smiles33
05-28-2011, 01:41 AM
I thought of the BBB moms today while my family and I were at our local amusement park (geared more toward toddlers and elementary school students). I wonder how you would have handled the situation. I also don't know that the thread title is accurate, as it isn't really discipline (since there were no consequences) but more about not allowing a kid to get away with bad behavior.
Basically, I had 3 groups of boys (none older than 12!) try to cut in front of me and my 5 year old in line! It was a busy day with several schools on organized trips (students in uniforms or matching t shirts). Most were woefully under-chaperoned so I saw roaming groups of boys.
The first 2 boys were probably 8 or 9 and they pushed through everyone all the way to the front of the line. I assumed they might have been in the restroom and were just rejoining their group, but when the mom at the front of the line looked at them and then looked at her friend funny, I leaned over and asked nicely if the boys were with her. When she shook her head no, I immediately said, "boys, you need to go to the back of the line now. It is not nice to cut and you better not do it again." Ironically, there were at least 30 other adults in the line between them and me (I was in the part of the queue that wrapped around so I could see the front of the line). A mom later thanked me for saying something but I can't believe no one else was going to say anything. Parents just kept looking at one another.
Then we got back in line to ride the same ride again and 2 older boys came to join the group standing directly in front of us after we had spent 20 minutes in the line. The chaperone of the group (all the kids were in uniform) asked where these 2 boys' chaperone was and told them to go back to her. The boys said they didn't want to and started smiling and laughing. She turned her back to them as if to give up so I loudly said, "You are not staying here." They sheepishly turned and went back to the end of the line.
I just don't get it. Why didn't anyone else say anything? Am I the only one with low tolerance for poor manners in children? Is it that people are afraid some parent will be upset that you "disciplined" their child? Or that because they got some slack since they weren't obnoxious teens but overeager elementary school boys? Maybe it is different when the parents aren't around? The kids just weren't listening to the field trip chaperones. I was very glad I spoke out but truly surprised that no one else did before me.
For the record, I am not a person any of my friends or family would describe as aggressive or confrontational.
Basically, I had 3 groups of boys (none older than 12!) try to cut in front of me and my 5 year old in line! It was a busy day with several schools on organized trips (students in uniforms or matching t shirts). Most were woefully under-chaperoned so I saw roaming groups of boys.
The first 2 boys were probably 8 or 9 and they pushed through everyone all the way to the front of the line. I assumed they might have been in the restroom and were just rejoining their group, but when the mom at the front of the line looked at them and then looked at her friend funny, I leaned over and asked nicely if the boys were with her. When she shook her head no, I immediately said, "boys, you need to go to the back of the line now. It is not nice to cut and you better not do it again." Ironically, there were at least 30 other adults in the line between them and me (I was in the part of the queue that wrapped around so I could see the front of the line). A mom later thanked me for saying something but I can't believe no one else was going to say anything. Parents just kept looking at one another.
Then we got back in line to ride the same ride again and 2 older boys came to join the group standing directly in front of us after we had spent 20 minutes in the line. The chaperone of the group (all the kids were in uniform) asked where these 2 boys' chaperone was and told them to go back to her. The boys said they didn't want to and started smiling and laughing. She turned her back to them as if to give up so I loudly said, "You are not staying here." They sheepishly turned and went back to the end of the line.
I just don't get it. Why didn't anyone else say anything? Am I the only one with low tolerance for poor manners in children? Is it that people are afraid some parent will be upset that you "disciplined" their child? Or that because they got some slack since they weren't obnoxious teens but overeager elementary school boys? Maybe it is different when the parents aren't around? The kids just weren't listening to the field trip chaperones. I was very glad I spoke out but truly surprised that no one else did before me.
For the record, I am not a person any of my friends or family would describe as aggressive or confrontational.