Shocked at the etiquette of other mothers and fathers

rnfromtn · February 2011

So this weekend we spent a couples days in Chicago taking in some shopping and a museum. My husband and I were both shocked at the manners of parents all over town!

First, elevator etiquette was ridiculous. Seriously, why put your stroller, or let your child stand TWO inches from the door when you know that when it opens there will be people inside trying to get OFF of the elevator??? As a child my parents always grabbed my arm and held me back from the elevator so that that wouldn't happen. These people seemed irritated half the time when they actually had to move back to let people off. REALLY?! We were so annoyed that this happened all weekend, at almost every elevator. And we took a lot of elevators. We even had two parents with strollers cut us off as we were getting onto an elevator with ours.

Then we go to the museum. Kids are running into us or our stroller and looking at use as if we ran into them! My husband noticed lots of kids pushing through others to see exhibits or cutting in lines and posed this question to me, "How are we supposed to instill into DS manners and to wait his turn and then take him somewhere like this? Do we let him just stand there trying to be polite while other kids cut in front of him?"

I am not saying by any means that my DH or I are perfect. But I know that we have manners and just can't believe the other adults of our generation. I hope that DS's generation doesn't grow up to be worse.

Krisann79 · February 2011

Indifferent Maybe it's just a 1-off. Maybe the kids pushing was because they are kids?

I hope you're just judging the place you went to and the people there..... not the entire city of Chicago. DH is from there and he doesn't do that.

rnfromtn · February 2011

Krisann79:

Maybe it's just a 1-off. Maybe the kids pushing was because they are kids?

I hope you're just judging the place you went to and the people there..... not the entire city of Chicago. DH is from there and he doesn't do that.

Oh no, not judging at all. HAlf if not more of those people are proably tourists. It's not just there, I get really peeved about the elevator nonsense even here in Wisconsin. I don't understand why there are so many people my age who just don't get it. You let others get off of the elevator before you get on one. Why is that so hard??

deedeew80 · February 2011

Yes, the elevator thing is annoying. However, the kids pushing & such, I believe that's everywhere and just kids being kids! LOL!

rnfromtn · February 2011

deedeew80:
Yes, the elevator thing is annoying. However, the kids pushing & such, I believe that's everywhere and just kids being kids! LOL!

That may be. But my parents did not allow us to behave like that. And I assure you my DS will not be pushing yours or cutting in front of them if I have anything to do with it.

JLG95 · February 2011

Chicago is ranked the 15th rudest city in the US according to Travel + Leisure. Of course, the 2 cities I live near are worse -- Baltimore (7) and D.C. (5). And yes, I agree, we're rude.

PrincessShay80 · February 2011

The kids are rude, because their parents are rude- I don't know how many times people are pushing to get on the elevator, when we have to get off first! These are adults, so if you wonder where the kids get it- the apple doesnt fall far from the tree!

I cannot stand children who do not know how to behave in public places, and shame on their parents for not teaching them these skills. When DD is older if someone pushes in front of her, I will have no issues calling that child and hopefully their parent out right there, if anything it will teach DD to stand up for herself.

SusieQ1982 · February 2011

I agree; most of the time I'm appalled at the way other adults behave, let alone their children. And the apple doesn't fall far from the tree most times.

I think it's disgusting how entitled and selfish our society has become and while I don't plan to raise my son so that he gets pushed out of the way by all the rude people, I certainly don't want him to be the one doing the pushing.

yourmom5309 · February 2011

JLG95:
Chicago is ranked the 15th rudest city in the US according to Travel + Leisure. Of course, the 2 cities I live near are worse -- Baltimore (7) and D.C. (5). And yes, I agree, we're rude.

Bahahah. I love it.

Hollywood214 · February 2011

I totally see where your coming from (not the Chicago part) but I see unmannered kids everywhere. I think to myself, Why aren't you disciplining your child"!!!!

RaeAnt · February 2011

JLG95:
Chicago is ranked the 15th rudest city in the US according to Travel + Leisure. Of course, the 2 cities I live near are worse -- Baltimore (7) and D.C. (5). And yes, I agree, we're rude.

LOL- was Philly or NYC on that list? Dh & I believe it's a NE mentality in particular. We're originally from Lancaster,PA @ 1hr from Philly and 3hr from NYC so we had tons of people from there and Jersey in our area all the time.

It just tends to be a different mindset. We call it the "me 1st syndrome." other areas of the country don't seem to have it the way the Eastern states above Virgina do.

kimberlyk921 · February 2011

JLG95:
Chicago is ranked the 15th rudest city in the US according to Travel + Leisure. Of course, the 2 cities I live near are worse -- Baltimore (7) and D.C. (5). And yes, I agree, we're rude.

I totally agree! However I go out of my way to be polite because that is how we were raised. I can't stand when people block the elevator, I mean come on..how are YOU going to get into the elevator if we can't get off?? So annoying.

stever · February 2011

Ugh! Spoiled brats!

lilwildthing · February 2011

This post made me think about when I took my nephew to see monster trucks earlier this month. We were waiting in line to get the signature of the driver for Gravedigger. It was a long line. Parents were actually sending their kids up through the line to try and cut in front of people. I was shocked! I asked a couple of boys who tried to cut in front of us where their parents were. I then asked, "Well, shouldn't you be with them?" They went back to where they came from.

rnfromtn · February 2011

PrincessShay80:

The kids are rude, because their parents are rude- I don't know how many times people are pushing to get on the elevator, when we have to get off first! These are adults, so if you wonder where the kids get it- the apple doesnt fall far from the tree!

I cannot stand children who do not know how to behave in public places, and shame on their parents for not teaching them these skills. When DD is older if someone pushes in front of her, I will have no issues calling that child and hopefully their parent out right there, if anything it will teach DD to stand up for herself.

This, and yes we will teach DS to stand up for himself, but also when to stand up for himself and when to just let it go.

macchiatto · February 2011

How annoying! I honestly rarely encounter that here; maybe you should move to the Southeast.

Like I am impressed by how often people will go out of their way to hold the door for my double stroller, if we're at the children's museum or a playplace or something I hear parents tell their older kids to watch out for the little ones, etc.

shoeboxx · March 2011

JLG95:
Chicago is ranked the 15th rudest city in the US according to Travel + Leisure. Of course, the 2 cities I live near are worse -- Baltimore (7) and D.C. (5). And yes, I agree, we're rude.

Hey...don't air our dirty laundry miss! Wink

ak1234 · March 2011

rnfromtn:

So this weekend we spent a couples days in Chicago taking in some shopping and a museum. My husband and I were both shocked at the manners of parents all over town!

First, elevator etiquette was ridiculous. Seriously, why put your stroller, or let your child stand TWO inches from the door when you know that when it opens there will be people inside trying to get OFF of the elevator??? As a child my parents always grabbed my arm and held me back from the elevator so that that wouldn't happen. These people seemed irritated half the time when they actually had to move back to let people off. REALLY?! We were so annoyed that this happened all weekend, at almost every elevator. And we took a lot of elevators. We even had two parents with strollers cut us off as we were getting onto an elevator with ours.

Then we go to the museum. Kids are running into us or our stroller and looking at use as if we ran into them! My husband noticed lots of kids pushing through others to see exhibits or cutting in lines and posed this question to me, "How are we supposed to instill into DS manners and to wait his turn and then take him somewhere like this? Do we let him just stand there trying to be polite while other kids cut in front of him?"

I am not saying by any means that my DH or I are perfect. But I know that we have manners and just can't believe the other adults of our generation. I hope that DS's generation doesn't grow up to be worse.

The elevator thing is partially a safety issue to me. If the door opens and your kid runs out, and you can't get out before the door closes, it is not going to be pretty. Adults don't have elevator etiquette either. I can't count the number of times I have tried to get on or off of the elevator only to have someone standing directly in the door!