Bratcentric society

Absolutely. It must be the parents. We, locally, have brats who think it's not just acceptable, but clever to zoom around moored boats in inflatables. The parents presumably think "Oh good, they've gone off to bother someone else"
Problem is, we didn't sign up for eternal noise and disruption.
We don't take kids under 10 in our guest house and always mention that to prospective guests. We have many, many guests who stay with us for that reason. Paradoxically a lot of our guests work with "disturbed" children and love the rest.
Had a forumite pop in to visit at the weekend who brought his progeny. They were charming and well behaved. It is possible.
 
My children are fully aware that standard discipline revolves around the concept of the steel fist in the iron glove. However, sanctions are only imposed if they step over the clearly defined line. They are happy, well adjusted kids with a healthy contempt for football, soap opera, reality TV, Tony Blair and anything else that is a Bad Thing.

Mind you, we also insist on family mealtimes, doing things together, belonging to sports clubs, boating and other non PC activities. Must be a lesson here somewhere:-)
 
Just had a guest staying who was a fireman who worked around Luton.
He tells me that they won't leave their appliance unattended as the local little toe-rags will have the shutters up and be off with anything that's not bolted down.
Now that does bring things into perspective I suppose.

(Still can't stand screaming kids)
 
Looks like I'll need to change the title of this thread. Frankly I'm amazed that so many agree. Presumably the knucledraggers who allow their brats to misbehave so badly don't read Scuttlebutt. Well they wouldn't would they. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Cheers,

Colin
 
i must admit that whileI agree that some parents ruin the peace by letting their kids run wild,I think we have had more cause for complaining about noisy partying adults .
 
Re: Is the WiFi now working?

No need to apologise. Yup its all up and working (I'm posting this using it) and free for the moment, that'll be changing soon. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Nip over next time you're down and I'll set you up with a username/password.

Cheers,

Colin
 
Despite agreeing with a lot of what has been said, there is a real feeling of intolerance on this thread. We are pretty new to the parenting business and so far( fingers crossed), are managing to bring up a fairly chilled toddler who has a set bed time and routine which we try not to vary too much. I would hate to turn up at an event or social gathering and to be guilty until proven innocent. On the whole, our little girl does go to bed by 1830 and sleeps through, allowing us to have a chilled evening on the boat, and sometimes even off the boat within sight and with a baby listener. There are however the odd evenings where things don't go so well for whatever reason and this makes me feels incredibly guilty about potentially upsetting other people with a bit of noise, especially remembering how intolerant I was before having children. I think the majority of people involved in boating have a social conscience and it is the minority who offend.

I have come to the conclusion you just have to accept "other peoples children" in society otherwise you just become bitter, stressed and angry, which spoils you fun even more. A I also feel strongly that parents should keep their kids under control for minimum impact on other people.
 
[ QUOTE ]
remembering how intolerant I was before having children.

[/ QUOTE ]So why, now that you have children, should the rest of us all become tolerant as well?
 
Re: They\'ll grow out of it!

Kids- it's not always bad parenting, some kids just don't respond. Nature vs nurture and all that, it's not always down to a strict forumla.

I was a boatie kid- I grew up on one from 7 till 14, a live aboard and I didn't go to school, and hung out with other cruising kids- and I don't remember being a nightmare- apart from a few mishaps like me drinking a glass of white spirit accidentally by thinking it was water and mising it with Robinson's cordial... But I think it was an amazing sense of freedom, and I think having kids of boats- well it is one place where you can completely let lose- isn't that the whole point of sailing- a kind of escapism, kids will be kids, and I am sure the parents are just as pained listening to them as all the surrounding boats!

Feel sorry for the parents, they are the ones that have to live with them.

Rhi
 
Hi Dralex,

I think you misunderstand my point. I have had children (not personally you understand) and realise that sometimes things go wrong.

What I am EXTREMELY intolerant of are those knuckledraggers who just stand by, or even encourage, their brats to make life a misery for the rest of us.

Cheers

Colin
 
I remained intolerant of bad behaviour even when we had 3 of our own. If they made a nuisance affecting others they were told to stop it. The one thing that can't be stopped is the noise of excited voices and, for some reason, the screams of little girls. (why is it that all little girls scream but boys never do?)

A french family with 3 kids under 10 rafted up on us in Mevagissey recently. We were expecting to be disturbed but were pleasantly surprised to find that they played in the dinghy, crab hunting etc. for several hours and there was just one brief wail at bedtime. I wonder if it was just them or a general French thing.
 
Almost everyone who is, has been or will be, a parent will forgive a tantrum or two from an otherwise reasonable kid. It is the ones who are allowed to misbehave loudly and publicly, disturbing everyone else, are completely out of any control, and do not respond to polite requests to shut up or go away - those are the ones being complained about by most of us.
 
Agree totally. In reply to Lakesailor, I think I may have been intolerant at times with the parents who really could do nothing about it, such as babies and toddlers on planes. I feel guilty about being intolerant to people who were trying.

I don't think we should have to tolerate antisocial behaviour, but personally, it winds me up more if I think about it too hard. I hate inconsiderate behaviour, but how the hell do we change a large proportion of people in our society. I will approach people sometimes, but very often find the response is to try to wind you up even more. You've got me started now.
 
It's only when I became a parent that I realised that there is a clear distinction between the noise that can be controlled (sometimes) (shouting / screaming of older children at play etc.) from that which can't (10-month old with teeth appearing). Somewhere in the process, you just get used to the racket.

Of course, this doesn't mean that because the parents have become de-sensitised that you should too: it's in the constitution that you have the right to use a disapproving face and shake your head whenever a child disturbs your peace, puncture footballs before returning them, etc.

dralex: you really shouldn't feel guilty. It was only going on hols to Greece that reminded me that the "be grumpy to children / emulate the child-catcher" is a peculiarly British thing that we do very well. The med approach is much more laid back/tolerant, at least until they get a bit bigger.

dv.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I wonder if it was just them or a general French thing.

[/ QUOTE ]No, French kids are just as bad as British ones. I have a slew of nieces and nephews whose father's idea of discipline was 'Give 'em what they want so they'll shut up.' /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif They were a ghastly set of brats. Funny thing is, as teenagers and young adults now, they're delightful. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Well it may not be the case that all non-Brit kids are quiet but the Belgian pair on the boat next door yesterday were the only quiet ones in the area. And when they did shout it was to point out to their father that the water tank was full ! Better methinks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top