Kids who dominate adult conversations

[Anonymous]

How do I gently deal with kids who interrupt and dominate adult conversations? I don’t want to offend the other mom. I often meet up with other moms for some adult conversation but one of the moms’ children always ends up dominating our conversations. After spending the entire day with my kids, I am really just craving talking to other adults, not talking to other kids about kid stuff.

The other mom sort of encourages it and I can kind of see it as a social benefit for the children in getting practice speaking with other adults. But for me there is also the extra element of being raised to think it’s rude to chat away with adults unless they talk to you. And her kids are lovely but I just don’t want to talk with them the entire time, but they just love talking with us instead of playing on their own or with each other.

[Anonymous]

So many parents are like this. It’s annoying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So many parents are like this. It’s annoying.

By this I meant, so many parents don’t teach their kids not to do this

[Anonymous]

Since the mom encourages it, I don't think there is much you can do except try to meet up without kids involved

[Anonymous]

I would “let’s meet up without the kids next time!”

[Anonymous]

" But for me there is also the extra element of being raised to think it’s rude to chat away with adults unless they talk to you."

Get therapy to unlearn this. It's very backwards and regressive and bad for social skills (as your case proves)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:" But for me there is also the extra element of being raised to think it’s rude to chat away with adults unless they talk to you."

Get therapy to unlearn this. It's very backwards and regressive and bad for social skills (as your case proves)

I don't want to hear your six year old parroting you and you pretending it is clever. It isn't my job to coddle your kid, so unless you want me to tell him/her that, you should do it first.

[Anonymous]

Would the other mom get angry if you said something like “please don’t interrupt when someone else is talking, sweetheart” or similar? That’s a pretty key social skill and universal rule of politeness no matter your age/culture.

[Anonymous]

Or “can you give us a second sweetie, we’re talking about grown up things!” Or any similar gentle redirection that might give the other mom a hint?

[Anonymous]

I was raised that it was not okay for adults other than my parents and teachers to tell me what to do so just be prepared that the kid and their parent won’t take it well. I was definitely not raised in a “children should be seen but not heard” manner.

[Anonymous]

Some parents genuinely don't mind. I'm one who enjoys talking to kids, and I'm supppper sensitive about my kids dominating other parents.

In my observations, if you just stop talking to kids, and either look at your phone or talk to others, the kid gets bored and walks away. They're kids and this is how they learn. You don't have to manage it with adult niceties "Ok, I'm going to let you go now..."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:" But for me there is also the extra element of being raised to think it’s rude to chat away with adults unless they talk to you."

Get therapy to unlearn this. It's very backwards and regressive and bad for social skills (as your case proves)

Instead, pp, why don’t you take some parenting classes. No one wants to hear your kids prattle on as much as you let them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:" But for me there is also the extra element of being raised to think it’s rude to chat away with adults unless they talk to you."

Get therapy to unlearn this. It's very backwards and regressive and bad for social skills (as your case proves)

Instead, pp, why don’t you take some parenting classes. No one wants to hear your kids prattle on as much as you let them.

NP. I think some adults get insecure when a kid is smarter than them in a conversation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was raised that it was not okay for adults other than my parents and teachers to tell me what to do so just be prepared that the kid and their parent won’t take it well. I was definitely not raised in a “children should be seen but not heard” manner.

I will never hesitate to correct a child who’s doing something dangerous or unambiguously rude (kicking dirt on me, constantly interrupting me) if their parents are either not paying attention at the moment or unwilling to say anything to their kid. This is normal “it takes a village” stuff and I’m not interested in spending time with families who would be upset with me doing this but not upset with the bad behavior from their child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:" But for me there is also the extra element of being raised to think it’s rude to chat away with adults unless they talk to you."

Get therapy to unlearn this. It's very backwards and regressive and bad for social skills (as your case proves)

Instead, pp, why don’t you take some parenting classes. No one wants to hear your kids prattle on as much as you let them.

NP. I think some adults get insecure when a kid is smarter than them in a conversation

NP I’m dying laughing at this. Yes Suzy, other parents are INTIMIDATED BY YOUR PRESCHOOLER’S INTELLECT. That’s why they want her to be quiet and go away!