DEAR ABBY: What do I say to people who give me unsolicited parenting advice or scold my daughter in public? I would never interfere with another parent or direct a child who isn't in my care. What gives these people the right to barge into someone else's life in such a way?
I have been chastised for letting my daughter sit on the floor while waiting in a long line, letting her be more than 4 feet away from me in the aisles, and allowing her to speak loudly. She's 3. I don't hire a sitter for running errands and I can't leave her in the car.
It's hard enough wrangling an energetic kid while trying to shop, do banking or send mail without being constantly pestered by strangers. Do you have any thoughts on this? -- MOM IN HILLSBORO, ORE.
DEAR MOM: If your child is so disruptive that individuals feel the need to intervene or offer "parenting advice," then it's time you took some of it to heart. If she's bored while you're doing errands, bring something along for her to do rather than use her "outside voice" or run wild in the aisles.
How about "buzz off beitch!"? But, seriously, how can kids learn if they are never allowed to be anywhere in the first place? Those are teachable moments. And, sorry you don't like a little whiny noise from my kids, but i have to put up with adults boorish, rude, loud and smelly behavior all over the place. So, there are times i took my kids out and they had a melt down and i used those times to teach them.
How about "buzz off beitch!"? But, seriously, how can kids learn if they are never allowed to be anywhere in the first place? Those are teachable moments. And, sorry you don't like a little whiny noise from my kids, but i have to put up with adults boorish, rude, loud and smelly behavior all over the place. So, there are times i took my kids out and they had a melt down and i used those times to teach them.
I think the problem appears to be that LW is not using it as teaching moments.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
It isn't about "not being allowed" it's about a kid being allowed to be a brat.
If others are correcting your child often enough that you need to write an advice column, the problem isn't other people being in your business. It's you not taking care of your business.
Look. Mom of 3 who took her kids every where right here. Yes. They get tired and the could become disruptive.
But that whole "how are they supposed to learn" is pointless if the parent isn't teaching.
That means learning not to be loud, staying with you, and the parent knowing when it's time for a break or even time to call it a day.
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