Celebrity Cruisers don't like kids

[swsfrail]

I think it is a generational thing.

 

I think you are absolutely correct. When I was raising my children fifty years ago, we didn't give them the sense of entitlement seen these days, letting them think that they could go where ever they wanted to, to do what ever they wanted, or to say what ever they wanted. We raised them to understand that, as in real life, respect for others is paramount, that there were certain places that were set aside for adults, just as certain places were set aside for children, and that they were not to expect to be allowed to go where weren't supposed to be.

 

Today, parents raise their kids - or should I say "their pals" - to believe that they are so important that anything they want they can have, that they can treat their elders with little to no respect, and that they can behave in whatever manner they want. God forbid that their precious self esteem be bruised by the word "No".

 

Most supporters of allowing kids to use the adult only areas claim that their children are very well behaved, better than most adults in fact. My experience over recent years is that most of these parents are fooling themselves and are too blind to see how their spawn are really behaving, which most often than not these days, is not appropriately at all.

 

Yes, it is a generational thing. Unfortunately, some things don't get better with progress. :(

[ashmac8]

I think you are absolutely correct. When I was raising my children fifty years ago, we didn't give them the sense of entitlement seen these days, letting them think that they could go where ever they wanted to, to do what ever they wanted, or to say what ever they wanted. We raised them to understand that, as in real life, respect for others is paramount, that there were certain places that were set aside for adults, just as certain places were set aside for children, and that they were not to expect to be allowed to go where weren't supposed to be.

 

Today, parents raise their kids - or should I say "their pals" - to believe that they are so important that anything they want they can have, that they can treat their elders with little to no respect, and that they can behave in whatever manner they want. God forbid that their precious self esteem be bruised by the word "No".

 

Most supporters of allowing kids to use the adult only areas claim that their children are very well behaved, better than most adults in fact. My experience over recent years is that most of these parents are fooling themselves and are too blind to see how their spawn are really behaving, which most often than not these days, is not appropriately at all.

 

Yes, it is a generational thing. Unfortunately, some things don't get better with progress. :(

 

 

Wow not my intention. What i meant by generational is that prior generations didnt take their kids on certain trips and now that they arent of child rearing age they dont want to see young families out and about.

 

I never said anything about taking children to areas that are adults only. I do review the ship or hotel BEFORE booking so i have an idea of where my child is welcome.

 

We'll have to agree to disagree. My child will be well traveled and well manner and will only be spoiled with experiences.

[teajak]

Been following this thread for a few days. Here are my thoughts. I think it is a generational thing. Folks my parents age (mid to late 50s) didnt really do much travelling with their kids. They typically had larger families and did more local travel.

 

With my peers (early 30s) many of us have limited the number of children we are having or delayed having kids until we could afford a more affluent lifestyle. Travelling is something I have always enjoyed. We took a hiatus from when my son was born until he was about 4. During that time we did local road trips to the beach etc. But now that he is properly mannered we are more comforable taking him on nicer trips. He enjoys the experience in his own way and we make time for child centered activities.

 

Of course we are mindful of the rules whether on a cruise or land vacation. But I completely disagree with "dumping" him in the kiddie area just so others don't have to look at him. I also want to interact with him and haven't required his silence during our trip.

 

We are going on a cruise while school is in session (due to a late birthday our son has not yet started school) and we anticipate a lot less kids than our prior cruise. He has been coached that there won't be many children on board and that he needs to be mindful of his inside voice. I will take extra care to insure he doesn't disturb anyone else's trip.

 

We paid a pretty penny for this trip and won't be bullied. Very much looking forward to it.

Good for you, would be most happy to cruise with your family and enjoy your sons company.Hope after meeting us you would feel the same way about us.Great grandparents of six.:D

[donaldsc]

There is a thread on the Carnival board about many cruisers not wanting kids on Cruises. It was started on March 22, and it already has over 450 posts. A few of those posts intimated that people that sail Celebrity really don't like to see kids cruising. We are taking our first Celebrity cruise a week from today, please say that it isn't so.

 

Most (but certainly not all) people have no problem with well behaved children acting normally. It is the unsupervised badly behaving brats and their trailer trash parents that we have a problem with.

 

DON

[RCKM43]

You are right. The youth of today have no respect.

 

Some might just as there are some adults who have no respect for others as well- but with so many people saying leave the kids at home how do they expect children to learn to behave appropriately if they never go outside of their little bubble.

 

We are taking our second cruise soon with our girls hopefully this year. Their 1st was last year they were 2 and 4. We had a great time. They went to the main dining room every night (we did have early dinner). They sat quietly and we had many tables come up to us at the end of the week to tell us how they made them smile and how cute they were.

 

They did not go where they didn't belong, but they DID have a great cruise. We also did not dump them all week in the fun factory. They went to several shows and in fact both girls were mesmerized by the violin show one night they didn't move the entire time. My 2 year old (27 months at the time) potty trained just so she could swim in the pools.

 

We take our girls out as much as possible, they go to the Metropolitan Art Museum since they have been 1. They love the Natural History Museum. They love to quietly walk around and look at the various rooms.

 

If you do not take your child anywhere until they are much older then how are they to learn the appropriate behavior? I prefer to travel with our children and not dump them with a grandparent (who btw prefers to travel with us). I was taken all over Europe, the US, etc starting at a very early age. I believe in giving children a well rounded experience. Sure we love disney, but disney is NOT well rounded. They need to experience more than just a beach or an amusement park.

 

BTW on our last cruise I never heard one negative remark the entire week about seeing children. The only negative remarks about children cruising seem to be reserved to these boards. I think if you do not want to see a lot of children one should consider one of the longer cruises while school is in session, or confine themselves to an adult only area. While Celebrity doesn't necessarily push for families as Disney does- they do have a fun factory and children's menu so they certainly aren't saying families are not welcome.

[CI66774]

swsfrail - I generally agree with you. Being a parent of a 3 year old, I do see some parents who want to be their child's friend versus role model, discipliner, etc. I also agree that some parents allow their children to do whatever they want - without any consequences - or generally lack parenting skills. I guess what those of us who are raising respectful children - please don't pre-judge us. I will be the first one to notify Celebrity if I see children in an adult-only area. I will whisk my child out of any venue in the event she is disruptive. There are a lot of us out there who are raising well-behaved, respectful children.

[solid1]

photomama...i had the pleasure of reading your response to me about my views and opinions on this matter...what I cant figure out is why you are taking this so personally? We have all stated our opinion about this topic and you are certainly entitled to yours..but please dont pretend to know what I am about..you know nothing about me nor do you have any idea as to how i raise my kids. Simply put you just dont know. So I can definately appreciate your opinions and respect them but then I would expect you to follow the same. This is not personal...we have all made ourselves clear on where we stand on this subject and this thread is where we can do so without the insinuation that I may or may not want to adhere to other policies...

[ohhbother]

Been following this thread for a few days. Here are my thoughts. I think it is a generational thing. Folks my parents age (mid to late 50s) didnt really do much travelling with their kids. They typically had larger families and did more local travel.

 

With my peers (early 30s) many of us have limited the number of children we are having or delayed having kids until we could afford a more affluent lifestyle. Travelling is something I have always enjoyed. We took a hiatus from when my son was born until he was about 4. During that time we did local road trips to the beach etc. But now that he is properly mannered we are more comforable taking him on nicer trips. He enjoys the experience in his own way and we make time for child centered activities.

 

Of course we are mindful of the rules whether on a cruise or land vacation. But I completely disagree with "dumping" him in the kiddie area just so others don't have to look at him. I also want to interact with him and haven't required his silence during our trip.

 

We are going on a cruise while school is in session (due to a late birthday our son has not yet started school) and we anticipate a lot less kids than our prior cruise. He has been coached that there won't be many children on board and that he needs to be mindful of his inside voice. I will take extra care to insure he doesn't disturb anyone else's trip.

 

We paid a pretty penny for this trip and won't be bullied. Very much looking forward to it.

 

Bullying is the perfect word for some of what I've read in this thread. My husband and I don't have kids, but we do have a 4-year-old niece and an 8-year-old nephew who are accompanying us on a cruise in Aprll -- along with their parents (my sister) and my parents.

 

We live 13 hours away from my family, and this week is our time to enjoy each other's company. We'll follow all the rules, but we will not ask anyone in our family to "be seen but not heard." We're celebrating a wedding anniversary, a birthday and the joy of being together, and we're going to enjoy every second of it.

[MrJulius]

Been following this thread for a few days. Here are my thoughts. I think it is a generational thing. Folks my parents age (mid to late 50s) didnt really do much travelling with their kids. They typically had larger families and did more local travel.

 

With my peers (early 30s) many of us have limited the number of children we are having or delayed having kids until we could afford a more affluent lifestyle. Travelling is something I have always enjoyed. We took a hiatus from when my son was born until he was about 4. During that time we did local road trips to the beach etc. But now that he is properly mannered we are more comforable taking him on nicer trips. He enjoys the experience in his own way and we make time for child centered activities.

 

Of course we are mindful of the rules whether on a cruise or land vacation. But I completely disagree with "dumping" him in the kiddie area just so others don't have to look at him. I also want to interact with him and haven't required his silence during our trip.

 

We are going on a cruise while school is in session (due to a late birthday our son has not yet started school) and we anticipate a lot less kids than our prior cruise. He has been coached that there won't be many children on board and that he needs to be mindful of his inside voice. I will take extra care to insure he doesn't disturb anyone else's trip.

 

We paid a pretty penny for this trip and won't be bullied. Very much looking forward to it.

 

Ashley,

You sound like a great parent and we look forward to cruising with you and your family on the Summit in April. :)

[ashmac8]

Thanks mrjulius

 

We are really looking forward to the trip!

 

We'll see you then:)

[Tenn4ever]

I think you are absolutely correct. When I was raising my children fifty years ago, we didn't give them the sense of entitlement seen these days, letting them think that they could go where ever they wanted to, to do what ever they wanted, or to say what ever they wanted. We raised them to understand that, as in real life, respect for others is paramount, that there were certain places that were set aside for adults, just as certain places were set aside for children, and that they were not to expect to be allowed to go where weren't supposed to be.

 

Today, parents raise their kids - or should I say "their pals" - to believe that they are so important that anything they want they can have, that they can treat their elders with little to no respect, and that they can behave in whatever manner they want. God forbid that their precious self esteem be bruised by the word "No".

 

Most supporters of allowing kids to use the adult only areas claim that their children are very well behaved, better than most adults in fact. My experience over recent years is that most of these parents are fooling themselves and are too blind to see how their spawn are really behaving, which most often than not these days, is not appropriately at all.

 

Yes, it is a generational thing. Unfortunately, some things don't get better with progress. :(

 

Too bad there is not a thumbs up smilie :). Who said it is progress? It's not. It's regression and a spiraling down into chaos. I can say this without feeling guilty because my own daughter and husband for a long time treated their own children (my grandchildren) like this. Most parents don't realize how their own children are affecting others around them simply because their own children are thier own children. Our daughter and her brother were not raised to think they were the center of the universe but it seems like their children are.

[Mercury]

You are right. The youth of today have no respect.

 

This is a lament as old as time no doubt.

 

We all believe we were better behaved children than the children of "today". There are many on this thread who have expressed this view in one way or another.

 

And I am sure that when I am in my 50s/60s/70s etc I too will think that my children are not doing as good a job as I did of raising children.

 

It seems that's just the way we are ;)

[BillnBev]

lol, makes me smile to see posts about unruly kids, do you really think the parents give a d*** about what you/we think.

We can moan to each other about it (and we do!) but we are in another generation of unruly kids now, I could rant on about this but it's wasted words as far as I can see, the way I see it (sorry if you think this is opinionated but...) the chances are, these parents were unruly kids themselves, taught no respect, teach no respect.

Rant over - lol.

At least I and my wife have peace of mind with the thought that our kids DO respect their elders and authority.

A brisk kick up the backside didn't turn us or our children into beaters. :D

[fleckle]

This is a lament as old as time no doubt.

 

We all believe we were better behaved children than the children of "today". There are many on this thread who have expressed this view in one way or another.

 

And I am sure that when I am in my 50s/60s/70s etc I too will think that my children are not doing as good a job as I did of raising children.

 

It seems that's just the way we are ;)

 

 

“The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.”

 

― Socrates

 

 

 

(Although the quote is commonly attributed to Socrates, there is some dispute about its true author. But all the authorities on such matters agree that it was written many centuries before any Cruise Critic complaints about behavior of children on cruise ships.) ;)

[Fixit2010]

This is a lament as old as time no doubt.

 

We all believe we were better behaved children than the children of "today". There are many on this thread who have expressed this view in one way or another.

 

And I am sure that when I am in my 50s/60s/70s etc I too will think that my children are not doing as good a job as I did of raising children.

 

It seems that's just the way we are ;)

 

Up until the 90's streets in the UK were safer. Kids didn't carry knives, they were scared of the police and you could leave your door open without fear of an intruder. Times have changed and kids today do have an attitude though some things are better such as technology, is the price we pay too high? In my day computers were relatively new and sparse. We had lego, mechano, board games, big track. We had to either use our imagination or engage with other people. Back then people read more books, grew their vocabulary. Today it seems that a lot of kids (not all) spend most of their free time playing violent games on games consoles from the moment they get home until time for bed.

[mrsdoc3]

I will be traveling on the Solstice with my four teen-aged children. I hope they won't be the ones getting complained about! I doubt that they will be. I get lots of compliments on how well-behaved they are, and have been getting them since they were toddlers. I once got compliments on their behavior when I had thought they were acting atrociously! They even complain about the behavior of other children -- and sometimes even about the behavior of their own friends. I hope they remember that while we're on the cruise!

[RCKM43]

I don't think really you can generalize the unruly kids any more than you can the adults who are all about themselves either. Yes, there are children who are self centered and parents who don't watch them, or let them do anything. But I'm not sure how much that has really changed (growing up there were plenty of people whose parents let them do things that were not appropriate - and I'm guessing that adults who now don't think the rules apply to them might have grown up learning that lesson). But there are also parents who are respectful and do ensure that their children are respectful of the rules and are respectful of others experiences.

 

I guess it is all how you look at it. Just as many are coming on here saying that parents have a don't care attitude and don't care how their children affect others people's experience. There are also tons of threads on here about adults who are self centered and don't follow the dress code on the ship ruining formal night for others, who smoke in the non smoking areas, who talk loudly during shows, who are drunk and loud in the hallways or who hog chairs by the pool all day.

 

Maybe instead of saying this group does this or that, maybe we should all just concern ourselves with being respectful of everyone's experience (everyone is entitled to a nice vacation) and follow the rules and I think everyone would have a much better time.

[Onessa]

. . . Will I sail Celebrity with them? Probably not, RCCL seems more appropriate to me. Why do you chose Celebrity when you're already annoyed that they will not be allowed in the Solarium? Not expected at late seating dinner, banned from some venues? ...

There are "adult only" (and "kid only") venues and activities on just about ALL cruiselines that allow pax under 18. I have sailed Celebrity with my child. Celebrity offers a kids' program and has activities scheduled specificially for children. Celebrity is not an adults-only line. RCCL also has areas that are out-of-bounds for kids. My DD loves the Hot Glass show, she eats late seating in the MDR with us, etc.

 

A number of people have commented that children don't enjoy adult oriented activities so why take them. One thing I have learned between raising our daughter, who is now married, and taking cruises, which include our grandchildren, that there are many experiences in life that can be appreciated at different levels. . . .

Very true, DD really enjoys art museums. Many have audio tours and/or activities guides geared to specific ages. When she was 4YO we were in the Ufficio in Florence -- she was enthralled with the "lady standing in the shell" picture.

 

What your kid will enjoy depends upon your kid. We were just on a school trip that spent a day at DisneyLand and an afternoon/evening at Universal Studios -- in THOSE places she was a bit bored because she doesn't like the amusement park rides.

 

Kids are not much different than adults - some adults like the opera, others prefer rock.

[Onessa]

Up until the 90's streets in the UK were safer. Kids didn't carry knives, they were scared of the police and you could leave your door open without fear of an intruder. Times have changed and kids today do have an attitude though some things are better such as technology, is the price we pay too high? In my day computers were relatively new and sparse. We had lego, mechano, board games, big track. We had to either use our imagination or engage with other people. Back then people read more books, grew their vocabulary. Today it seems that a lot of kids (not all) spend most of their free time playing violent games on games consoles from the moment they get home until time for bed.

Well you appear to be younger than me, so your "good old days" were probably when I was already an adult and you and your peers were young and being preached to by your elders about "kids these days . . ."

 

I chaperoned 191 14-18YOs on a week long trip. So I can tell you that at least 20% of the kids in my DD's high school did not spend their free time from October 2010 until January 2, 2012 playing violent video games -- they were memorizing music, practicing marching, and raising money to represent the US "mid west" in the Tournament of Roses parade. Every last one of those kids (and 100s of kids in the other bands) worked hard to accomplish something great. Every last one of those kids were polite to me and the other adults who travelled with them. Every last one of those kids said "thank you" to the ticket takers, bus drivers, waiters, hotel staff, airline staff, etc. Every last one of those kids had three days of homework to make up (and every last one of them did make it up).

 

I am the registar for the local recreational youth soccer league - we've got about 700 kids -- they are all great. They spend two nights each week all spring and most of the summer outdoors playing and or practicing.

 

My DD worked the costumes for her high school play 70 kids - actors, singers, dancers, crew - seven performances (including one for the Middle School kids, and another for the "elderly" -- for which they raised money in consessions sales so as to afford a transportation to bring many of these folks over from an assisted living faciltiy) -- practicing for hours, working on lighting, on sets, on costumes. No video games

 

I could go on (cross country, curling, scouting, etc.) all this on top of school work and part-time jobs. Kids today are great - they are just as great as kids were when you were younger, they are just as great as kids were when I was younger, they are just as great as kids were when Socretes was younger!

 

So the next time my DD is on vacation with us, and she and some friends are playing a board game in the "game room" on the ship and you and a friend come in to play cards, I don't want you to try to chase them out by muttering or staring or whatever else -- the area is open to all pax, not just grumpy "old" farts (where old is just a state of mind)

[miched]

.

 

 

 

The kids don't bother me but their parents do when they lock their kids out of the cabin for privacy and want others to look after them.

 

Or if they let the kids ruin everyone's dinner by ignoring them as they make a disturbance for lack of attention.

 

Take the kids to the shows only to disrupt everyone around them as they let them whine and kick the seat backs.

 

Take the kids into the adult only area as if it doesn't pertain to them.

 

Let the kids run around the buffet area bumping into people and cutting into the lines.

 

Give them stuff to throw over the balcony.

 

Tell them to push their way to the front of a line and then "chase" after them.

[boogs]

I don't think really you can generalize the unruly kids any more than you can the adults who are all about themselves either. Yes, there are children who are self centered and parents who don't watch them, or let them do anything. But I'm not sure how much that has really changed (growing up there were plenty of people whose parents let them do things that were not appropriate - and I'm guessing that adults who now don't think the rules apply to them might have grown up learning that lesson). But there are also parents who are respectful and do ensure that their children are respectful of the rules and are respectful of others experiences..

 

My sister-in-law is a teacher, creeping up on retirement age. She has been teaching in public elementary, middle and high schools for almost 30 years. According to her, the behavior of her students has changed drastically for the worst, especially in the last decade. More than ever, many more are unruly, disrespectful, and seem to lack any motivation to learning the traditional subjects.

 

When she first started teaching, during parent/teacher conferences the parents used to appreciate her observations and recommendations on their children's school room experiences. Now, parent's challenge any less than positive reviews, sometimes even being rude and confrontational if their little Billy or Susie wasn't given perfect reviews. This is something she rarely, if ever, saw even twenty years ago.

 

She is SOOOO ready to retire and leave behind a profession that received much more respect in the past, but now seems to be a battle of the wits with her students and parents every step of the way. She wants to take her first cruise for her retirement gift to herself. I so hope she doesn't encounter more rude children, and their enabling parents, on her celebratory cruise.

[nouveaucruiser]

Its kind of like choosing a restaurant. When I go into a Cracker Barrel, a Bob Evans, or something similar, I know that there are going to be screaming kids, guys wearing ball caps, and chicks with tramp stamps showing. I know that going in, so it doesn't bother me too much. There are going to be famiilies etc. When I go to a Bonefish Grill, an Applebees (God forbid), or Buffalo Wild Wings, other similar chain restaurant, I know there could be children there, there also is a strong chance that the local softball team will be there knocking back pitchers of beer, or similar twenty somethings or even 40 somethings hooting and hollering about a ball game. I know that going in as well, so I don't get too upset about it. Now, when I go into a local French restaurant, or Winery Bistro, or expensive steak house, I know that I am going to drop about mid 3 figures for a supper for two, I better not see or hear any whiny kids or screaming babies. Sorry, get a sitter. Nor do I want to see jorts, ball caps, and other similar things from adults. When I see well mannered children, I nod my head and smile and I look at their parents and give them silent praise. Same goes for a cruise. If you want to turn your kids loose on the rest of us, take a Disney cruise or Carnival. Same goes for boorish adults. Hit the Carnival Cruise to Cozumel, drink all the upside down margaritas you can handle and so forth. Have at it. If your husband gets turned away at the MDR for wearing shorts in the evening, tough luck, you know the rules. There are reasons many of us choose Celebrity. I know lots of great kids that behave better than most adults. They say yes sir and no sir and are respectful. Unfortunately, all it takes is the family with Ghenghis Khan and Attila the Hun for kids, who think their little rays of sunshine can do no wrong and are just so cute as they knock over people and generally run wild, to ruin it for everyone else. For those of you appalled at the rules for adults only places, take your indiginity to Disney or live with the rules. It is really that simple. There is no bullying involved. Just live by what few rules Celebrity imposes and we will all get along. Same goes for adults too.

[SeaBlu]

Its kind of like choosing a restaurant. When I go into a Cracker Barrel, a Bob Evans, or something similar, I know that there are going to be screaming kids, guys wearing ball caps, and chicks with tramp stamps showing. I know that going in, so it doesn't bother me too much. There are going to be families etc. When I go to a Bonefish Grill, an Applebees (God forbid), or Buffalo Wild Wings, other similar chain restaurant, I know there could be children there, there also is a strong chance that the local softball team will be there knocking back pitchers of beer, or similar twenty somethings or even 40 somethings hooting and hollering about a ball game. I know that going in as well, so I don't get too upset about it. Now, when I go into a local French restaurant, or Winery Bistro, or expensive steak house, I know that I am going to drop about mid 3 figures for a supper for two, I better not see or hear any whiny kids or screaming babies. Sorry, get a sitter. Nor do I want to see jorts, ball caps, and other similar things from adults. When I see well mannered children, I nod my head and smile and I look at their parents and give them silent praise. Same goes for a cruise. If you want to turn your kids loose on the rest of us, take a Disney cruise or Carnival. Same goes for boorish adults. Hit the Carnival Cruise to Cozumel, drink all the upside down margaritas you can handle and so forth. Have at it. If your husband gets turned away at the MDR for wearing shorts in the evening, tough luck, you know the rules. There are reasons many of us choose Celebrity. I know lots of great kids that behave better than most adults. They say yes sir and no sir and are respectful. Unfortunately, all it takes is the family with Genghis Khan and Attila the Hun for kids, who think their little rays of sunshine can do no wrong and are just so cute as they knock over people and generally run wild, to ruin it for everyone else. For those of you appalled at the rules for adults only places, take your indignity to Disney or live with the rules. It is really that simple. There is no bullying involved. Just live by what few rules Celebrity imposes and we will all get along. Same goes for adults too.

 

 

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! So VERY well said and I am SO glad that you said it! When we raised our daughter (she is 39 now) we worked SO hard to make sure that she was well behaved and had good manners! I was SO pleased when my father-in-law had invited the whole family (they have 4 children) to a really fancy restaurant one time and we were the only one's with a child, she was 5 then. I asked if she was invited too, and he said "I would take her anywhere, she is so well behaved." I will remember his words forever! Years later he said the same of her children.

Our grandson has known to hold the door, stand when a lady stands up from the table and NEVER wear his hat indoors since he was 4 years old! And yet, he is still a typical little boy and so much fun and full of love! A parent's JOB is to teach and guide and love and prepare your child for the adult world. Letting them act like animals makes the adult a total failure. IMHO

[Bridge Maven]

nobody really likes kids if they're honest

 

Nintee - Then I must be a nobody because I love children!

[nouveaucruiser]

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! So VERY well said and I am SO glad that you said it! When we raised our daughter (she is 39 now) we worked SO hard to make sure that she was well behaved and had good manners! I was SO pleased when my father-in-law had invited the whole family (they have 4 children) to a really fancy restaurant one time and we were the only one's with a child, she was 5 then. I asked if she was invited too, and he said "I would take her anywhere, she is so well behaved." I will remember his words forever! Years later he said the same of her children.

Our grandson has known to hold the door, stand when a lady stands up from the table and NEVER wear his hat indoors since he was 4 years old! And yet, he is still a typical little boy and so much fun and full of love! A parent's JOB is to teach and guide and love and prepare your child for the adult world. Letting them act like animals makes the adult a total failure. IMHO

 

I really really love well mannered kids. I really do. They are fun to be with and so forth. Generally their parents apologize for behavior that is no big deal and are aware of the rules and are conscious that there kids follow the rules. You know why, because they, as parents, follow the rules.