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From: jae@hou2g.UUCP (J.ELKINS)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: screaming kids
Message-ID: <456@hou2g.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 17-Apr-85 12:16:03 EST
Article-I.D.: hou2g.456
Posted: Wed Apr 17 12:16:03 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 21-Apr-85 02:11:31 EST
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 29

In response to all the flames directed at parents, I suppose I
might as well put my neck on the block and speak; I feel I should
defend some parents and their children:
	Not all kids are loud, and not all children are
screaming banshees. Those who complain the lousdest about other
people's children are often people who were difficult children
themselves.
	Mothers have a lot to do during the day just to provide
a worthwhile upbringing for the little guys, and if they don't
do a good job we won't have a decent world to live in when we're
in our old age. Children and mothers get hungry, and there's no
reason to deprive them of food just because some grouch wants to
sit in "peace" at some eatery where the music is blasting
anyway. Where possible, children should not be permitted to
disturb people at lunch, but there are times when it just
HAPPENS! When I eat out with my family I don't like to have other
people's kids bothering me either, but I know that even though
I keep a rather tight reign on my kids, my two-year old is so
LOUD that he's gotta bother some people. If I wait until they're
older they'll never learn how to behave in a restaurant, and
although I spend most of my meal shutting them up, it's worth it
to teach them that they have no right to disturb the other
people eating.
	The point I'm making is that some noise is unavoidable
in rearing kids, and although some parents are outrageously
negligent in controlling their children even the most
conscientious parents have embarrassing moments.
							Jay Elkins