HA! I have two stories....

One of the Assistant PRINCIPALS in the school district where I work was spotted by a fellow employee at a local hardware store one day. The employee was appalled because the AP's kids where running around, acting like hooligans and actually inside a freezer display model etc. The funny thing is, this is actually one of the district's more strict APs that the kids actually complain about alot.. go figure?

The LAST time that I went out to eat with DH AND skids was when BS was about 3 months old, so that was almost 2 years ago. SD who was almost 12 at the time ordered a steak and proceeded to sit there poking at the stupid thing, then picked it up and started licking it... all the while giggling and acting like a total moron the whole time. I was mortified! DH mentioned (LATER) that he was annoyed but (exact words) "I didn't want to say anything to her, because I hardly see her as it is and if I say something she'll get mad and won't come over" I decided I would never go anywhere in public with them again. Never actually told DH this, but I just find an excuse and respectfully decline when they are planning some type of public outing.

I don't think I realized just how bad the majority of kids are until one time last year when BS was about 11-12 months old, we were up at the mall and he was walking around the store with me while DH browsed. I made sure he held my hand at all times and was not causing a comotion (common sense right???) This woman actually came up to DH and I and commended us on having such a well behaved little boy and for actually caring about how he was acting. I was like really?

When did this NOT become common practice to expect that your kids act civilized in public????

When perfectson was just barely 3 , I was holding his hand in JC Penney and DD#1 was in the snugli. I was looking at a rack of clothes when suddenly CRASH in back of me- Perfectson had toppled a mannequin! He started crying (he NEVER cried) and no matter what the saleslady or I said he continued to cry and try to get down on the floor. Well when we got home and I sat down to talk to him about his bad/rude behavior, he proceeded to tell me that the "lady's" earrings had popped off, and he wanted to find them on the floor! He must've seen me get mad when I lost an earring! But back on topic, I'm continually amazed at what people let thier kids do in public. Me and DH call them "feral kids".

SS12 will crawl on the floors and look under display shelves for change. We find any excuse to not take them to grocery stores, walmart.

Thankfully, my SD7 rarely climbs on displays and riding lawnmowers and such, I never allow her to but DH does on occasion. The issues I have with her is her whining/pouting, tantrums when she doesnt get her way or when I dont buy her something. The other is her not telling me she has to go to the bathroom and wets her pants right in the middle of the store and claim it was just an accident or she didnt know she had to go till it was too late! Now thats embarrassing! I just cant walk away from a puddle of pee on the floor so guess who gets to go talk to someone to clean it up?? YEP ME!! Then I have to haul her out to the car for clean pants. She does have a problem running off away from me and that I am going to have to work on, especially nowadays. It will only take a minute for someone to take your child.

Katie

We went out to eat one night at an upscale restaurant... yes, DH, myself, and all four kids. Amazingly all four kids did very well.

At the end of the dinner, we asked for our check. Our waitperson informed us that the elderly couple seated a few tables away had picked up the tab ($$$$!!!!) with the message that we "must be doing something right to have 4 extremely well behaved kids"

A month later we went back hoping to see that couple again, but no such luck. We had to pony up for that bill.

I love me some well behaved children in public! I agree it does seem when I think about it how often I see terror children running around stores and resturants screaming climbing and breaking things like this is now the accepted norm. The first day I spent with my SO's kids I asked to take them to the store with me my SO's response "both of them? Alone, just you?" me "uh yeah I do have 2 kids pretty sure I can handle both" SO "you're brave, if you want to good luck." So I took them I told them the rules on the way they hold my hand or 1 of them sat in the cart and the other holds my hand at all times, no yelling, screaming or running, no demanding anything, if I offer to get them something they will get 2 items to chose from if they pick a 3rd they get nothing break any of the rules 1 warning, then we leave. Got into the store SO's son attempt to climb the carts like a monkey yelling at the top of his lungs. I told him this is your 1 warning, he stopped we shopped got what we needed, they behaved asked lots of questions, got toward check out I gave them each to juices 2 pick from SO's daughter demanded soda I told her no and she would get nothing. SO's son promptly picked a juice. Bought my items got halfway to the car when SO's daughter throws herself to the ground and screamed like she was dying I informed her she was only embarassing herself and she could lay there and scream while I left or nock it off and go to the car, I took her brother to the car and left her laying there screaming. She realized I was serious and was buckling myself in starting the car when she jumped up came to the car said she was sorry I buckled her in, and home we went. Told SO how it went, and he said "wow I don't think they've ever been that good in the store for BM, and I always went alone because of it." Well now after that 1 trip I've only once had to leave they got a warning they pushed to see if I was serious I took them to the car and my DD offered to sit in the car with them so I could get what we needed. Since then not a single issue no yelling no running, no climbing, begging, fighting arguing, none! I did the same with my kids gave rules set boundries and enforced punishment and it works perfect. My SO never took his kids in public alone and hated to do it with BM because "the kids can't act civilized" mind you they are 4 and 5 and yeah they can act like well behaved 4 and 5 yr olds. We have no problem now taking them places he says he likes he can take his kids to the store now, we have yet to take them to eat out but that'll happen the same way rules, set boundries, enforce punishment if that means someone gets to sit in the car with a kid well that'll be on SO who's said he will if they act up, cause I know it won't be my kids needing to sit in the car.

We used to get compliments on our son regularly. From age 2yo onward. The ONLY incident we had at a restaurant was when he was 1yo and my wife (then GF) met my parents for dinner. I had moved to CA from Phx a week or so before. My parents wanted to my GF and her son to dinner. They had been there for a few hours and SS-1yo had been great but he was getting bored. My mother gave him the basket of chips and told him to have fun. He turned a basket of tortilla chips in to a nuclear fallout zone. He broke the chips in to tiny little pieces and they were in a 10ft radius around our table. My wife was mortified.

He also liked to hide in the middle of clothing racks at the mall. He would not knock anything off of the racks, did not break anything, etc... but sometimes we could not find him. He was about 2yo. It took a few trips to the mens or ladies room to break him of this habit. As soon as he would see the sign for the rest room he would say "I'm Okay daddy, we don't need to go in the potty". We would go in anyway. I would stand him on the counter and have a "Man to man" talk with him. I was stern and would occassionally pop him on the diaper to get the point across. On a few occassions an older man would chuckle seeing our "man to man" conversations in the bathroom.

I can't stand illbehaved children in public places. Especially at restaurants. When a kid at a restaurant is running around, screaming, disturbing my meal I will call the manager over and request that the child be removed from the restaurant. If the manager won't say something to the parents, I have and will.