Seriously oblivious parents

[Liberal_in_LA]

Seriously oblivious parents

This coffee shop is small and often busy. It’s not unusual for patrons to share tables. It’s fun and friendly and part of the good karma and inviting ambiance of the place. The thing was, that of all the tables to approach, this guy – oblivious parent guy – chose my table: the only one occupied by a person who was a) obviously working and b) working on a piece of expensive hardware. As he and hid kids moved in, settling their snacks, drinks, books, and toys on the table in extremely close proximity to expensive hardware, I started to twitch just a little. Two close calls with milk spills later, I moved my laptop off the table and onto my lap – turning my chair sideways so I could prop my legs up on another chair in order to better balance the computer. No reaction from oblivious parent who now had his nose buried in a notebook while his kids tussled over a toy, nearly upsetting his coffee.

A few minutes later, I caught the little boy’s milk just as it was about to topple over into my purse, which was sitting on the chair next to him. In my best Julie Andrews voice (and with the sincerest smile I could muster), I said, “Oops! Watch out. You nearly lost your milk!” Oblivious parent didn’t even look up. He apparently mistook me for either his wife or babysitter and thought it perfectly normal that – now we were all seated together – he should unburden himself from the task of watching his children.

He suddenly seemed to become aware of where he was and said, conversationally, “I hope we’re not bothering you too much.”

Trying not to sound like someone in a sitcom, I said, “Oh no. No worries at all. It’s just that I recently had someone nearly dump a cup of coffee on my laptop, so I’m a little jumpy around open beverages.” (All true, by the way.)

“Ah, well,” he said, “Spills will happen.”

Speechless moment number one.


http://blogs.babycenter.com/mom_stories/seriously-oblivious-parents/

[Brickbat]

1. People who complain about the surroundings while "working" at a coffee shop make me cackle.

[dkf]

4. Well when on the road you might need access.

That is why I love my 3G iPad, not that I do work on it, but 24/7 Internet access rocks.

[Brickbat]

8. Of course -- but one shouldn't expect a quiet, work-like environment in a coffeehouse, which this

author seems to do.

[REP]

20. One shouldn't be pressed into involuntary babysitting, either

I'll have to tell you the story about the "parents" who tried that with me and my very loud car alarm, over and over again, right where they were standing (of course, also far away from their horrible, badly-behaved loud-ass brats). Well, everyone except them thought it was hilarious.

[pipi_k]

25. BEEP!! BEEP!! BEEP!! BEEP!!

hahahahaahah!

I'm getting the mental movie now...

:+

[elehhhhna]

26. once on grand cayman my sis & i were sitting at the pool at a condo

and the parents of a 4 year old LEFT HIM OUTSIDE, ALONE, in the hot-tub, while going back to their 3 condo to 2nd floor unit to make lunch and get the baby. These chunckheads didn't even glance at my sis & I but the dad DID say "Please stay in the hot tub while I'm inside? BE SAFE, Little Man!" while abandoning his pre-schooler in a hot tub with a whole frikkin OCEAN not 30 yards away!!!!!

Idiots. When the wife came back out to the pool wearing lucite heels (!) all our worst assumptions were confirmed.

[idiotgardener]

28. I wouldn't do that with my dog.

Not that he'd get in the hot tub in the first place, but I'd never leave him with strangers!

[elehhhhna]

29. ha! i would but budward is a lab and he swims like a monsterfish!

he would snorkel if we let him

[idiotgardener]

39. Then you should totally let him

and post pictures here. That would be great.

[Missy Vixen]

22. One shouldn't expect to have a cup of milk dumped into her purse, either

Imagine what would have happened if the author of the blog post "accidentally" spilled her coffee on one of the kids - or the dad's notebook.

She didn't specifically ask for quiet. What she did ask the parent for was corralling his progeny so she wouldn't be replacing an expensive laptop.

[REP]

27. I like where your post took my mind

Not that you suggested anything, but I see a big hot Ameticano "accidentally" landing on or near the next moo or duh who tries that shit with me...

[dkf]

2. The guy seems clueless.

Anyone who has been around kids knows how hard it can be to contain them properly around others. To ask to share a table is asking for problems.

As for bringing them into a coffee shop, I don't have problems with that. Starbucks has a nice hot chocolate and their vanilla scones and artisan sandwiches are yummy.

[Darth_Kitten]

21. Their pumpkin scones are great.

;)

[lunasun]

34. Anyone who has been around kids knows how hard it can be to contain them properly around others.

Not everyone
Maybe hard briefly but if they have been taught what is proper behavior and are supervised to reinforce it consistently it usually doesn't last long during development esp if taught proper manners and are used in the home too not just 'outside ' manners.

If you are blessed with a bullheaded toddler or three be reasonable to others and order coffee and drink it in the park or something or expect comments, people moving away and do not be offended .
and yes I am a parent and had to make a choice to leave places in the younger years even though I could of stayed and made strangers suffer .

Also as poster points out if not properly contained around others it can lead to injury

I see too many loser parents who think it is ok for their kids to be on their own spilling stuff , fighting etc. while they text or gab or read while in restaurants etc. where others are not expecting to babysit strangers

We call it grazing children vs raising them.....they step in once in awhile but not often enough for everyone else around!
Not being consistent is the issue often- clueless lazy or burned out whatever . if you cant handle kids in public try to bring something for them to do also toy or books

The last episode for me >a mother who let her one child in an ice cream shop run around with ice cream on his hands and face touching other people's clothes and items. Just staring at him not even distracted but never a motion to wipe him off or keep him seated
Yes she had a right to be in the ice cream shop as much as I have the right to tell her kid to go away and back to your parent but then they wake up out of the daze and are soooo offended you didn't like ice cream on your pants from their angel and asked them to sit with their parent---horrors.


Saw a very young kid fall off the top of one of those stuffed lounging chairs at coffee shop once .....the kid was up there for awhile before taking a hard fall ....our only thought??? Now the selfish family will sue!

The Op may sound harsh but really at some point others really aren't amused by the bulls let loose in the china shop and it's simply bad manners to expect others to accept the unacceptable parenting and the resulting bad children. IMO

How did my progeny turn out so well I have been asked. I always tell people it was not by chance! Two parents working together and done with purpose not chance.

[abelenkpe]

3. I'm probably a helicopter parent

I'm always thinking other parents aren't paying enough attention and end up not only watching their kids, but mine as well. What are they thinking??

[riderinthestorm]

5. Its a public coffee shop. The man and his daughter needed a place to sit.

The writer states that people share tables.

This woman seems like the oblivious one. If you are in that kind of coffee shop, then its YOU who put yourself in the direct path of uh, coffee and beverages and stuff that spills.

Who does she think she is that everyone must accomodate her?? she's got a new laptop, the battery will run for 3 hours so you don't need the power outlet. Move your ass away from the kids if you think it's that much of a problem....unless...

You know what I hate? People who park their ass in the coffee shop and never leave all day, not spending even one dime on the coffee shop menu and blocking all the seats. Clearly this woman is someone who was parking her ass for HOURS (or a hell of a lot longer than a new laptop battery can hold out without being recharged) and felt entitled to berate anyone else who may get close enough with their legitimately paid for food items.

Harumph!

[blueamy66]

30. She was there first.

wtf?

control your kids

[SomethingFishy]

6. It doesn't take a parent to be an asshole

however reading DU you might wonder.

[BlueJazz]

7. ,,,and then Liberal_in_LA waited patiently for her revenge,......it wasn't long before..

..."smart-ass-man" rose to get some more coffee.
Our Heroine stealthfully and quickly put her foot in smartAssMan's way, tripping him and causing his head to strike
the back of a sharp chair.

As he lay bleeding in extreme agony, our Heroine bent over and replied..."Oh my goodness, oh well...spills happen"

She walked out into the bright sunshine and thought...Life is Good.

[RC]

10. +10 Right on!

Parents need to mind their children no matter where they are. Teach them to respect other people.
This idiot of a parent was failing his duties.

[AngkorWot]

9. I'm reminded about the Family Guy bit

about the dicks who work on their laptops at Starbucks.

[Brickbat]

11. The more I read this the more it cracks me up. The author tells the father that there are "no

worries at all" and that she is the one who is jumpy around open beverages. So what he hears is "no worries." And then she says she's "speechless" when the man responds that spills happen. Expecting people to read your mind is always an exercise in futility. Makes good blog fodder though, I guess.

[Blaze Diem]

12. Its how society is. Just look at peopleofwalmart.com

I would have quietly packed up my stuff and moved to another table occupied by a more mature audience.
Guess I wouldn't take kids to Starbucks for lunch either. But that's just me.

[Cats Against Frist]

24. Remember -- they are the 99 percent.

[blogslut]

13. I'm so glad I'm not a new(ish) mom

Sometimes they're fairly insufferable.

When I was a new mother I made a vow to never criticize the way other parents raise their kids. I've kept that vow for the most part.

[dkf]

23. It's not the kids...it's the dad.

Kids will be kids. I am amazed how clutzy they can be but I guess that is something you learn?

The dad doesn't seem in touch with what's around him, and what needs to be navigated. But then they say women are better at multitasking.

[Carolina]

14. You're so much nicer than I am

I would have told him to control his children. Or worse, picked up my cell phone, pretended to dial a friend and then discuss the clueless parent and his kids loudly and with profanity.

Exhibit A: "Hi Laura, I was trying to finish up that report we have been drafting, and was working diligently at ___ coffee shop when this clueless bastard sat at my table with his bratty kids. I was there first and obviously busy but they just took over the table, nearly spilled milk all over everything... And the jackass, son-of-bitch dad just sat there obnoxiously oblivious with his nose buried in his notebook. Some father he is. Now I understand facilities that forbid children. With parents like him, this country is going to shit. Heaven forbid what these little rat bastards will be like when they become teenagers. Must run...

[Blaze Diem]

15. lol. Thats honest at least..

ha

[mnhtnbb]

16. LOL. Great!

[L0oniX]

40. +1

[Blaze Diem]

17. People at tables near yours probably thought you were the kid's mom.. & couldn't

believe why you would let your kids eat near your expensive equipment & work.
They were probably appalled by your lack of discipline with, what they thought were, your kids.

hmmm you recall getting any glares or rolling of eyes in your direction?
lol

[Rhiannon12866]

31. If the Dad was that oblivious, maybe he thought so, too...

I'm surprised he didn't chastise her for not disciplining the kids... :eyes: :hi:

[Blaze Diem]

32. lol..oblivion

cripe

[valerief]

18. Jerks like that drive me nuts. nt

[EFerrari]

19. ADD.

My brother has it and it drives me nuts when I forget. He also has three active children.

[Fumesucker]

33. My brother was (is) ADHD..

He damn near drove the entire family nuts, me included, when we were kids..

It wasn't the ADD part that was so hard to deal with, it was the hyperactive part.

[Dreamer Tatum]

35. You mean they built a coffeeshop around your office?

Didn't they know you were there first?

[flvegan]

36. Get used to it.

Clueless, stupid, ignorant people breed. "Parenting" isn't something far too may get.

[lunasun]

37. They are not really parenting -just" in the area" suffices it seems

[flvegan]

38. And "in the area" means within shouting distance.

Good to see you here.