Can we take a moment to talk about parents who seem to turn a blind eye when their children are being disruptive?
Consider this scenario: A foreign language school in our community hosted a story time at the local library for kids aged 4 to 6, featuring stories and songs in various languages. Intrigued, I decided to take my 5-year-old along one week. We joined six or seven other families with their little ones, all gathered on the floor in front of the storyteller while the parents settled onto benches a few feet away.
The storytime began with some cheerful greetings in Italian. “Ciao, bella!” The storyteller then introduced colorful puppets and props to tell his tale.
A few minutes into the session, a little girl approached the storyteller and began tugging at his puppet. He responded with a smile, keeping the puppet just out of her reach while continuing his narrative. Undeterred, she jumped to get a better grip on it, and soon, a little boy joined in, reaching for the other props. The storyteller managed to keep the story flowing, moving items out of their grasp while attempting to encourage them to sit down. They complied for a moment before making another grab for the props.
This behavior was, of course, typical for preschoolers, but what struck me was the lack of intervention from the parents, who simply watched the chaos unfold with adoring smiles.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time I’ve seen parents allowing their children to disrupt events for others. I’ve witnessed toddlers trying to climb onto the stage during performances and parents bringing crying babies into movie theaters without removing them. There was even that incident where two women filmed their kids smashing a glass sculpture at a museum in China. How charming.
While I typically avoid judging parenting choices, I genuinely struggle to understand why anyone would sit back and watch their children ruin an experience—be it an event or a tangible object—without stepping in to correct the behavior.
Is this a case of hands-off parenting gone wrong? Are parents just oblivious, believing their kids are charming and that everyone else should feel the same way? Or do they think their children have the right to act however they please, regardless of the consequences for others? I truly want to grasp the mindset that allows someone to witness their child’s disruptive behavior without making any effort to intervene.
I’m not one to say that kids today are entitled. In fact, I think most kids are great. What I find increasingly frustrating, however, is the trend of parents who view misbehavior as something cute. Spoiler alert: it’s not.
I’m not naturally confrontational, so I hesitated to step in during storytime and tell the children to stop grabbing the props. It shouldn’t fall to me to correct behavior while their parents are right there observing the situation. I felt for the storyteller, who was clearly trying to maintain his composure and not show his irritation. He was, after all, hoping to encourage parents to enroll their children in language classes.
Eventually, I reached my limit and was prepared to speak up, but thankfully, the story concluded just in time.
While I recognize there are countless parenting styles and that what works for one family may not work for another, basic courtesy should be universal. If my child were attempting to grab a storyteller’s props, I would gently pull him back and explain why it’s not appropriate. If that didn’t work, I’d ensure he sat with me, and if he persisted, we would leave. This seems like Parenting 101, right?
Of course, children with special needs deserve some extra patience. Certain developmental challenges can lead to unexpected outbursts, and I believe they should be allowed to enjoy events as well. However, even then, there must be limits to how disruptive a child can be without parental guidance. Social etiquette can be taught to nearly anyone; it just needs to be reinforced. (None of the kids mentioned earlier appeared to have special needs, but I acknowledge there are exceptions.)
In conclusion, parents need to take responsibility for their children’s behavior. If your child is being disruptive, whether they’re interrupting a performance or affecting someone’s enjoyment, please step in. If they are breaking established rules or being rude, don’t hesitate to intervene—at least make an effort, for goodness sake.
No child is exempt from basic manners, no matter how special or adorable they may seem to their parents. Surely, we can all agree on that?
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