Can we talk?

Kids in Stores

      Too many people take their kids shopping without teaching them good manners first. They destroy the stores, the merchandise, and wear down the nerves of shopkeepers and customers.

      Babies and toddlers should not be out past their bedtimes or at their mealtimes. That would do a lot to reduce crying, whinging, and temperfits. The parents should learn early on not to give in to every whim of the child, too. Disicpline of the parent leads to discipline of the child. I realize that children, even within the same family, can have different temperments. But the parents need to learn how to deal with them or leave the problem children with a baby sitter until they learn how to behave in public.

      Children need a routine, a consistent bedtime, a consistent mealtime, and consistent naptime. They need to learn from the look on mother's face or some special word when to curb bad behavior (or behavior that they don't realize is bad). They need to learn words, like "please" and "thank you" and not cry when they don't get an immediate response to their requests. When they misbehave, the family should leave the store without making a purchase. The child needs to learn what not to do, instead of being rewarded or tolerated for bad behavior. And other people shouldn't suffer from the child's outrageous crying or yelling.

    I'm not in favor of face smacking or whipping, but the undesired behavior needs to be nipped in the bud. I'm tired of the increasingly wild children in public and parents who don't seem to care.