29 July 2008

Controlling the toddlers?

| belray
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Every so often, me and my wife head into the Canberra Centre to have a wander around, maybe have a coffee and basically kill time. Unfortunately, of late I have noticed a disturbing practice. I have seen un-controlled toddlers running under the feet of shoppers, which caused significant congestion as they try to avoid walking on them. As if this isn’t bad and dangerous enough, the parent/s are standing there watching them with a stupid grin on their face saying things like “how cute” or “watch out baby”, without even attempting to retrieve the active youngster. I wonder how cute it would be if a shopping trolley ran one of them over? Whose fault would it be, especially since at times they can’t be seen until it is too late, thus un-avoidable.

I have four kids, who now range from 10-17 yo, thus I know what it is like to have a toddler. I also know that toddlers can and should be controlled in public places. I believe that it is the parents responsibility to control their toddlers in a public place where there is the potential for harm.

To that end, if you are one of the parents who refuse to control your toddler, please re-consider the practice as it is dangerous and I for one, do not wish to knock over a little one.

Thanks for reading…..

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vg said :

To the OP

If kids scare you that much lock yourself in the cupboard as its a terrifying world out there.

Kids will be kids. The herding cats analogy is quite apt.

Get a life and don’t be so miserable, or open your eyes and do what a normal person would when something obstructs them, move around it.

And to the posters who think its fun to rigidly adhere to the principal of not getting out of the way of kids and knocking them over, think again, the next kid you knock over could be mine……and then I’ll knock you over

i second that comment. but then, I may already have spiked you with my pram.

To the OP

If kids scare you that much lock yourself in the cupboard as its a terrifying world out there.

Kids will be kids. The herding cats analogy is quite apt.

Get a life and don’t be so miserable, or open your eyes and do what a normal person would when something obstructs them, move around it.

And to the posters who think its fun to rigidly adhere to the principal of not getting out of the way of kids and knocking them over, think again, the next kid you knock over could be mine……and then I’ll knock you over

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

So we’ve got a worst case scenario here – little kid vs Goliath, airtime, glass, the works – and yet nobody was hurt. Kid squawked, parent had a sense of perspective, all good. Hardly worth harsh adjectives like ‘disturbing’ or ‘dangerous’, is it?

good job the little kid didn’t have a sling and a rock, then?

Woody Mann-Caruso11:03 am 30 Jul 08

So we’ve got a worst case scenario here – little kid vs Goliath, airtime, glass, the works – and yet nobody was hurt. Kid squawked, parent had a sense of perspective, all good. Hardly worth harsh adjectives like ‘disturbing’ or ‘dangerous’, is it?

So, when was the last time anybody actually saw a rogue toddler get hurt in a busy mall? I’ve been a mallrat since I could walk, and I’ve never seen it happen.

WMC, I was walking through Belconnen mall with a friend who is about 150kg of solid muscle. A child of a bout 4 or 5 running amok through through the crowed ran into him and bounced off into the glass front of a bank. I think he even got air before he hit the wall. It made an impresive noise and he screamed before he hit the floor. My friend shrugged, laughed and walked off. Funniest thing I saw!

Fortunatly the mother realised the kid was being stupid and chastised him for it and not my mate.

niftydog said :

bd84 said :

Keep left should apply on shopping centres too…
people who stand in the middle of the walkway and have a good chat…
give way rule should apply to the people exiting shops…

AMEN!!!

Not to mention the nob-ends who won’t even rotate their shoulders slightly as they squeeze past you in the crowd. I have to try really hard not to just shoulder-barge people to the floor some times. I’m fairly short and solid, so when I’m feeling ruthless I can make like an immovable object!

spare a thought for the parent who has decided to keep the kids in the pram or stroller. I have asked my wife if I can fit a huge sharp spike on the front of the pram, or a cow catcher, perhaps, to ensure that the idiots who step in front of me and stop won’t do it again. stepping over the pram is another good one, particularly when they are off balance. a shove of the pram and down they go.

(I don’t do this often, but occasionally, I need to.)

and the 12 member family walking at 2inches per hour? please let me knock em down like skittles.

It is often when I am trying to get a wailing child to the parent’s room that I discover the worst of the mall sub culture…. the old, slow ladies. they won’t move aside, they will, in fact slow down. and stop. and ask my child who has obviously filled their nappy, something along the lines of “is oo a grumpy pants?” or phrases equally nauseating. (not however as nauseating as the odor that starts to emanate from the pram)

little kids toddling around? bit of a nuisance you say?

how about the following:

Teenagers milling around because there is nothing to do
people engaged in a good catchup chat in the middle of the aisle in a supermarket – blocking it completely
elderly people who have a top speed of 2 inches an hour – or their opposite
elderly people in those blasted scooters – now i know why they don’t drive a car anymore
the people who, for no apparent reason, stop dead, making everyone else try to avoid them.
the “parents” who want to impart sage advice as to why my daughter is screaming – by the way, sage parent, you trod on her foot, you fool…..

oh and I also want spikes on the tyres. if you won’t move, I am going over your feet.

bd84 said :

Keep left should apply on shopping centres too…
people who stand in the middle of the walkway and have a good chat…
give way rule should apply to the people exiting shops…

AMEN!!!

Not to mention the nob-ends who won’t even rotate their shoulders slightly as they squeeze past you in the crowd. I have to try really hard not to just shoulder-barge people to the floor some times. I’m fairly short and solid, so when I’m feeling ruthless I can make like an immovable object!

RuffnReady said :

Some of you clearly can’t read. Belray’s objection is to toddlers on the loose in BUSY MALLS, not the toddlers themselves or any other twist you want to put on it. I agree with him, it’s irresponsible parenting. I’m a tall man who walks quickly, and if one of those kids comes out of nowhere to trip me up I could really hurt them, and then I’d be the monster despite the fact that it wasn’t my fault. Quite frankly, fark that! Take them to the friggin park if you want to let them run free. The mall is a busy public space, so show some respect for others, some basic courtesy.

PS I hate malls with a passion and avoid them at all costs. Cathedrals of hyper-consumption is what they are, a disgusting offshoot of modern market economics and the temporary prosperity the world is currently experiencing. I’m all for people buying what they need, and what they want within reason, but these places are expressly designed to trigger in the consumer impulses to buy things they didn’t even know they wanted, and to me that is horrific (and has terrible environmental/resource depletion consequences). The prominence of the mall in the lives of many is yet another sign that our culture has lost its way…

/rant

Finally! Thank you for actually reading and comprehending my original post. I too am tall (6’4″), thus I understand your point. Just to clarify, when I speak about killing time, it is a generalised saying. I use it to convey that I don’t want to or can’t be bothered going into detail about what I am doing.

I work in Civic, thus I can think of better things to do like sit on my deck or ride my motorcycle in opposition to visiting the CC (particulraly on a Friday evening – Beer….). I should have been more aware that my original post would be picked for everything rather than good old fashioned debate about the original issue.

Cheers…

minime2 said :

School holiday observation by the sit-around-and-drink-coffee people: there are Mall employees who take their “little” humans to the mall and let the “mall” babysit them all day. That is they stay inside and play. Unsupervised in the sense of what most parents would not allow. But try “speaking” to a little monster about behaviour and the parent will swoop out of nowhere like a beserk mum demanding no one repremand or chase her little boy as he will be scared (of police cars) when he gets older.

When they run in the shops or areas around, I have decided not to move aside for them – interesting results. Mum usually sh**s herself that someone ran into her kid. I suppose a Mall is just a big loungeroom to some. They should build one in Charnwood. The knife shop would do well.

So when you’re not running little kids down in shopping centres and sitting around malls drinking coffee, what is it exactly that makes you so much better than people who are guilty of letting their kids “run” and “play”?

School holiday observation by the sit-around-and-drink-coffee people: there are Mall employees who take their “little” humans to the mall and let the “mall” babysit them all day. That is they stay inside and play. Unsupervised in the sense of what most parents would not allow. But try “speaking” to a little monster about behaviour and the parent will swoop out of nowhere like a beserk mum demanding no one repremand or chase her little boy as he will be scared (of police cars) when he gets older.

When they run in the shops or areas around, I have decided not to move aside for them – interesting results. Mum usually sh**s herself that someone ran into her kid. I suppose a Mall is just a big loungeroom to some. They should build one in Charnwood. The knife shop would do well.

I think you have misunderstood my post. See post #29 for clarification. I am sure your little humans are wonderful, as are mine.

: )

Do you think ?

Are you talking to me?

The last time I looked at my children they were indeed human. I could have made a lot of money if we produced another species, imagine the income from the tabloids.

At what age do you propose a child be allowed to “stand” ? They need to learn at some point how to behave in shops, how would you suggest this happen if they are not given an chance. We’ve got two kids, one was an “bolter” who we needed to teach the rules to, the other stuck to us like glue and never left our side. How were we to know ?

I particularly love the expressions “escape” and “on the loose”.

Why must parents insist on thinking their children are human? Why must they insist on believing that a small human being has the right to *gasp* stand in a mall?

Tweens are more of a problem. i saw 2 on the weekend leaning over the mall’s balcony spitting on passers-by below. Nice!

I’m more irritated by the belray types who stroll around malls with NO SHOPPING AGENDA!

Can we control the big people too?!?

Keep left should apply on shopping centres too, instead of walking wherever you want. The next person who stops dead in front of me is going to get barreled into too as are the people who stand in the middle of the walkway and have a good chat as the crowd tries to get past. Also the give way rule should apply to the people exiting shops into the path of people passing.

I don’t mind the odd stray child, my foot breaks for avoiding little ones are still fairly good, seen some get bumped into though. I just object to the parents who don’t do a thing to stop their children running about as they like or playing chasings around the store as I saw a coupld of weeks ago, a simple “stop” or “come here” should normally suffice, no objections to a quick smack on the bum either if needs be.

Woody Mann-Caruso8:00 pm 29 Jul 08

So, when was the last time anybody actually saw a rogue toddler get hurt in a busy mall? I’ve been a mallrat since I could walk, and I’ve never seen it happen.

niftydog said :

Here’s how I see most family Friday nights panning out:
“Hey kids, I know you’ve been up since 7:30am, and that you went berserk at school all day, and that you created havoc with your siblings/friends all afternoon, and have eaten sugar laden junk food all day, but now we’re going to drag you around a place you hate until way past your bed time, fill you full of sugar and fat while we expect you not to be attracted by the marketing at your eye height and not to be swayed by peer pressure from your best mate who just bought the latest doodad while we ignore you completely and selfishly serve our own materialistic desires.”

That is totally on the damn money.

Some of you clearly can’t read. Belray’s objection is to toddlers on the loose in BUSY MALLS, not the toddlers themselves or any other twist you want to put on it. I agree with him, it’s irresponsible parenting. I’m a tall man who walks quickly, and if one of those kids comes out of nowhere to trip me up I could really hurt them, and then I’d be the monster despite the fact that it wasn’t my fault. Quite frankly, fark that! Take them to the friggin park if you want to let them run free. The mall is a busy public space, so show some respect for others, some basic courtesy.

PS I hate malls with a passion and avoid them at all costs. Cathedrals of hyper-consumption is what they are, a disgusting offshoot of modern market economics and the temporary prosperity the world is currently experiencing. I’m all for people buying what they need, and what they want within reason, but these places are expressly designed to trigger in the consumer impulses to buy things they didn’t even know they wanted, and to me that is horrific (and has terrible environmental/resource depletion consequences). The prominence of the mall in the lives of many is yet another sign that our culture has lost its way…

/rant

People who breed need to be aware that not everything they’ve heard is true re: parenting. No child development expert would recommend allowing a toddler to have whatever they want, just because they ask for it. The fact is that we live in a lazy society that demands immediate satisfaction. It is much easier to let a 20-month-old run away across polished-tile floors than it is to shout “Jimmy, stop!” and run after him. It is much easier to just allow a young toddler to sit or roll around on the floor in a thoroughfare while you have a chat, than it is to grab them and bring them back and tell them “Stay with me.”

I work with ten toddlers every day. Granted, i don’t have to take them shopping, and many of them behave much more nicely for me than for their parents, but it’s not that hard to instill a sense of responsibility in them, even at that age. I take them for walks around the local area all the time, and none of them run too far away. If they do, i get out my cranky voice, and they know i mean business.

There’s no law that says stupid people can’t breed, so unfortunately they are just a part of life that we have to put up with. Take a deep breath and walk around small child. Smile sweetly at bogan parentage and go buy a mochacino or something.

Sometimes you just yearn for the good old days of the Industrial revolution….

Ah yes, when 10 year olds earned their keep by carting huge water barrels on they’re back around London for a 2p a day.

peterh said :

control my toddlers? refuse to control my toddlers?
I might as well be herding cats.

So true.

Maybe toddlers are like cats, they hang around, get in the way and try to get as close as possible to people who don’t like and / or allergic to them. Maybe they have worked out that belray and iCanberrian are good targets.

Julius Constantius5:35 pm 29 Jul 08

Don’t let it become a problem, be proactive! Kick any children that cross your path. I know a girl that kicks babies for fun and she swears by it for therapeutic reasons. Transform a nuisance into an enjoyable past time. I say the Little bastards have it coming anyway : )

Clearly belray needs a hobby… or perhaps it’s time he bought a motorhome. ‘Killing time’ in the Canberra Centre seems somewhat less appealing than dragging myself over broken glass with my lips.

It’s the aimlessly-wandering-time-killing-muppets that do my head in! For gods sake have some respect for you fellow man and make yourself aware of the inconvenience you are causing others!

Don’t even get me started about the families of 12 that think it’s ok to walk side-by-side at 2 inches per minute on a public service pay week Friday! NNGH!

Although I must admit the ‘unruly child/ignorant parent’ thing does bug me occasionally. Boggles the mind why people think that offering their child a waffle cone full of chocolate flavoured frozen sugar-mixture is going to quiet them down!

Here’s how I see most family Friday nights panning out:
“Hey kids, I know you’ve been up since 7:30am, and that you went berserk at school all day, and that you created havoc with your siblings/friends all afternoon, and have eaten sugar laden junk food all day, but now we’re going to drag you around a place you hate until way past your bed time, fill you full of sugar and fat while we expect you not to be attracted by the marketing at your eye height and not to be swayed by peer pressure from your best mate who just bought the latest doodad while we ignore you completely and selfishly serve our own materialistic desires.”

Skidbladnir said :

TAMS should issue free leashes to those parents who need them, and give away fridge magnets to build community awareness of toddlers.

NO! FREE THE LEASH KIDS!!

seriously, pfft..we were all that young once (believe it or not..)

and believe it or not, i was in canberra center, what, yesterday? and didnt have any small children ambush me. Perhaps it’s just you.

Small children should only be allowed in the suburban shopping malls…

Jonathon Reynolds2:26 pm 29 Jul 08

Skidbladnir said :

TAMS should issue free leashes to those parents who need them.

Can’t do that… next thing you know is toddler owners be lobbying TAMS for designated “off leash” areas.

All these toddlers running amok!
This must be caused by the Roman Emperor declaring all non-productive sexual activity illegal. If you don’t like toddlers in Civic, you must be going to attend Passy’s rally on 2 August, yeah?

I was waiting for someone to mention (and maybe someone has) that this was covered in some detail here: http://the-riotact.com/?p=7765

And related to that previous discussion, Miss Jill, are you still out there? I’ve located your 2CA album, but you’re not responding to your 2CA-themed email address!

On topic, my two are well past the toddler stage and mostly controllable, unless we pass one of those teen girl shops.

Anyhoo, I’m orf to find a purple iPod for Ms Thirteen-Come-Next-Week…

We could of course stick them up chimneys.

However, as burning wood adds to greenhouses gases and we’re all going to die horribly from rising seas levels and/or heat/ cold/ flood/ famine/ cyclone/ storm/ lack of oil/ mass gerbil attacks/ etc, then sticking them up chimneys is probably not a good idea.

look, that isn’t a down side, sydney disappears beneath the waves, and we all have beach frontages……

The mass gerbil attacks are a worry….

: )

astrojax said :

You’ll have an entire antiquities area at ANU gnashing their teeth

sadly, skid, i think the classics dept was long ago subsumed into the vague humanities school, with philosophy, so the only teeth being gnashed will be at the bottom of a glass of water by a bedside lamp, its 114yr old owner snoring contentedly beside it…

actually, mebbe we could solve this ‘problem’ by simply having toddlers at malls enrolled in latin (for the under three) and greek (four and older) classes while the parents stroll leisurely and securely about the calm stalls..?

bugger the toddlers, I wouldn’t mind learning latin and ancient greek while I am trapped shopping at the mall….

I am against physical child control unless as a last resort, but I hear so many parents affeaid to say “stop it” or “don’t” to their kids. They say it like they instruct in the books, eg “Taylor, please”
We all mess up as kids, but we have become far too relaxed now

You’ll have an entire antiquities area at ANU gnashing their teeth

sadly, skid, i think the classics dept was long ago subsumed into the vague humanities school, with philosophy, so the only teeth being gnashed will be at the bottom of a glass of water by a bedside lamp, its 114yr old owner snoring contentedly beside it…

actually, mebbe we could solve this ‘problem’ by simply having toddlers at malls enrolled in latin (for the under three) and greek (four and older) classes while the parents stroll leisurely and securely about the calm stalls..?

“I have seen un-controlled toddlers running under the feet of shoppers, which caused significant congestion as they try to avoid walking on them. As if this isn’t bad and dangerous enough, the parent/s are standing there watching them with a stupid grin on their face saying things like “how cute” or “watch out baby”, without even attempting to retrieve the active youngster. I wonder how cute it would be if a shopping trolley ran one of them over? Whose fault would it be, especially since at times they can’t be seen until it is too late, thus un-avoidable.”

One day you will be old and causing significant congestion yourself, as people try to avoid walking on you.

I think you will hope that people will be considerate enough to avert accidents such as running you over with a shopping trolley, since you also will not have the skill and dexterity necessary to avoid them yourself.

For your sake I hope the other patrons will be kinder and more understanding, but I suspect not.

As one who ceased to be a toddler before the idea was invented (“that baby’s small, put him up the chimney!”) and whose own production line of toddlers ceased long before living memory, a few comments. I love them. They’re funny and sweet and cute and the nice ones laugh at my gargoyle like features if I smile or pretend to hide. They do no harm and provide hours of free entertainment to anyone who prizes their innocence and sudden cleverness. When they run around, this is because they have more energy than the old, and less idea of how to waste it sitting down.

Parents of small people, do not worry on behalf of this gurning behemoth – I am never affronted or inconvenienced by young children going through this phase. I see it as a reward, and laugh when they say “Mummy, why has that man got a funny face” or similarly charming and frank stuff. It’s because they have the freshness of vision and the personal honesty we all lose as we age.

If I want quiet, I go where it can be found. This town is not short of such places.

tortfeaser said :

My toddler should be free to explore the mall and kill a bit of time, just as you seem keen to do. What’s so abominable about his time-killing, compared to your own? Congestion? Give me a break.

Get a life. Preferrably one that means you don’t need to go whinging about non-existant problems that don’t occur to you when you’re loitering in the mall.

That’s fine. Leave your toddler uncontrolled in a busy mall. Go for it, just don’t bitch and carry on if your kid in accidentally knocked to the concrete ground. It is clear to me that you (as many do) haven’t read the entire post, because if you had, you would realise that I have no problem with the toddlers, nor do I think that there is anything abominable about time killing. My gripe is about parents like you who believe that a child who doesn’t know right from wrong, or has any danger awareness should be let out of the reach of its parent/s.

If you can’t see the differtence between me (an adult) killing time in a mall and a runaway toddler killing time in a mall, you really need to examine your parenting. Furthermore, I can’t see how you can suggest that what I am whingeing about in non-existant or it doesn’t occur when I am loitering at the mall. You a psychic? Oh, I know, I am making this up just to annoy the parents of toddlers (formerly myself). Maybe you should get a life and do some background reading before jawing off….

Skidbladnir said :

If you found it by Google, and unless they’re able to give you a specific citation on usage of a Latin phrase, or show you some kind of certification, assume its machine-garbled.

I did several years of Latin in high-school, but do you think I can remember it now, other than “Anything said in Latin seems profound”?

have a look at this:
http://www.warriorlibrarian.com/HUMOUR/latin.html

mother in law mentioned it to me…

If you found it by Google, and unless they’re able to give you a specific citation on usage of a Latin phrase, or show you some kind of certification, assume its machine-garbled.

I did several years of Latin in high-school, but do you think I can remember it now, other than “Anything said in Latin seems profound”?

Skidbladnir said :

Don’t tagline it, its computer-translated into Latin, then translated back to English by the same means.
You’ll have an entire antiquities area at ANU gnashing their teeth and wanting to rend the flesh from your bones.

If you really want a Latin translator, go find a Vatican one.

actually, it was a full text search, not a translator that i used. It has common phrases and their meanings.

my favorite is: Ceasar si viveret, ad remum dareris.

Don’t tagline it, its computer-translated into Latin, then translated back to English by the same means.
You’ll have an entire antiquities area at ANU gnashing their teeth and wanting to rend the flesh from your bones.

If you really want a Latin translator, go find a Vatican one.

peterh said :

ok, found a site that translates latin:

Antiquis temporibus, nati tibi similes in rupibus ventosissimis exponebantur ad necem.
In the good old days, children like you were left to perish on windswept crags.

Tagline, tagline, tagline!

oh get over it. they’re kids for crying out loud. were you any different? there’ll be plenty of time to be controlled when they grow up and start paying taxes. suspect OP needs more to occupy their life (“basically to kill time”).

now this has a better sound to it – re complaints about toddlers:
Re vera, cara mea, mea nil refert.

and to wmc:
Te audire no possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure.

Absent Diane11:48 am 29 Jul 08

because they are fkcing annoying!! keep them locked up until they become real humans.

ok, found a site that translates latin:

Antiquis temporibus, nati tibi similes in rupibus ventosissimis exponebantur ad necem.
In the good old days, children like you were left to perish on windswept crags.

My toddler should be free to explore the mall and kill a bit of time, just as you seem keen to do. What’s so abominable about his time-killing, compared to your own? Congestion? Give me a break.

Get a life. Preferrably one that means you don’t need to go whinging about non-existant problems that don’t occur to you when you’re loitering in the mall.

I’ve often found an ‘accidential’ kick in the heel/ankle area is perfect for the a-holes who insist on stopping dead in your way when they step off escalators.

As for toddlers, the adult knee is at the perfect height for connecting with their head.

Jazz said :

why do i get the impression that the commenters above seem to be treating toddlers on the loose differently from anyone else in the mall? Is it becuase a toddler can’t turn around and smack you one for running into them?

I am not sure I understand your question, but I am not treating toddlers on the loose in any particular way. They are not responsible for their actions – their parents that fail to take remedial action however……

I have no dramas with a parent whose toddler has “escaped” and is trying to catch them. Any parent will attest to the fact that it happens. Those who let them stretch their legs in a crowded thoroughfare because it is cute watching them stagger around or just stand and watch as people avoid them, well that is different.

BTW Jazz, I dare anyone to turn around and smack me for running into them.

why do i get the impression that the commenters above seem to be treating toddlers on the loose differently from anyone else in the mall? Is it becuase a toddler can’t turn around and smack you one for running into them?

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

There were juvenile delinquents long before there were ‘child behaviour experts’. Antiquis temporibus, nati tibi similes in rupibus ventosissimis exponebantur ad necem.

Your latin doesn’t make sense…… Try again.

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

There were juvenile delinquents long before there were ‘child behaviour experts’. Antiquis temporibus, nati tibi similes in rupibus ventosissimis exponebantur ad necem.

WMC, for the latin illiterate, what does that mean?

Woody Mann-Caruso10:45 am 29 Jul 08

There were juvenile delinquents long before there were ‘child behaviour experts’. Antiquis temporibus, nati tibi similes in rupibus ventosissimis exponebantur ad necem.

You can’t go to Civic anymore without toddlers tripping you over while juggling shopping and coffee. I blame lazy parents to some extent, but the real blame should go to thechild behaviour experts who preach the a gentle hand is best, you should negotiate not command.

With an attitude like that, no wonder a group of young kids were riding a skateboard down the CC escalators at speed and with great hazard to everyone else around.

Knocking the little ones over will only serve to teach them a lesson. Their ill-equipped parents might take exception to it, which may indeed be just cause to knock them over too!

Yay, an Australian candidate for the Grumpy Old Man TV show!

Skidbladnir said :

TAMS should issue free leashes to those parents who need them, and give away fridge magnets to build community awareness of toddlers.

what, like “these small people may be at knee height, look out!”

TAMS should issue free leashes to those parents who need them, and give away fridge magnets to build community awareness of toddlers.

no, thank-you…..

(To that end, if you are one of the parents who refuse to control your toddler, please re-consider the practice as it is dangerous and I for one, do not wish to knock over a little one.)

control my toddlers? refuse to control my toddlers?
I might as well be herding cats.

Mine have an unnerving instinct to know when to run in opposite directions. as i have 3 kids, 2 of which are now 14 months old, and for twin boys the little buggers seem to work pretty closely at making dad’s day an absolute nightmare.

I do not refuse to control my toddlers. I attempt to control their behavior in malls, shopping centres, supermarkets, pharmacies, butchers, bakeries etc, etc. Often with little or no success.

the other alternative, and I am sure you would think that I was a “bad” parent if I did this, is to confine them in their pram or stroller for the entire trip. They aren’t that comfortable, and the boys would start screaming at the top of their lungs.

no win situation, really, but if my lads want to stretch their legs, you will see me. I am the father holding 2 boys by the hand, looking pretty stressed as we weave around stationary shoppers in the middle of the walkway, avoiding crazy trolley wielding maniacs who didn’t get their fix of road rage this morning, until my wife realises that we are too far behind and need to catch up.

Woody Mann-Caruso9:44 am 29 Jul 08

Unfortunately…disturbing…un-controlled…significant congestion…bad and dangerous

Sense of perspective, meet belray.

Any harm that comes to toddlers in a public place isn’t anyone’s “fault”
It’s simply “visual entertainment”

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