Kids, DVDs and the lessons involved

[Jessika]

I have aLWAYS thought the TV was a bad babysitter. The TV never called the fire department when the house burned down.. go figure

Seriously now though, I agree with that 100%. It seriously makes me ILL to see this type of behavior in what I like to call "lazy parents". Parents who don't want to actually have to PARENT their children, oh no, the same parents who think their children can never do any wrong, and see their children as a burden instead of a blessing. I saw this behavior all too often when I worked in daycare. To those kids, *I* was their parent, and they looked forward to coming to "school" and HATED when their parents came to pick them up and did not want to leave it. It literally tore me apart to see how parents did not give their children the attention, care, nor discipline that they rightfully deserved.

[CagneyDog]

The thing is, this exact article would of been written if there was no TV for the child. However, the article would now be about parents not being able to control their children. I don't know if this was why the TV was being used however, I know that many people occupy their children with this so they can please OTHER people in the restraunt. I think listening to a child scream would be slightly worse than a cinderella DVD. Of course there should of been headphones used, but people are jumping to conclusions. Maybe they were simply forgot at home and this was the only thing that would keep the child quiet.

So I guess the question really comes up to, screaming and loud behaviour, or Cinderella?

There will be MANY oppurtunties to for this child, and children like this one to develop social skills. Using a DVD as a child instead of engaging in discussion will NOT make the child become some person who lives under a rock with 0 social skills. This child goes to school, it has friends. SHE WILL BE SOCIALIZED. People get up tight when it comes to parenting skills but they shouldn't be the one to critisize. Who knows what would of happened without the DVD.

[Jessika]

But whos to say the child would have been screaming in public? Not all children behave like that in public. All the children I have been around (sans daycare kids, of course) of family and friends behave beautifully in public. Of course, sometimes they get crabby and its near naptime or bedtime, but in that case why would you just go out to dinner you know??

And if a child DOES sit there and scream in public, its either because they are crabby and its close to naptime (as I've already stated) or the parents don't have control over the child, simply put. I mean, honestly. And if my child sat there and screamed in public and nothing I could do would quiet them, I would leave! That would annoy ME, I couldn't imagine how it would make others feel, lol.

[Lady's Human]

If you can't keep the child under control in a restaurant then STAY HOME!

We left a meal sitting on a table in a restaurant here because Marylin and Axel were being impossible. A Dvd player is absolutely unnecessary and irritating to everyone else in a restaurant setting. If that's what you need to keep a child quiet, at least use a headset.

[finn's mom]

If the only way to keep the child quiet and behaved is to put her in front of a personal dvd player, then there are some serious problems with that. That child has total control over them. Part of learning how to behave is misbehaving. If she were to freak out in the restaurant, then you get up and leave. I saw a woman do this the other day with her child. At the store, the child was acting badly, the mother told him if he didn't behave, that they were going to leave. so he acted up, they left. about twenty minutes later, i saw them walking around the store again, he was acting like he should, and, you could tell that they'd talked about it. i dont' know, i think the dvd player, the tv, that type of thing is just a cop out for not knowing how to deal with the child. and, no i don't have any children, so maybe I **don't** know what it's like. It's still my opinion, and, I hope I keep it even after I have children.

[Cataholic]

If the only way to keep the child quiet and behaved is to put her in front of a personal dvd player, then there are some serious problems with that. That child has total control over them. Part of learning how to behave is misbehaving. If she were to freak out in the restaurant, then you get up and leave. I saw a woman do this the other day with her child. At the store, the child was acting badly, the mother told him if he didn't behave, that they were going to leave. so he acted up, they left. about twenty minutes later, i saw them walking around the store again, he was acting like he should, and, you could tell that they'd talked about it. i dont' know, i think the dvd player, the tv, that type of thing is just a cop out for not knowing how to deal with the child. and, no i don't have any children, so maybe I **don't** know what it's like. It's still my opinion, and, I hope I keep it even after I have children.

That is so true..the part about learning and misbehaving. Of course, most parents want their child to be perfect. Well, it just doesn't seem to happen with MY child, despite ME being so close to perfection. Go figure. I adapt...we go out to eat at quickie places, as well timed as possible. But, it doesn't always work, and we eat quickly and exit.

Just today, I was in the grocery, and Jones wanted down and out, as in down and out of the cart. Not happening. He SCREAMED. For probably two minutes. LONG minutes, as I walked by. I saw several people just smile, as they knew what I was going through. I was tempted to leave him in an aisle!!!

You can't live in a cave with your child, and somehow expect him/her to adapt to a world he hasn't yet lived in. You have to have an occasional awkward meal, and at four or five, it really shouldn't be that too often.

[RICHARD]

If that's what you need to keep a child quiet, at least use a headset.

My mom used a HEADLOCK!

And a few rabbit punches.......Sorry mayor!!

[CagneyDog]

But whos to say the child would have been screaming in public? .

As stated, I don't know if this was the situation however I know it IS the situation in many cases that people get uptight about.