F...people who tell you how to parent

Yes, i definately will agree. My wife and I don't ever say anything to friends about how they should parent. However, it's kind of crazy some of the things that parents will and won't allow.

Only 1 time in my life have I ever saw things so bad that I felt the need to say something. It was a long time ago, i was still in the Air National Guard, and was out with my wife (we were just dating still at the time).

We were at a resteraunt in Deer Lake, PA. Not to sound discriminating, but there was a young, trashy looking girl, with her 2 kids. No lie this girl couldnt have been older than 18..I say trashy and i mean she looked like an absolute gutter slut. I cant imagine who would have done it with her....seriously.

Anyway, her 2 spawns were raising absolute holy hell. One was screaming a blood-curdeling scream so bad, that its face was as red as our jerseys...The other patrons kept looking, but were too scared to do anything.

So me, in uniform and all, walked over and POLITLEY, asked her if she could please do something, because it was ruining it for the other customers...She looked embarassed and all, but started yelling at me "F you, baby killer, and all this stuff". It was horrible. I was used to the comments and stuff, but i was kind of shocked...

Anyway, they left 2 mins later, after who i think was the manager told them they had to go. I think it was funny that the little gangster boyfriend/husband/whatever, never even made eye contact with me the whole time...

Anyway, that had to be done. But i would never call somebody out on a seat belt issue or something like that.....just dont ruin my dinner...grr

In general I think people should mind their own business more often.

Words to live by right there.

Here's a question: What do you do if you see a person disciplining a small child (say less than 4) in a grocery store by using excessive force - slapping, hitting or otherwise violent behavior?

Do you say something? Ignore it?

well like what would you guys do if you would have been in my situation. Granted, that is the extreme and not the general thing you encounter, but still....someone had to do something there. I wasn't going to take my then-girlfriend and just leave....

Here's a question: What do you do if you see a person disciplining a small child (say less than 4) in a grocery store by using excessive force - slapping, hitting or otherwise violent behavior?

Do you say something? Ignore it?

I think thats a tough one. I dont know what i would do, but at the same time i wouldn't know the situation. I do know enough to know that "time outs" or a "talking to" has a 0% effect on children today. There has to be a safe, happy balance.

I would get my ass kicked as a kid...not abuse at all, but when i screwed up, i got what was coming to me. And that's why i'm still behaved and respectful today....never been in trouble with the law, etc....i think good discipline gets overlooked in today's world...

I think thats a tough one. I dont know what i would do, but at the same time i wouldn't know the situation. I do know enough to know that "time outs" or a "talking to" has a 0% effect on children today. There has to be a safe, happy balance.

I would get my ass kicked as a kid...not abuse at all, but when i screwed up, i got what was coming to me. And that's why i'm still behaved and respectful today....never been in trouble with the law, etc....i think good discipline gets overlooked in today's world...

You're opening a whole different can of worms here. Discipline doesn't have to mean a beating or ass kicking. If you got your "ass kicked", sounds like abuse to me.

well like what would you guys do if you would have been in my situation. Granted, that is the extreme and not the general thing you encounter, but still....someone had to do something there. I wasn't going to take my then-girlfriend and just leave....


I as a parent I would have ignored it and sucked it up, by the description of the mother sounds like you were in a cheap family restaurant not Ruth Chris Steak House.

On my flight back from the West Coast a young couple had a 10 or 12 month old on the plane and he was just plain miserable. I felt so sad becasue that easily could have been me with my son. I want to help them but not tell them what to do. Towards the end he was real bad just tired and hungry and sick of the plane I am sure. So I grabbed into my carry on and brought out a truck I bought for my son and open the tray and started to play with it. It caught his attention and the parents asked if he could play with it. It quieted him down for a good while.

Remember this when you hear a screaming baby at one time you were that screaming baby and that screaming baby also represents our future as race so give him/her the benefit of the doubt someday you may need them.


Now if I saw a baby in danger or being abused I would step no question.

Sorry Matt,

i should clarify. Our father had a stern hand...maybe by today's rules, it would be classified as abuse. BUT, i can tell you, that is what kept me out of trouble, and i thank my dad for that.

I do not believe in the "hands off" parenting approach that so many people take these days. I think a spanking, or even worse, a whipping, may be deserved for some things...

I hope i didnt mislead anybody

I think thats a tough one. I dont know what i would do, but at the same time i wouldn't know the situation. I do know enough to know that "time outs" or a "talking to" has a 0% effect on children today. There has to be a safe, happy balance.

I would get my ass kicked as a kid...not abuse at all, but when i screwed up, i got what was coming to me. And that's why i'm still behaved and respectful today....never been in trouble with the law, etc....i think good discipline gets overlooked in today's world...

I'd like to know where you got this information.