18 June 2020

Questacon + school holidays = hell

| MWF
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Look, I knew Questacon during school holidays would be crowded and hot. Have BTDT. What I had forgotten about were the feral children. The kids that run around all the exhibits without a parent in sight. The 3 and 4 year olds who come and slap the buttons on the exhibit thing my family and I were using and thinking about.

Why are 3 and 4 year olds running about unsupervised in the first place? Where were the parents of the little snot that came and actually climbed onto the exhibit my9 year old was reading about and using and then slapped all the buttons and wrecked the entire experiment? Ultimately I said to my 9 year old: Let’s give up because this little snot is never going to give up.

Oh and groups of unsupervised 8-10 year old snots running like a herd of elephants through the rooms and up and down the ramps. I wanted to have a 3 year old tantrum myself.

Never have I been at Questacon and heard an announcement reminding the children not to run. Heard it 3 times today.

Thank God that school holiday experience has been and gone. At least the kids don’t want to go swimming – all the bloody pools are closed I hear.

If you’re looking for more information on activities during school holidays, check out our recently updated article on the best school holiday programs and activities in Canberra.

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No, Woody – I mean something original, based on a thought which you yourself have developed without relying on the input of others. Never mind, dear. Back to sleep.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy12:28 pm 23 Apr 09

Meeeeeeeeeooooooooowwwwwww!

Woody Mann-Caruso12:06 pm 23 Apr 09

@weeziepops – you mean like how you’ve turned your mind to something other than going on and on and on about me? I’ve told my fans before that their stalking is flattering, but really, you need to get yourself a f.cking life already.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy11:23 am 23 Apr 09

It’s amazing what parents do. When Mrs Berlina was a teen working at McDonalds it was apparently ‘normal’ for parents to drop kids at the Maccas playground and go do shopping.

Bugger me.

#38 – Woody, perhaps you could then turn your mind to posting something original rather than focusing on the work (and, as you so rightly point out, its many deficiencies) of others. My last post may have left you reeling but surely a person of your amazing analytical skills can say something which goes beyond judging the input of others??

We (3 boys under the age of 9) got left in the car with a book, a travel board game or something to keep us amused….

Now thats illegal apparently.

Sorry to double post, but to link the Tuggeranong pool issue to the OP – when I worked at Questacon we had families that left their kids at Ctr all day, for several days during the holidays. These kids were not part of the school hiloday program and the parents didn’t stop to think to tell us that they kids were being dropped off to fend for themeselves for the day. I’m not talking about teenagers here either, their kids being left were quite a it younger.

Also, mate who used to work in Kmarts toy section in the mall (circa 1980’s – back when the actually shop had a cafe/fish and chip eatery at the back of the store!) tells me parents would often drop their kids in the toy area and leave them there for a couple of hours till they finished their shopping. The same used to apply to kids left in bookshops etc.

Parenting at its finest.

goose said :

You should try Tuggeranong pool. I take my little one there for swimming lessons and the pool is filled with little rednecks and not a parent in sight. You will find the 120kg slob bushpig parents sitting at the coffee shop stuffing their faces and not supervising their kids.

Stereotypes apart, Goose makes an interesting point. I understand the swimschool has issues with parents that put their kids into their swimming class then dissappear to the coffee shop, etc.. The instructors are apparently left to look after kids following the lesson until the relevant parent turns up. The instructors can’t just let the child walk off to find their parent as they have a duty of care and are exposed to prosecution should said child wander off to deeper water and drown. Subsequently, the instructor is late in starting the next class earning the ire of the next set of parents. I don’t think it’s too much to expect mum and dad, or other suitable guardian, to actually watch their kids at the pool, is it?

Woody Mann-Caruso10:25 am 23 Apr 09

How about going off on a tangent and listing all your (many, many) admirable qualities?

You’ve got to give me something to work with here. I’m still in shock from your amazing double revelation that reality TV isn’t real and that Canberra isn’t Sydney.

You will find the 120kg slob bushpig parents sitting at the coffee shop stuffing their faces and not supervising their kids.

Stereotypes are fun aren’t they.

I guess birds of a feather applies in this case no ?

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy9:58 am 23 Apr 09

You will find the 120kg slob bushpig parents sitting at the coffee shop stuffing their faces and not supervising their kids.

Welcome to Tuggeranong.

You should try Tuggeranong pool. I take my little one there for swimming lessons and the pool is filled with little rednecks and not a parent in sight. You will find the 120kg slob bushpig parents sitting at the coffee shop stuffing their faces and not supervising their kids.

I’m always fascinated to read about these tired parents, dragging themselves through life, having kids despite it being such a huge task, just so there’ll be someone to wipe my bum in a nursing home. I guess we have to put up with all kinds of things, out of gratitude to these “knackered” parents.

GardeningGirl11:58 pm 22 Apr 09

We took ours (primary school age) years ago and didn’t get to do much, between the ferals of similar age and the obnoxious teenagers who’d stand in your personal space until you moved on. I talked to a staff member about it and was told that the idea was it shouldn’t be a stuffy museum full of mean people in uniform not allowing you to touch anything. I don’t see why the alternative has to be uncivilised bedlam and free babysitting, at the expense of those who might actually find some inspiration in such a facility 🙁

Clown Killer said :

It’s what four and five year old kids do when their mums and dads are too knackered to chase them anly longer. No big deal. Build a bridge …

Really? Mine used to be aged three, four and five only 4 years ago, so I am well aware of how knackered they can make you feel. However, it is no excuse for allowing your snots (who can’t even read the instructions of Questacon exhibits) to ruin the experience of my snots who are actually reading the information, attempting to process it and actually DO the experiment.

Take your 3 and 4 year olds to a ball pit and let them roll about in the bodily fluids of other 3 and 4 year olds. Don’t let them run free in a space that requires AT LEAST one adult to supervise and actually read the instructions about how to do stuff.

Clown Killer10:38 pm 22 Apr 09

It’s what four and five year old kids do when their mums and dads are too knackered to chase them anly longer. No big deal. Build a bridge …

any public place during the school holidays is crawling with kids running around with little or no guidance from parents. It doesn’t surprise me that there was a higher concentration of them at questacon.

Disgustingly behaved kids are making being in places where they are increasingly unpleasant. Restaurants, parks, shopping centres, they run and scream and jump on stuff, crash in to people, and their “parents” don’t seem to give a stuff.

There was a time when parents knew they had to teach kids about behaving in public. Now, I think they are just too lazy. And I really resent how so much public money is thrown at people for pumping out children, who have no intention of raising them.

That was supposed to be lake, but I like it the way it is.

There’s a like right there…. why not put the undersized ones back in?

weeziepops said :

Sorry – #24 specially for Woody!

Blimey! Just as well, Weezie. I was about to go volcano on you. Well that, or sit in a corner and cry.

Sorry – #24 specially for Woody!

How about going off on a tangent and listing all your (many, many) admirable qualities?

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

I knew a few of the other guys around. Also, I noticed a tagline at the top of the web page was quoted to one ‘Annabel Crabb’. I wonder if it’s the same one who worked there?

I was there when the dinosaurs were there. I thought they were one of the best exhibits ever to go through the place.

Don’t know an Annabel. People I i knew that you may remember (they at least something to do with the Explainer’s were Mike Gore, Stuart K (exhibit designer), Yvonne and Sally (both on Front Desk). There was also an Explainer with the surname Rhienfrank who was a good mate if mine. He ended up with the science circus.

Were you there when they put in an Telstra sponsored underwater telecommunication exhibit complete with a fish-tank including several thousand dollars of tropical fish and a Moray Eel? I turned on the lights the morning following its installation to find the eel had eaten all the fish. Questacon’s response: buy a couple of thousand dollars worth of more fish! It took two days and loads of cash before management realised the eel would never actually stop eating fish. Also, if you tapped the tank the Eel would try and get you and whack it’s head on the glass. Aggressive little bugger.

OT – I agree on the Dino’s and can’t wait till they come back. MWF should brave teh crowds and take his kids to that, it’s a must see. Although the slide there at the moment is very good. Young Master Berra (6 and a half) loves it.

Woody Mann-Caruso4:44 pm 22 Apr 09

Awaiting catty remark from Woody – don’t disappoint me…

Would you like me to be for or against?

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy4:26 pm 22 Apr 09

I knew a few of the other guys around. Also, I noticed a tagline at the top of the web page was quoted to one ‘Annabel Crabb’. I wonder if it’s the same one who worked there?

I was there when the dinosaurs were there. I thought they were one of the best exhibits ever to go through the place.

Old George was a character. Wasn’t he still working into his 90’s? Lovely old guy from memory.

I was in Visitor Services (Front Desk and Security) for a couple of years then moved up to Education Services, working with a bunch of ex-teachers. One of my jobs when I first joined there used to be to open up the entire Ctr of a morning and close it down at night. The Dinosaurs were pretty terrifying in the dark, I can tell you! I hear they’re finally coming back around July.

There were some good people working up in the Admin. area then too. I think quite a few of them are still there! Did you know any of the public servants?

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy3:51 pm 22 Apr 09

Remember old George?

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy3:49 pm 22 Apr 09

Yep! There were some other old characters who, unfortunately, have since passed on.

I started toward the end of 91, so we may well have been there at the same time. The guy who sits next to me at work was also there around the same time.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

Ha! I was an Explainer for most of the 90’s!

LOL. Where you there when Ron and Ivy ran the place?

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy2:44 pm 22 Apr 09

Oh, and that massive rock at Tidbinbilla is amazing – amazing in that kids don’t fall off it more.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy2:43 pm 22 Apr 09

Ha! I was an Explainer for most of the 90’s!

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

Who’s seen that Tidbinbilla kid’s adventure park area lately? Bloody fantastic!

I take the family there a lot VY. A top place although I would like them to fence off the massive rock with the 30+ foot drop nearby. I get nervous wathing 9 year old kids standing up there by themeselves.

As for Questacon, I worked there for about three years in the late 80’s – early 90’s (the exact dates escape me). The place simply invites kids jumping onto exhibits, not queueing up, etc. and parents should exercise some control over their kids. Take it as a given that the ‘Explainers’ (i.e. volunteeer staff in the galleries) don’t see it as their job to control the masses. They see their job as just explaining the exhibits. in my day we used to aheva ful tiem staff member rostered on just to walk around controlling the kids, stopping fights and kids running.

We became members of the place earlier this year and always make sure our kids behave, while still having fun (it is possible) and you just have to pick your moment to go.

harvyk1 said :

Remember, there are cases where homicide is justifiable.

There is nothing that gives me the sh*t’s more than parents who do not keep their kids in check, if my daughter acted like that she’d be very sorry and regreting it for weeks after, and no, I don’t think I’m too strict.

bring back the death penalty – kids and parents !

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy11:14 am 22 Apr 09

Who’s seen that Tidbinbilla kid’s adventure park area lately? Bloody fantastic!

grunge_hippy10:35 am 22 Apr 09

im with you V8…we went last year for a school trip and it was the same crappy exhibits that were there when i was a youngun. its in need of a major upgrade.

must have been the same ferals that were at monkey mania at DFO last saturday! it was a gorgeous spring day, and people were inside, paying a ridiculous amount of money for kids to play inside. My excuse, daughter was at a birthday party, but i have never spent a more hellish 2 hours in my life! I saw someone i work with, and she said they have spent hours in the place (by choice!) to entertain the kids! take them out to tidbinbilla park or something similiar than locking them up inside. ugh.

sorry, went off topic….

Inappropriate10:15 am 22 Apr 09

You’re assuming the parents are even in the building…

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy9:58 am 22 Apr 09

The biggest shame about Questacon is that the quality of the exhibits has really dropped over the past few years. Part of the reason the children run ferally now is because there’s little sense of wonder as to what you see there now.

Remember, there are cases where homicide is justifiable.

There is nothing that gives me the sh*t’s more than parents who do not keep their kids in check, if my daughter acted like that she’d be very sorry and regreting it for weeks after, and no, I don’t think I’m too strict.

Took the Swagettes there last week and we had a great day, no ferals and no announcements so I guess you were just unlucky. It sounds like they had a couple of kids birthday parties in the place from what you say.

& what on earth does “BTDT” mean?

Been there, done that.

Storm….Teacup….

You even said You knew it would be crowded and hot, been there done that.

What did you expect, all the little kiddies lined up like ants marching a’la The Wall style, before the childhood revolution, or more like after ?

Either way, stupid is what stupid does.

When we took my niece, we heard the no running announcements – that was late last year.

Awaiting catty remark from Woody – don’t disappoint me…

> At least the kids don’t want to go swimming – all the bloody pools are closed I hear.

Huh? I was planning on going at lunchtime.

& what on earth does “BTDT” mean?

Sounds like another day at Questacon

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