You Know You're a Grouch When.....

[MouseWife]

See, when I was a kid, I totally respected peoples' spaces. There was one guy who did not like kids riding by his house on their bikes. Oh my gawd if you turned around in his driveway!!! So, I never did that.

Ya know, at work, a cops wife told me that we should call the police on a mom who left her son alone in the food avenue while she shopped. For a couple of hours. He attached himself to a young cashier but he was a cashier, not a sitter. My boss scoffed at me and said we don't do that.

And, Kevy Baby, we won't go there.

[libraryvixen]

At the library (because a majority of my grouchy grump stories come from there), there are kids who are left at the library because their parents are at work. This wouldn't be a problem but for the fact that the kids tear up the library, they're loud and disrespectful. I pull out the Shusshing hat for those special children. When the kids get way out of control, they're asked to leave. My favorite part is when the parents come and yell at us because their kids were kicked out.

[Gemini Cricket]

Children should not be seen and not heard.

[Disneyphile]

I learned a fun retaliation from my sister -

When there are wee ones misbehaving and the parents refuse to do anything, just start swearing like a sailor, thus teaching the lil' darlings some new vocabulary.

This is especially easy to get away with kids who are bumping into you, and then snap, "Oh, holy ****! That ****ing hurt! ****! Ow!!! Mother****ing Jesus, Joseph and Mary!"

It's amazing how quickly the parents will steer the kids away.

Sometimes, the parents will get upset and say, "Hey! Don't swear around my children!", to which the response is, "Sorry! It's my reflexes from being kicked and shoved. I can't help it."

[Stan4dSteph]

In that situation, I might have just gone ahead and said something to the kid. Touching me and/or my stuff? Not cool. Hands off, brat!

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

Children should not be seen and not heard.

Awww! Children should be seen and heard and loved... and if you do it the right way, they come out simultaneously fun and respectful of those around them. It's often the repressed ones who break out rudely when their parents aren't around!

[Gemini Cricket]

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

Awww! Children should be seen and heard and loved... and if you do it the right way, they come out simultaneously fun and respectful of those around them. It's often the repressed ones who break out rudely when their parents aren't around!

Originally Posted by Dictionary.com

joke –noun 1.something said or done to provoke laughter or cause amusement, as a witticism, a short and amusing anecdote, or a prankish act: He tells very funny jokes. She played a joke on him.

...

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by libraryvixen

At the library (because a majority of my grouchy grump stories come from there), there are kids who are left at the library because their parents are at work. This wouldn't be a problem but for the fact that the kids tear up the library, they're loud and disrespectful. I pull out the Shusshing hat for those special children. When the kids get way out of control, they're asked to leave. My favorite part is when the parents come and yell at us because their kids were kicked out.

We had to deal with this a lot at the small branch, which is right near an elementary and jr. high in a poor neighborhood. I don't think it's as much of a problem at my library, but then again, the kids section is far from my workstation. Having a Teen Zone helps a lot, since they have a place to be, away from younger kids and adults. It's when these groups clash that you get problems. Best part of the new building is the divisions.

We've got this volunteer who works our Welcome Desk and man, none of us have anything on her when it comes to grouchiness. She adores complaining to me about childrens' antics. She wants them all on leashes. I almost had an argument with her about leashing children. She also says "I'd like to punch them" in such a way that you're not sure if she's joking or not...

[MouseWife]

Man, I didn't even think of people dumping, er, dropping their kids off at the library as a 'sitter'. I've always loved the library and its' quietness.

My son works at GameStop and people leave their kids there, some times for HOURS while they go to other stores, one lady went to lunch!!! I think the problem is they don't respect that they are not entitled to being there. I think that everyone is too concerned with being sued for this or that they don't tell people what to do.

LOL Oh man, I like that swearing part. See, I control my mouth out of respect for the little kids. But, you are right, if they don't show respect for me, well, seems about a fair trade!!!

LSPE~ I got that GC was kidding. But, you are right. That is probably why I didn't give the kids a verbal lashing, I just wanted to get away from them. They aren't being taught how to be respectful people. I see it so much, parents think their kids deserve to do whatever they want that they don't realize they aren't teaching them boundaries.

It is very disappointing. Parents just don't parent.

It was very difficult to tell my son that he couldn't drive until he had a permit, blah blah blah. Well, the neighbor let his 12 year old son drive his truck, to the store. And, the other neighbor also let their kids drive at about 13/14. I mean, we don't live on a farm!!! {I understand that may be legal in that case?}

In the library situation, are you allowed to post a sign or something that states any unruly patrons are subject to being told to leave?

[katiesue]

We used to get dropped off at the Library all the time. Or we'd go after school. But we would actually read books or do research for reports and things. I can't recall that we ever got in trouble, although we did always stop at Party Port for penny candy and sneak it in. I know for sure if we had our parents would have KILLED us.