OK...I need feedback from sane people!

[Passionfruition]

Ha, and I thought a cellphone ringing during the "moment of silence" in the opening prayer of our church's christmas concert tonight was bad enough. At least it was just a cellphone ring! A baby crying the whole time is pretty much the worst imaginible. Umm, it doesn't have a "silence" or "off" button. Crying babies need to be taken OUT asap.

Tonight was my church's christmas concert and I'm the pastor's kid - well, my family all sat together and my MOM'S cellphone went off during the moment of silence in the opening prayer "to get our hearts and minds into the spirit of Christmas," so said the minister of music - right before my mom's cellphone and the most annoying ring EVER started going off, & there we sat in the 5th row of the huge auditorium. OMG it was soooo embarassing.

Mine and Eli's phones were on silent, I mean GEEZ mom, LOL! She fumbled thru her purse foreeeeever before she found it and turned it off, too. I mean it was really, really bad. Of ALL people, my mom, the administration pastor's wife!

I'll be laughing for years over this. But, if I didn't know the situation, I would have been pissed at "that person's" lack of respect not to put her phone on silent before the service started.

[eensor]

Once at a Midnight Christmas Eve service this man had a watch on that started playing the U of Alabama fight song! I laughed until I cried! Actually, yesterday, there were plenty of exits and even another room she could have easily gone into with the child. I did make a point of seeking her out to say something to her though. I feel bad about that. Why couldn't I just ignore it like the other 249 people there? I' feeling like I should call her dad and get her phone # to apologize to her. I didn't mean to hurt her feelings, I just wanted her to be aware that she should take him out next time. I don't think I showed a very tolerant Christmas attitude toward her. I did tell her the baby was very cute, and he was. I love babies and always play with them when I see one somewhere. That just irritated the stew out of me and now I feel like I hurt someone's feelings. When will I ever learn to keep my big mouth shut??????

[bettyeanne]

Elizabeth ... you were absolutely within your rights ... quit beating yourself up!!! There is absolutely nothing more irritating than a child/baby misbehaving and the parent just seemingly ignoring it! What?? Do they actually think it is cute??? Every church we have ever attended has a nursery where you can leave smaller children! Even if they don't provide one for every service, they certainly provide one for those special services!!

Don't feel bad at all!!! The worse that can happen is for you to forever be known as "Mean old Mrs. Eensor"!!!!

[eensor]

Originally Posted by bettyeanne

Elizabeth ... you were absolutely within your rights ... quit beating yourself up!!! There is absolutely nothing more irritating than a child/baby misbehaving and the parent just seemingly ignoring it! What?? Do they actually think it is cute??? Every church we have ever attended has a nursery where you can leave smaller children! Even if they don't provide one for every service, they certainly provide one for those special services!!

Don't feel bad at all!!! The worse that can happen is for you to forever be known as "Mean old Mrs. Eensor"!!!!

Waaaaahhh!!!! I want to be "Sweet Old Mrs. Ensor......" Call me, I'm up!

[bettyeanne]

Originally Posted by eensor

Waaaaahhh!!!! I want to be "Sweet Old Mrs. Ensor......" Call me, I'm up!

Will in a little bit!! We're in Alabama and "the bear" and his teeny "shadow" just got up for coffee & kibble!!!

[eensor]

Originally Posted by bettyeanne

Will in a little bit!! We're in Alabama and "the bear" and his teeny "shadow" just got up for coffee & kibble!!!

He's the sweetest bear I ever talked to on the phone! Give Toto a kiss from all of us! If you're busy in Alabama, don't worry about calling, I'm okay!

[centralnewyorki]

I don't think you did anything wrong, Elizabeth- that's just rude. On a recent flight I took, there was a mother, father and 3 children on the plane. I was 2 seats in front of the father and the 2 youngest children. Now, let me say- I LOVE children. However, on the flight, the kids were making so much noise and just being plain irritating. The father sat next to them reading the paper and didn't even say anything to them. I felt so bad for the people sitting right in front of them. Planes are loud, and I could hear them perfectly. I kept thinking "just because you have to put up with them doesn't mean the rest of the flight should have to." Grrr...

One of my best friends was just commended at McDonalds for how well behaved her children were. An older woman came up to them and said that they weren't thrilled when 4 children sat next to her while eating, but she was so impressed with how well behaved they were. My friend says that she doesn't care if the kids are crazy at home, but they WILL be well behaved in public. I think that is how all parents should think.

[Sherry Lynn]

Susan, we were on a flight back from the west coast one time, and a lady started to change a poopy diaper in the seat next to my husband!! Then got offended when my husband asked her to take it back to the changing station in the back!! LOL And he NEVER says anything to people like I would! lol Too much for even him to handle!!

I am generous with praise when I see well behaved children, though.

[Bentley&BitsysMom]

Originally Posted by eensor

Once at a Midnight Christmas Eve service this man had a watch on that started playing the U of Alabama fight song! I laughed until I cried! Actually, yesterday, there were plenty of exits and even another room she could have easily gone into with the child. I did make a point of seeking her out to say something to her though. I feel bad about that. Why couldn't I just ignore it like the other 249 people there? I' feeling like I should call her dad and get her phone # to apologize to her. I didn't mean to hurt her feelings, I just wanted her to be aware that she should take him out next time. I don't think I showed a very tolerant Christmas attitude toward her. I did tell her the baby was very cute, and he was. I love babies and always play with them when I see one somewhere. That just irritated the stew out of me and now I feel like I hurt someone's feelings. When will I ever learn to keep my big mouth shut??????

Elizabeth, you are just the sweetest thing! My cell phone went off in church a few months ago and I could have crawled into a whole...I was soooooo embarassed!!! I read a few of these last post about well behaved children and since I talk about my yorkies all the time, I am gonna brag on my youngest son Thomas for just a minute...I can't tell you how many times I have been out in public and had someone tell me what a well behaved child I have. He is so good and so courteous and respectful and he can carry on a conversation and build a report with anyone in a matter of minutes. He's only nine but I have been complimented by so many about his manners since he started toddling and learning to talk It happens on a regular basis and I am so thankful....and a little proud

[toninm]

I dont think it was bad at all....this will probably get me into trouble for saying, but I dont really care....I think that approperiate thing to do when your child crys is to take them outside.

[StewiesMom]

I think you were right in what you said/did. Just a few rules:

1. Don't take your annoying, stupid kid to a nice restaurant, concert or other place where adults pay good money and spend time trying to enjoy themselves.
2. If you are stupid enough to take your kid to one of these said place, if they misbehave, LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. Do not pass Go; do not collect $200 dollars.

Parenting, in my opinion is an art form... and let's face it... not everyone is an artist.
Well-behaved (non-annoying/stupid) kids are welcome anywhere.

My four nephews are TERRORS. I told their mother that they are NEVER allowed in my home again, unless she shapes up as a mother. It's not their fault - it's hers.

[miezzi]

I would have done the same thing too!!!! Parents just don't get it sometimes.
I work in a hair salon, and why women bring their 2 or 3 yr olds with them for a 2 or 3 hour appt is beyond my comprehension. They cannot sit still for that long, even if they bring them a million toys with them. Well, one time, there was a 3 yr old running up and dow the salon. I turned to him and said, "please, no running. We don't want you slipping and falling." Thats all I said. The mother, who wasn't my client told me I didn't have the right to yell at her son and she would take care of it. I thought to myself, OK whatever. She will take care of it. She just looked at her son and said-no running honey! OK! OMG! Thats how she took care of it. Well 2 minutes later, he was running again, and at this point his mother was getting her hair washed, and low and behold, he tripped over one of our mats we stand on and tripped hard, and knocked into the stylist at that chair, which then she was doing a haircut and when he hit her, she ended up cutting herself BAD! Our scissors are very sharp. The mother came runnning over, grabbed her son and said its ok, its not your fault. He really didn't get hurt, just a sore leg. ANd she didn't even apologize to the stylist for what he did. So her assistant had to take her to the ER and she ended up with 6 stitches and not bein able to work for 2 weeks! ANd the client never offered to help pay her bill or say she was sorry! OMG! Insane! And the next time that client came back, she brouht her kid again and he was running all over the place again. So the stylist went up to the kid, and took him over to the chair and made him sit down. She didn't care what the mother would say. And she said to the kid, you really hurt me last time and made me go tot he hospital, and now you HAVE to sit still before you end up hurting someone else. His eyes got real big like he has never been talked to like that before, and he did sit still! The mother on the other hand was not too pleased, but stylist didn't care! So now we tell that story to all the moms who bring their kids to the shop and they start to misbehave. Sometimes it works and sometimes not. But some mothers need to take responsibility for their kids!!!!

[schatzie]

Originally Posted by StewiesMom

I think you were right in what you said/did. Just a few rules:

1. Don't take your annoying, stupid kid to a nice restaurant, concert or other place where adults pay good money and spend time trying to enjoy themselves.
2. If you are stupid enough to take your kid to one of these said place, if they misbehave, LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. Do not pass Go; do not collect $200 dollars.

Parenting, in my opinion is an art form... and let's face it... not everyone is an artist.
Well-behaved (non-annoying/stupid) kids are welcome anywhere.

My four nephews are TERRORS. I told their mother that they are NEVER allowed in my home again, unless she shapes up as a mother. It's not their fault - it's hers.

Nice rules!

[centralnewyorki]

Originally Posted by StewiesMom

It's not their fault - it's hers.

So true, Kristy! I wish more parents would understand that (for the most part) their children are what they make them. I am always appalled watching Super Nanny, and can't believe how the children act and treat their parents. Then I stop and think, wait, that child didn't learn to say the "F" word, spit, hit, punch, etc. from Santa- it was from mom or dad (or someone they allowed their child to be around.) My mom wasn't a strict mom for the most part, but I would have never acted out in public because she taught me better than that. My mom didn't really teach me to fear her, but to respect her and her rules, and I think that is what a lot more parents need to demand from their children today.

[eensor]

Well...I hunted her down today and apologized to her for what I said. I just couldn't stand having hurt someone's feelings even if her baby did scream for an hour and a half. She graciously accepted my apology and I feel better having done it.