Shut That Kid Up
Once upon a time, I was one of those irascible restaurant patrons who would cringe at the first hint of a crying baby. I was one of those airline passengers who would roll his eyes and gnash his teeth once a baby started to bawl. I was such a distempered ass, in fact, that I was even known to shoot a few glares at the poor, frazzled parent.
Karma, baby. Now I am one of those people being given nasty looks.
Case in point: This past weekend, Mrs. Chase and I were out with the baby (Apple Rosebud McInerney, for those of you joining us for the first time) having lunch with some friends and their young spawn. Despite the place being packed with the Sunday brunch crowd, the occasional yowls from our baby and our friends' toddler were enough to spur scowls from some nearby tables.
The message was clear: We were scum because either A.) We were not successfully silencing our children with duct tape and chloroform, or B.) We had the audacity to take such ill-behaved varmints into a public place.
While I guess I can understand such peevishness from people who have not been parents, it seems unfathomable to me how anyone who has been a parent from begrudging other parents out with their rugrats. How does anyone forget the sheer tension of maneuvering a screaming child through a public place?
OK, just needed to get that off my chest.
posted by Chase McInerney @ 5:11 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
Welcome to modern America. I suspect you might have found a better reception in a more kid-friendly suburb.
People who sneer at parents with noisy babies need to remember they too were squealing kids. Jesus loves us ALL.
All I ask is that you don't take her to the movies for at least a couple of years. Please. I'm begging you.
Movies don't count ... unless it's a family-friendly flick.
I'd just like to say here that I did not take my children ANYWHERE in public until they were about two.
Mostly because of the oxygen tanks and pulse/ox machines, but still.
:)
It's simple. Parents should be content to remain captives inside their homes until the little ones are well-behaved and can be trusted to remain outburst-free. The age of such model behavior varies, but it's usually safe to take the kids out by the time they hit their twenties. Certainly not in their teens. If you think babies are loud, just wait till they get older!
Perhaps there really isn't a good time to take the little ones out - at least, not until you become a grandparent and you can smile, nod, and say: these aren't MY kids.
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