*sigh*

Usually when I post on forums, I am very docile and understanding of others, but i've come across a topic that steams my clams.

Fox news has an article about a restaurant that has banned children under the age of 6, and while this is certainly the restaurant owner's prerogative, I simply was reading and thinking "I hope this doesn't become a trend."

I mean I can certainly understand the frustration people feel when there are crazy kids throwing food, crawling under tables, running in restaurants and public places - but then there are babies, the little ones who know no manners and cannot help themselves but to cry at times. In PUBLIC.

Now, I will be 28 this year, and I have lived 27 years child free. I know what it's like to be on an airplane with a screaming child, or to have kids all around me acting a fool in restaurants.

First of all, if the kid is seriously disturbing the peace, surely it is the owner's prerogative to ask the family to leave, but you know what people? Kids are a part of life - DEAL WITH IT.

I hope that doesn't sound insensitive, but seriously. Our world is becoming more and more kid intolerant, and people just have less patients with kids! Again, I understand "brat." That's a word I believe can be applied to certain children, and probably because of a lack of discipline. I do, however, know parents who are good parents and have 2 good kids, and then had 1 that took a whole heck of a lot more hide tanning to get to "well behaved." Parents are NOT the enemy here.

I am so sick of society telling parents "Do your job! Do your job!" I want to shout back, "Then stop attacking my family!" Media today is NOT kid friendly, and for something to be "kid" friendly or family friendly, it "has" to contain innuendo in it for the parents or older family members to appreciate it at all. You put garbage on tv and then tell me to watch what my child is watching, when they are watching it so I am "aware." You tell me that my kid is a brat or undisciplined because he or she is having a "moody" day. Do YOU, society, even have kids?

All parents are not "Casey Anthonys" here. Personally, My baby is only 11 months old. She is pretty well behaved in public, for as well behaved as an 11 month old can be expected to be, but she also has a very strong personality, and I can see where her and I will have to do battle. I've rapped her diapered tushie with light but firm raps and said "No" on a few occasions. She wants to eat out of the litter box (she hasn't, for the record, but by golly that doesn't mean she doesn't try. We've moved it multiple times already). She cries when I pull her away or tell her "NO" in my strong voice. I don't know how long this lasts, but does this mean I am not disciplining her? I don't think so. She is only 11 months, and not really "comprehending" that sort of thing yet, but I am trying to set the stage. I want her to be a well behaved little girl.

...but it's all a PROCESS. Do people out in restaurants or in shopping malls not realize that parents (at least for the most part) are TRYING to discipline their children? What about on airplanes? Babies who cry will cry no matter what sometimes. It's not the parent's fault. Are we to ban babies from airplanes? I sure hope not! Airplanes are still the safest and fastest way to travel.

I just wish people would be more understanding of parents. Seriously. The world is out to attack the family. It's out to attack your children, it's out to attack parents. We already know society does not seem to favor parents, but what about the disservice it does to our children? Get on the computer more, play video games, your parents are nerdy and out of touch...Let's not even talk about how the family unit is attacked. What family unit?  At least I've seen some commercials for family game night (even if it is from board game companies or video game companies trying to push their products), and I've seen commercials for family dinner nights. Those are positives.

Talking should be a normative in families, not the exception or something odd. Of course kids don't tell their parents everything, and vise versa. Our society has a BIG problem with good communication, but that is entirely a different topic completely!

I am ranting and probably making more fumes than actual sense here, but my point is still the same - People may want kids and the "American Dream," but nobody seems to care about what a family actual IS. It takes WORK to raise a child, and you know what? Sometimes you may be in the crossfire inadvertently by sitting at the table next to me in a restaurant, or flying with me and my baby on an aircraft. We all affect each other in life. Kids, babies, are a part of life. You HAVE to accept this. Get over it. Your passive aggressive eye rolling really isn't going to make my baby quiet down any more. It will however, make me more angry and more stressed and possibly eat away at my patience in dealing with my little one. It's STRESSFUL to be a parent when you have a child that acts up. Mine is pretty good in public right now, but when she was a few months old, look out! My daughter has a set of lungs on her! I have empathy for parents even with older children who act up. I see many a parent disciplining their kids in public for acting a fool. It's not easy. However, if you believe civilization should improve and move on, than YOU need to accept children, because they are a part of life....and parents, even poor parents, are not the enemy. If nothing else, a poor parent needs parenting classes, not to be chastised for not knowing how to take care of their little one.

Still, I would venture to say that many parents are good parents, who are trying to raise their kids "right."

 For being a society claiming to be so "tolerant," we really suck at cutting some slack to some darn important things in life, and most the time are downright hostile to those important things.

Lol. I was like this before having children, now that I have kids (well, one and one on the way) I am so much more aggressive when it comes to defending children, parents and families. Parents need help, not a slap in the face, and certainly not "help" by banning their kids from every public facility until they reach a certain age!