupid parents. My 92 year old grandmother refers to them as “the dick parents”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no clue. I posted last week about two large mothers carrying toddlers who walked in front of my toddler and preschooler (we arrived early to see a band perform in the park) and stood there talking to each other while my kids couldn’t see.

Honestly, I have no clue.

Large?

Yes, they were both quite wide. My kids couldn’t see past them even when they stood up.

What size would you say is the maximum for standing in front of people? 2? 4?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no clue. I posted last week about two large mothers carrying toddlers who walked in front of my toddler and preschooler (we arrived early to see a band perform in the park) and stood there talking to each other while my kids couldn’t see.

Honestly, I have no clue.

Large?

Yes, they were both quite wide. My kids couldn’t see past them even when they stood up.

What size would you say is the maximum for standing in front of people? 2? 4?

Let it go, PP. Large people block more - it’s a physical fact and not a slight. NP here and you’re looking to take offense over nothing beyond the laws of physics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Their child is just. So. Precious!

Everything that child does--the parent is absolutely in awe that their child can do that!

He's so amazing! Doesn't everyone in the world realize how PERFECT their child is?

And they post a picture of it, "Amelia has such compassion for the written word, she's the only toddler who cares about the book at storytime! Love my little bookworm."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no clue. I posted last week about two large mothers carrying toddlers who walked in front of my toddler and preschooler (we arrived early to see a band perform in the park) and stood there talking to each other while my kids couldn’t see.

Honestly, I have no clue.

Large?

Yes, they were both quite wide. My kids couldn’t see past them even when they stood up.

What size would you say is the maximum for standing in front of people? 2? 4?

There are multiple people calling this out. We're a tall skinny family and when people get mad that we're "blocking" them I roll my eyes and tell them to move. Give me a break.
Let it go, PP. Large people block more - it’s a physical fact and not a slight. NP here and you’re looking to take offense over nothing beyond the laws of physics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG I have no idea. Maybe they are just afraid and aren't sure what to do? Maybe they aren't very smart and think the other kids can see the book? Maybe the kid is SN and they think he will have a meltdown if the parent corrects him? (Sometimes kids respond much better to other adults than to parents)

How often have you seen this happen?

Pretty much every time (one a week in storytime) and it’s always the librarian who has to stop and ask the kid to sit down.

+1. I’ve seen librarians hold the book way up over their head while the standing kid then started grabbing at the book and the mother did nothing.

Wow. I wonder if they are trying to do gentle parenting but are completely missing the point.

Gentle parenting isn’t about letting your child do something disruptive and unfair to a room full of other children.

PP here and that's what I'm saying. Lots of people confuse gentle parenting for permissive parenting.

Yeah, perhaps. But don’t they care at all about the other kids trying to see the book?

They do not. As we have learned with perfect clarity over the past two and a half years (and despite any meaningless lip service paid to caring about others), there is a very large subset of people who care about no one but themselves and their own kids.

Yep. They do not care about anyone else. And there are parents who think that their job is to keep their kid happy, or who are afraid of tears or tantrums or conflict, and so they just don't say no (or say it so ineffectually that they might as well not bother), and they think that this permissiveness is good for their kid (or they don't care, because it's easier for them in the moment).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:… stand right in front of the book being read at library storytime thus blocking the view of the book from all the other kids? I mean, it’s obvious that the other kids can’t see the book. I get that it’s not a huge issue in light of our troubled world but I’m genuinely curious in knowing what that parent watching is thinking.

Same with the parent who doesn’t stop their child from taking the glasses off the music teacher during the class.

Yes, the librarian and music teacher correct the child but why should they have to when they parent is right there watching?

I’d just speak up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Their child is just. So. Precious!

Everything that child does--the parent is absolutely in awe that their child can do that!

He's so amazing! Doesn't everyone in the world realize how PERFECT their child is?

And they post a picture of it, "Amelia has such compassion for the written word, she's the only toddler who cares about the book at storytime! Love my little bookworm."

Oh, God, so true! And do gag-worthy. You nailed it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:… stand right in front of the book being read at library storytime thus blocking the view of the book from all the other kids? I mean, it’s obvious that the other kids can’t see the book. I get that it’s not a huge issue in light of our troubled world but I’m genuinely curious in knowing what that parent watching is thinking.

Same with the parent who doesn’t stop their child from taking the glasses off the music teacher during the class.

Yes, the librarian and music teacher correct the child but why should they have to when they parent is right there watching?

I’d just speak up.

Of course, but you shouldn’t have to. That’s the point. What are the parents of those disruptive kids thinking?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:… stand right in front of the book being read at library storytime thus blocking the view of the book from all the other kids? I mean, it’s obvious that the other kids can’t see the book. I get that it’s not a huge issue in light of our troubled world but I’m genuinely curious in knowing what that parent watching is thinking.

Same with the parent who doesn’t stop their child from taking the glasses off the music teacher during the class.

Yes, the librarian and music teacher correct the child but why should they have to when they parent is right there watching?

I’d just speak up.

I do but I resent the hell out of needing to. Nanny here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:… stand right in front of the book being read at library storytime thus blocking the view of the book from all the other kids? I mean, it’s obvious that the other kids can’t see the book. I get that it’s not a huge issue in light of our troubled world but I’m genuinely curious in knowing what that parent watching is thinking.

Same with the parent who doesn’t stop their child from taking the glasses off the music teacher during the class.

Yes, the librarian and music teacher correct the child but why should they have to when they parent is right there watching?

Well, I'm in the camp of allowing the authority figure at the moment (librarian and music teacher, in those scenarios) to correct the child once, then if the child ignores or refuses, I step in. They need to understand that other adults have the right to correct them, and if I jump in immediately, that undercuts their authority. However, if the teacher or other adult didn't say anything, I would act. No, I don't think that the behavior should continue, even if it's age-appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just teach your kid to raise his hand and say excuse me I can’t see.

They can't talk yet.

Wait, why are you taking a child who can't talk to storytime?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just teach your kid to raise his hand and say excuse me I can’t see.

They can't talk yet.

Wait, why are you taking a child who can't talk to storytime?

I always took my kids as babies to story time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just teach your kid to raise his hand and say excuse me I can’t see.

Say it to whom? My 3.5 yr old does raise his hand and tells the kid and the librarian he can’t see the book. The librarian asks the child to sit. The child doesn’t. What’s the librarian supposed to do - physically bend the kid in half and make him sit down?

Stop expecting other people to do your job.

No, that's where the librarian should act like the authority figure to the adult with the child, ask them to take care of their child or leave until next time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:… stand right in front of the book being read at library storytime thus blocking the view of the book from all the other kids? I mean, it’s obvious that the other kids can’t see the book. I get that it’s not a huge issue in light of our troubled world but I’m genuinely curious in knowing what that parent watching is thinking.

Same with the parent who doesn’t stop their child from taking the glasses off the music teacher during the class.

Yes, the librarian and music teacher correct the child but why should they have to when they parent is right there watching?

Well, I'm in the camp of allowing the authority figure at the moment (librarian and music teacher, in those scenarios) to correct the child once, then if the child ignores or refuses, I step in. They need to understand that other adults have the right to correct them, and if I jump in immediately, that undercuts their authority. However, if the teacher or other adult didn't say anything, I would act. No, I don't think that the behavior should continue, even if it's age-appropriate.

You should be teaching and encouraging good behavior long before your child is standing in front of the book!