Pet Peeves Revisited.......

I thought I would get this one off my chest before the new year.......sort of "cleansing of the soul" ....so to speak.

This is my current number one pet peeve.........children in restaurants. I love kids and I'm not blaming them one bit. It's the adults who get all the finger pointing..........

Hubby and I and another couple are sitting down eating a wonderful meal at California Pizza Kitchen......an upscale, trendy restaurant that serves unusual pasta dishes, wine, and expensive desserts.....and yes, they also unfortunately provide high chairs......The young couple behind us had two very young daughters, one about 18 months to two years. She starts fussing. It's late, after 8:00 in the evening.......I understand fussing. The young mother starts to tickle her, I guess to keep her from crying. (always preferred to taking the child outside to calm her down and to not disturb other patrons... :sheesh: ). The child starts to laugh and SCREEECH! I mean so loudly that I can't even hear what hubby is saying. After five minutes, I turn around and stare at the mom and she looks at me and smiles and says....Sorry! (Hello, she is creating the noise by tickling her daughter to the point of hysteria!) I say, "We're trying to have a nice meal here". ) Well the mom goes ballistic on me, and responds "This is a kid's restaurant". Hubby, who has had enough turns around and says, "No, McDonald's is a kid's restaurant." She starts yelling at me, bundles up her kids, (her hubby, by the way looks embarrassed), and leaves with "And Merry Christmas to you".......at which I respond (being the suave adult that I am ). ."It will be now that you are leaving"..............

Needless to say my outing was ruined.........I know I should have taken the high road and kept my mouth shut, but I am tired of having nice meals ruined by inconsiderate adults.........notice I say adults and not children.....

Okay, my rant is over.........anyone have any thoughts here? 42

ooo I second that thought, Show... but add to it, spoiled/mis-behaving children and parents who don't take the time to disipline their children. I can't stand a badly behaved child. Don't give me crap of "they'll grow out of it" because they don't, they get worse. I'm not saying beat teh kid senseless, but sometimes telling the kid no and leaving it at that isn't enough... and giving into the child so that they will keep quiet and not annoy/bug/embarass you is just stupid. I'm sorry but if your kid can't behave on a few errands, don't bring them out of the house

my other big pet peeve is someone eating with their mouth open... or slurping their coffee... if it's "so hot" that you have to slurp or "so cold" then cool it down or warm it up before you drink! It's disGUSTing.

way to go Show and Mr.Show! I have yet to find a way to deal with rude parents and their rude children. The reason...THEY DON'T CARE that they are ruining other peoples dinners, movies, whatever. These types usually cannot be embarrassed.

We get take out several times a week. More times than not there is something wrong with the order. I mean this entails what....listening, writing or entering, and reading? Calling and complaining may make you feel better but doesn't really help the situation since the meal is ruined.

A few years ago I was "barred" from CVS Pharmacy for smarting off to the pharmacist. My prescription was for a medication that comes in several forms. When I picked up my prescription the pharmacist had dispensed the wrong form of the drug. I called his attention to this in a very polite way and he argued with me that he was right and I was wrong. I asked to speak to his supervisor who was not in and then asked him to call my doctor to clarify the prescription. After several minutes of him trying to convince me that I didn't know what I was talking about I left and called my doctor who called the pharmacist to tell him what to dispense (that was already written on the prescription). I went back to the pharmacy to pick up the prescription and the pharmacist took me aside and informed me that it would be two hours before he could have it ready...his way of jerking me around. He also told me that I had no business embarrasing him in front of other customers. I told him that if he had acted in a professional matter he would have had nothing to be embarrased about. I went home and my sister agreed to pick up my prescription later that day. When she went to the counter and asked for my medication the pharmacist said "I see that she didn't have the nerve to come back in here after the way she acted today". My sister replied "That's not it she just hates dealing with stupid people"! He refused to give her the prescroption and then called me to say that they would no longer do business with me. This ban lasted about thirty minutes until I was able to reach the area supervisor who transferred the pharmacist to another store.

Good for you Piel. Actually, he should have been fired.

my other big pet peeve is someone eating with their mouth open

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I hate that also! It is so rude. I especially hate when someone is smacking gum.....it reminds me of a creepy Burt Reynolds for some reason! I'm also not a big fan of parents that can't keep their children under control. I've avoided Wal-Mart all X-mas season thus far because I can't stand being being mobbed by a band of shoeless, rat-tailed/mulleted kids with wrestling t-shirts and dirty mouths! It angers (and saddens me) that so many parents will let their kids out of the house looking so ratty....you know the poor things aren't generally getting the sort of care or attention they need.

"Here, Here!" Show!!!! My pet peeve is children misbehaving anywhere in public and being allowed to get away with it. It drives me nuts when I am at a grocery store or Dept. store and some child is screaming incessantly, while the parents blindly ignore the behavoir. It's as if, they are so used to it, they must figure everyone else will tolerate it. Not so!!! My mom would have smacked my bottom and taken me out of a store when I was young for misbehaving. In fact, I remember it well. I blame today's partents more than the kids. It seems as though children have no routine anymore. Instead of being put to bed at a decent hour they are being dragged through a grocery store or shopping mall by mom and dad. No wonder they scream, they are tired!!!

Along the lines of misbehaving children, since I work in retail, I would like to add the parents that come into a store (any store, not just the one I work in) and let their kids run rampant. Hockey sticks come crashing down, gloves get tossed, clothing gets pulled off the racks and scrunchies are pulled down in bunches. Whatever happened to "if it's not yours, don't touch it?"
My other pet peeve about parents are the ones that have older children playing hockey or skating in the rink and seem to think that the pro shop is a wonderful place to dump their little ones for free babysitting. I have taken to kicking them out of the store and telling them that if they want to shop, they need to bring their parents in. So far only one parent has tried to make as issue of this, but my boss backs me entirely and both of us refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed parent. We just smile and say, "sorry, we are unable to accomodate children under 5 without a parent in the store."

I agree that parents should keep children under control. Unfortunately, my problem is my own parents. It has gotten to the point where I now refuse to go to a restaurant with them. My dad drinks too much and flirts with every female employee he can lure over to the table. My mom has to ask the waiter for all the ingredients in every dish and list everything she is allergic to. Then she proceeds to demand everyone talk in a loud voice so that she can hear them above the noise of the restaurant, at which point I clam up - I don't want everyone in the restaurant hearing everything I have to say. My mom did get a hearing aid last week, but said she won't wear it in a restaurant because it's too noisy. Luckily, both my husband and I like to cook, so we fix a meal for my parents instead of going out.

It's good to see that I'm not alone with "pet peeves"..........I think my New Year's resolution will be to try to be more tolerant...........either that or to make sure I am never seated near small children in restaurants............... 42

show. There is NO reason why you should tolerate bad behavior from any child... and you should give their parents a good talking to! I never keep quiet... I speak my mind as I pass their parents... always making sure to say 'it's pretty sad when I know a single mom who is barely 21 who works two jobs and her kids are better behaved than most in the world today' one lady nearly ran me over with her cart... and I said a little louder 'but mainly kids act exactly like what they see around them from grown ups'

yeah I'm a snot... but considering what my pastor does (offers to take 'care' of the children FOR the parents so that they can continue shopping[ie disipline]) I don't see why I get such a bad reaction

Children in restaurants! Oh, you've got to read this true account found on the BRATS website. **** is to block out profanity:

Rant Number: 44893

DBF(dear boyfriend) and I remain, more than 12 hours later, absolutely mortified and acutely embarrassed. Last night, "friends" (no longer) of ours brought their 2-year-old daughter to what was supposed to be a celebratory, ADULT dinner at an Indian restaurant. We will NEVER go anywhere with them again, and they will NEVER set FOOT in our house with their child. This means I now have to figure out a way to un-invite them to our housewarming party in January, or reiterate the ADULTS-ONLY aspect of the party.

Anyway. DBF and I went to this particular Indian restaurant the day it opened (years ago), and we go there often. We know the owner well, and he appreciates the fact that we almost always bring new friends with us and introduce them to his place. We attempted to bring a large party in last night, and we're too embarrassed to go back (though we plan to return this evening to APOLOGIZE).

Let me at least make an attempt to be concise...
1. When the Breeders arrived, they sat TerrorChild (TC) in a high chair. The waiter was bringing appetizer plates around (of course, they'd arrived 30 min. late so we'd ordered wine and appetizers for the other 10 people who could show up on time because they are... and they have no...). These were nice, GLASS plates. TC SHRIEKED (startling other diners and all of us and the poor waiter), "WHERE MY PLATE?!" Naturally, the INTELLIGENT waiter had not given a fragile glass plate to the table-pounding TC. But of course, as soon as she shrieked for one, DBF's MOM gave TC her plate, saying "Here you go sweetie! Now you have a plate!" Nice going, "adult". Of course, what did TC DO with the plate, but BANG on it. If it had been up to me, we would have left after eating our appetizers. I suggested this, for reasons plainly obvious to almost everyone there, who agreed. But the "parents" were all, "Oh nooo, we never get to go out for nice dinners!" Yup - well, not my problem. Your choice, your consequences.

2. TC GRABBED for the appetizers as soon as the waiter was in view with them and heading toward our table. TC STOOD UP IN HER HIGH CHAIR and SHRIEKED and extended her wee imperial arm toward them and SHRIEKED (and I mean, like the horror movie scream, just earth-stopping) and SCREAMED "I WANT I WANT I WANT THAT!" Kill. Me. Now. Seriously people, if I'd brought THAT into this world, I would have long ago driven my car off of a bridge, no joking. Staring THAT in the face for 18 years? It's death. It is. Life, over, now. Death.

3. Ineffective attempts to control TC ensued. She was given small toys, which she threw down the length of the table into baskets of fresh naan. Like any of us want to touch naan that has borne a germy toy? No thanks. Those were set aside for the Breeders to take home with THEM. TC was repeatedly told, "You can't have a samosa because it's spicy" only to SHRIEK, be given a samosa, and then scream and throw it on the floor because (SHRIEK) "It's SPICY, OWWWW". Well no ****, lil' darlin'.

4. After standing up and THROWING herself out of the high chair, onto the ground, and into a nearby (and thankfully EMPTY) table beside ours, and crying and shrieking, DUH said, "Oh just let her run around, it's nearly empty in here". WHAT?! EXCUSE ME ******* WHAT?! Our entire table was STUNNED. Several of us said, "Are you sure that's a good idea?" and "Other people are here and trying to enjoy their dinners..." But you know breeders, eh? So she RAN and DANCED and SHRIEKED in the restaurant.

We got to see a painfully clear example of what life as a parent is like. One of the two parents could never just sit and eat and talk, and was constantly up, having to chase TC as her hands wandered toward the flames warming the chafing dishes on the Indian buffet. Another friend of ours mumbled to me, "Just let her burn herself already, then they'll have to go to the ER and we can eat in piece". My thoughts exactly. This kid is just SO AWFUL.

5. When TC had finished running around, she walked around the table and WITH HER BARE GERMY HANDS TOOK FOOD OFF OF THE PLATES OF ADULTS EATING THEIR MEALS. Just walked up and GRABBED my friend's piece of naan (among other things). My friend finally lost it and yelled, "TERROR CHILD! You do NOT take food off of adults' plates". But the beaten down breeders came back with the usual, "She's just a chillllllllddddd and we let her do that at hommmmmeeeee." My friend said, "That's just rude, and she's old enough to know better". So now of course we have major tension at the table, and everyone is clearly irritated by this kid, and dinner is on its way to being ruined. Oh, the joy only a child can bring!

6. Everything I've described here repeats for hours, with TC trying to CLIMB UP ON PEOPLE'S LAPS, reaching toward wine glasses, banging with silverware, throwing food on the floor, running around and trying to pull tablecloths (bearing elaborate table settings and GLASSWARE) onto the ground, and JUMPING ON THE COUCH in the restaurant foyer/waiting area. At this point I grabbed her shoulders, stopping the jumping, and said "TERROR CHILD!" and believe me, that got her to stop, "IS THAT WHAT YOU DO AT HOME?!?!" She looked stunned for about 15 seconds and then started crying (but hey, she'd stopped JUMPING ON FURNITURE THAT DOES NOT BELONG TO HER), and Moo said meekly, "Actually she does, you should see our couch, it's trashed" totally missing the ******* point.

CFers, just be so, so glad you've made the choice you've made. These people are shells of their former selves. They always always always look completely exhausted. They've given in, they're too tired to fight at all anymore. At one point, TC was pulling sugar packets out of their holder and DBF said, "Do you really think she should be doing that?" And Duh said, in this totally exhausted voice, "You know, it's just easier to let her do that and put them back later than to deal with the screaming when I try to stop her". Uh, your kid SHRIEKS ALL THE ******* TIME. Might as well have her shriek and learn who's in charge in the process.

DBF and I felt so horrible that we left a $60 tip on a $102 tab, and cleaned up the table as much as we could before leaving. We are also planning to go back today to see the owner and apologize. We are so mortified. Even we, the devotedly CF, had no idea how truly and completely awful dinner with a 2-year-old could be. Oh, we THOUGHT we knew, from watching utter mayhem unfold at other tables, but we had no idea until we had to sit through hours of this ourselves. CFs, if ever you feel you might sway from your decision, I encourage you to borrow a 2-year-old and take it to a restaurant, and attempt to have a pleasant evening with your adult friends. Go ahead. I doubt there is any more reinforcing an experience. Yup - these tubes are getting tied in 2005. It's my primary New Year's Resolution. My birthday's in March, so if I start making consultation appointments now, it should be "Happy 28th Birthday to ME" in a few months. Never, ever, ever will I have that kind of life. NEVER.

If airlines allow cell phone during flight.

Regarding "Rant Number 44893"...................

While this child acted badly you can not blame the child when adults put them in inappropriate situations. I can't imagine being as anti-child as the author of this rant. For all of the kids that act up there are just as many who are well behaved. The parent sets the tone.

I think most of you are not parents. I'm not either. However, I have siblings and friends who are.
Children go through ages and stages, such as the "terrible twos" I've seen with my friends.
It isn't so easy to be a parent, especially of the infants and toddlers. What do you expect the parents to do? Beat them into submission?
No! And yet, it is not so easy to maintain total control.
Try reading some of the "how to" baby, toddler, pre-school books and see if you can successfully baby-tame. Ha!
Better yet, YOU try to manage the little ones perfectly at these stages.
They ought to have a "rent-a-kid" for you snobby non-parents to see how well you could do.
These little ones are our future. Their parents are trying to do their best to give their kids the best chances. All you have done is b_tch about them, parents and children. Do you have a solution? A word of help?

A simple word of I'm sorry when precious almost knocked me over in a store instead of screaming at me like I fell down just as precious blindsided me would be a nice start

Well, I am a parent (my children are 11 and 22) and I would not put them in a position where they would be expected to behave in ways beyond their years. If this meant that we wouldn't be dining at the Ritz for a couple years, until they were old enough to sit still and not run rampant, then so be it. That's the price you pay for parenthood. Same thing goes with taking children to the movies. And when I was in a store when my children were at the "terrible two" stage, I refused to let them run around loose. They are my children and my responsibility and if a tantrum (which will happen to even the "best" 2 year old) would loom imminent, well, we'd just have to leave the store and return post meltdown.
The title of this thread is "pet peeves" and so I'm okay with just complaining as opposed to offering solutions. Because I have been there. And I'm not totally unsympathetic to the plight of parents.

megsk8z....

I applaud your parenting style!!!! I don't have children myself, but I am sympathetic to the plight of parents. There are situations where I fully expect young children to be, and in those situations I consider it my responsibility to be somewhat tolerant of the fits of 2-year olds, etc. If I go to McDonald's, I expect to deal with kid stuff. If I go to Disney World, I expect to deal with kid stuff.

For the life of me, I do NOT understand parents who bring small children to upper scale restaurants, especially later in the evening. Or to other events / situations that are clearly geared towards adults where there is nothing kids can do except be comatose or get themselves in trouble and irritate others.

Situations also amaze me when parents let kids run loose unsupervised in situations that could be DANGEROUS for the children. My dog breeder/trainers have 2 children - 7 and 4 years old. The breeder / trainers never bring a babysitter to the dog shows, and often these kids are running wild for HOURS between "check ups" from the parents. Isn't that how kids either get injured or kidnapped????? These kids are also major brats compared to other kids their age, and I'm sure the lack of regular supervision has a lot to do with it. I spent a fair amount of time last summer at these shows babysitting by default. I finally stopped doing that - why should I care more about keeping these kids out of harms way than their own parents do?

On the flip side, I have the pleasure to know a number of great kids who are welcome at my home any time. Their parents put the effort in, even when they are tired, to follow through and teach proper behavior. It's refreshing these days to spend time with children (older than 2, of course!) that say please and thank you, ask permission before embarking on activities, address my husband and I as "Mrs. Beth and Mr. Gary" etc. Kids ARE the future of our country, and it is possible even in this day and age to raise good ones.

Just weighing in with my own rant!

DG

Actually, I am a parent of four and I sure would not have tolerated that kind of behavior. If they acted up, and I don't think mine ever did, take them out. Did you know that most of the people in mental institutions had never been told no?
You do have quite a bit of control and I do know there are situations where you don't, you just have to start out controlling them when they are big enough to control. I would suggest that they read up on some of Dr. Phil's suggestions. He makes very good sense. My daughter asked my granddaughter, who is a therapist at a Fort Worth children's mental hospital, what she thought of Dr. Phil and she said she tells them the same thing he does only he does it on tv and gets big bucks for it. There just is no excuse for patrons having to tolerate brats acting up.
If they can't control them, don't go, and if your on a trip or something, there's usually some kind of drive in or grocery store to get food. My kids all turned out very well and I am very proud of them.

People who believe every Urban Legend, and send me the "scary" emails of the latest danger. I politely send them to Snopes.com

Johar, truthorficiton.com is marvelous, too. I refer *many* friends and family there, sadly. You'd like to think these people have more common sense....


Anyhoo, about the kid situation. I don't blame the kid, but I'm with those who say there are just places that kids do not belong. However, I've watched some very intelligent friends completely lose their minds as soon as a kid arrives. I went shopping for china once, invited a friend along (mentioning that hubby could watch the 3 year old...) and no, friend brought kid along. Gads.

There is columnist in my newspaper, John somebody....very conservative politically, but damn, his parenting advice is right on. John Rosemond, I think. Says kids need to come *second* to husband/wife, which I totally agree with.

Oh, and my holiday pet peeve....women who write checks as if they are a work of art. For the love, nobody is going to admire your handwriting! Get a check card already!

Thanks for listening!

Laura