Good Tuesday morning to everyone, and welcome to the 4th edition of Tuesday Travel Tips with Tiffany! To read previous editions, you can find them here.
Today, we're going to head back to the wonderful world of airports. And, specifically, let's have a little discussion about children in airports.
Parents, let me make something clear to you. It is your responsibility - and yours alone - to maintain control over your child/children when you travel. It is no more acceptable for them to run pell mell through the gate seating area than it would be to do so at a restaurant or at the mall. Oh, wait - this drives me nuts in both of those locations as well!
I'll bet there are some people out there who won't like my use of the word "control." Tough. Deal with it. Children need to be controlled, not indulged. When you are in your own home, do whatever you want. If you have no interest in building discipline, so be it. But in public, you put the safety of your children as well as anyone they encounter at risk by allowing them to run freely about.
Get a leash! I'm serious. If it would too damn hard for you to either keep them in their stroller, occupied with a book or toy, or hold their hand or put them on your lap, then at least put them on a leash so you can rein them back in the second they start to wander away. It is not my responsibilility as a fellow traveler to amuse them. And it's sure as hell not the responsibility of the already overworked gate agents!
Parents, this is especially important advice for you to take if you are outnumbered by the amount of children you're traveling with. Some fellow travelers may feel sorry for you, because you look tired after wrangling four toddlers through security. I don't. They're your kids - that means you have to deal with them! If you clearly cannot handle traveling with them, the choice is easy: don't. And if you do choose to travel, it's you that's in charge, not them. Whining, screaming, kicking and crying are not acceptable; instead, that behavior just makes all of the other passengers hate you. By instilling discipline in your children ahead of time and laying down clear rules and boundaries, everyone's travel experience will be all the more enjoyable.
And along the way, a leash can't hurt.
Until next time...
Safe travels!
I agree! I'm not a mother but I used to be a teacher. It's always the parents' primary responsibility in keeping their kids no matter what. Kids are kids and they don't know what they usually do, but parents should always know. Exercising control is not bad, what is bad is when the children go out of control.
ReplyDeleteFYI, we had a great leash system with our kids, seriously. I am a firm believer that as parents we must be responsible for our children :)
ReplyDeleteAs for the Entrecard question, I don't think you want to know how this anal retentive woman gets a top 10 for the week....let's just say it involves a pad of paper, pen, and time.
Hi Tiffany,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment on my post on Breast Feeding.
Keep up the good work! Liked ur blog
Vaidehi
Food Health Fitness
I couldn't agree more. Kids need to be controlled in public places for their own safety, as well as the comfort of others. I can't count the amount of times I've nearly run a little child over at the supermarket, because they've shot out from one of the aisles, right in front of my shopping cart. In fact, the only way I avoided hitting a little one the other day, was by pulling up really sharp, and jerking the cart backwards, straight into my ribs. Ouch! But I'd sooner take a bruise than hurt a kid.
ReplyDeleteOne word "decorum" It is a word my son and daughter completely understood before they were 4. At home, sure go nuts, have fun. When your in public you WILL conduct yourself with self-restraint. It's not hard to teach just be firm and most importantly consistent. Parenting is Not a negotiation, How many times have we seen a child acting up in the supermarket and hear those magic words "If you behave I'll get you something" It takes them about .2 sec to figure that one out, scream and cry....get reward! Just grab a box of cereal and put it the cart, "oh but little Johnny should have choices" Bull#&%@! the choice they have is the choice you give them. Parents that use the TV as a babysitter take note.....
ReplyDeleteGreat points, all the way around. I think that getting backed into the position of negotiating with children can be very dangerous...at age 4, they're demanding a treat, so what the heck will they demand at age 16? We have had my niece and nephew, as well as my goddaughters, come to stay at our house at various times for a few weeks at a time, and I've found myself saying, several times, "because I said, so! I'm an adult, I'm in charge, and I don't need a reason for you to listen to me..."
ReplyDelete