LQS Complaints--Other shoe; same foot.

If I may interject... is it so bad to bring unruly children into a store? I mean, does the fact that children roam, crawl, and yell make them unruly? I do not mean to be facetious (or maybe I am just being defensive), but we often go to our LQS as a whole family. DH sits on the floor and tries to keep the two kids under control. But, kids crawl and roam. Sometimes they yell. We do not permit them to touch the fabric, walls, displays, anything.

If we could not bring children in, then I'm relegated to only ordering fabric online. Or DH has to stay outside with the kids, and that's not always the best place to be.

Obviously, there ought to be some standard for basic politeness, such as regarding cell phones, making outrageous return demands, etc. However, isn't there any room so that children, while being children, would still be allowed to go into a little store without raising eyebrows?

-- Anita --

Children who roam, crawl and yell *are* unruly. It's not unreasonable to expect children to be taught consideration for others at an early age, and that includes understanding where that sort of behavior is and is not acceptable.

I know I had it easier as a parent by having just one child, but even so, I had been known for taking a cart with several items in it to a clerk and telling her I'm sorry, but I have to go, and dragging my 'unruly' 2-year-old child out of there. She soon learned how to behave, because she loved to go shopping with me, and hated it when I cut the trip short because she didn't behave. I only had to do it twice. She is now 25 and extremely polite and well-mannered, and complains about other people's unruly children. Just like her mom. :)

If one wants to let 'children be children', one should do it in their own house, or backyard, or a playground, where that sort of behavior is acceptable. If you haven't bothered to teach your children how to behave in restaurants and stores, then don't take them until you have.

I got bonked on the head with a spoon wielded by a 3-year-old in a restaurant last week. I didn't even get an apology from her parents, so this is absolutely a sore subject with me.

That's outrageous. An unruly small kid hit me at a parish picnic, back when my kids were small and I was holding a toy the kid thought was his (but actually belonged to us). The mother didn't apologize. The grandfather picked him up and the kid proceeded to pummel his grandfather's bald pate. They made no attempt to control this violence. Easy to see why the kid felt free to punch a strange adult.

More recently, I have a new neighbor with an unruly toddler that hauled off and hit my dog while my dog was playing with their new puppy (my dog is still a puppy herself). Fortunately Rommi flinched away in time to miss the full force of the blow, so she wasn't badly hurt, but at four pounds, she's a tiny dog and even a small child can seriously injure her. The mother did apologize, but she did absolutely nothing to control her child. The kid ran around completely ignoring her. The puppy is half husky and clearly of a naturally dominant disposition, and she wasn't doing anything about that either. Gonna be interesting to see how *that* plays out.

Thanks to everyone for your insights! Sometimes it just helps to hear from others who are both parents and not parents! I think I am doing well. I remove her when she gets out of control, I try to entertain her while shopping, making sure she has toys, snacks or drinks as necessary, and leave her elsewhere when I know I cannot properly pay attention to her (like at the fabric stores!) or I do go when she will sleep in the stroller through TSWLTH! I try to make sure that I pay attention to her at all times so that she is not touching anything she's not allowed to touch, and I am insistent that she learn what I have come to term "Old fashioned behaviour." You know, the kind we grew up with...based on respect for our fellow humans!

Sometimes I have to shop with her being a terror, but usually only when I have to get to the pharmacy for medication and it just can't be helped...but I try to avoid those situations too!

For anyone who might receive a bonk on the head from my DD, I apologize in advance! *grin*

Dannielle

blackrosequilts wrote:

When my kids were about 6-18 months old (30+ years ago), I used a back pack carrier while shopping with them. They were generally pretty content because they could see what was going on around them and they were close to Mom. They got lots of attention because not too many people used the back carriers. The kids even fell asleep on my back once in a while.

Julia in MN

I'm gonna have my new little one in a front pouch carrier and the older one in the stroller, or the little one in the stroller and the bigger one with a tether. Although the bigger one is pretty good about staying right with me...

Dannielle

Julia > When my kids were about 6-18 months old (30+ years ago), I used a back

That's what I did with Rocky. He went in the Baby Bjorn while Pillbug was in the stroller. However, that did not last long. Rocky was

-- Anita --

If the quilt shop is small, and they were busy, I wouldn't even bring DH in. Nothing worse than trying to get to something and having a person just standing aimlessly in the way.

C>

Gee that's funny.

I have concerns about taking DW with me to a fabric store because the salespeople only pay attention to her and I become invisible. Of course, when I go by myself, I'm still invisible. I asked a store manager once if I needed to bring in my DW so I could get assistance? At least the people at the Viking shops know me to be an owner and a user! [uuhh, i do get permission from DW to use the SMs but the serger is mine, albeit purchased with her permission, and of course she may use it:)]

klh >If the quilt shop is small, and they were busy, I wouldn't even bring DH in.

LOL my brother was 15 pounds at *birth* good thing the prams then were bigger!

ROFLOL!! I reckon one of my nieces wouldn't be much heavier than Sofi and she starts school next year!!! She is almost 5 and is so petite her "bottoms" are a size 2!!!

DS will be in first and he can still wear some 4t and 5t shorts..for long pants, it's either sweats that I make him, or 6 slims (prefereably with the adjustable waistbands!!). DD (32 months) is roughly 27 pounds and is just now wearing 18-24 month clothing - with the waists taken in a bit

Well, it could be worse, they could be obese...just have to keep feeding them healthy food, and the docs will tell me if there is something to be worried about. So far, their pediatrician says they are probably the healthiest children he's seen in a while!!

Larisa

LOL...it sounds like our kids are similar size wise, My 9 1/2 year old DD will be going into 5th grade in Sept. and the summer clothes I just bought her were shorts size 6X and 7, and tops size 7/8 :-) She's 52 lbs and 52" tall. DS is 3 1/2 and still wearing 18mo and 2t pants and 3t tops (he's 37" tall and 35lbs) Tracey in CT

And mine are tall tall - my 6 year old is in size 7 stuff...and it is getting too short. I have to be really careful with dresses for both girls, their butt hangs out of stuff that isn't made to be long...

Roberta (in VA)

Thank you!

My son would die were I to share his height and weight at any age on a public forum to be archived for all eternity. Suffice it to say that we currently call him string bean ;-)

marcella

Oh, gee. Welcome to our world.

Cindy