the_bird said:I probably worded that reply too tersely. I just react pretty negatively to the whole "children should be seen, not heard" attitude that's implicit in some of the comments.
Does this mean that she runs wild? Of course not - she gets consequences when she truly misbehaves, but I'm not about to repress her natural enthusiasm. Daddy isn't someone that she's going to learn to fear.
Agreed ... Furthermore, the comments that it's a parents fault and "they should do something" to stop their kid from being a kid are rather annoying. I'm more than certain that the vast majority of those making those comments or believing that certainly weren't absolute angels at all times while out in public when they were children.
The fact of the matter is that kids 2-6 years old are the same now as they were 10 years ago, 20 years ago and even 30 years ago. I'm sure that all of us, as children (maybe even as adults), are guilty of throwing a fit in the grocery store cause we didn't get Cookie Crisp cereal or yelling at our parents because we didn't want to buy new socks.
Everytime my son starts acting like the 3 year old he is in the store cause he wants to go look at the toy isle and I get dirty looks from 20-something kids, I just glare right back, and if they keep it up, I'll make a note to follow them throughout the store just to annoy them even more. It's my little way of having fun.