Sitting in the airport.

Waiting for my flight and hear a child approaching down the concourse. This kid has had it, 4 years old it's 11 pm and he is DONE. Dad is carrying this kid and putting up with some nasty screeching. I mean, I try to be a level headed guy and my initial thought is "this kid needs a tune-up." Just as they are passing by me the kid slaps dad in the face. HARD. We all hear it and people are like ooooh, damn!

Dad takes a deep breath, hands the poor little tyke to mom and walks off. He's back in a minutes or two and mom takes the kid down the concourse for some other reason.

I go over to shake his hand and tell him it was impressive how he'd kept his cool. Apparently it was even worse, their flight was delayed so they had just missed their connection. Long night for them

Good luck dude!

Few things can make waiting for something worse than a 4 yr old on meltdown. I feel for that dad Ive been there.

It's episodes like this that made me decide, at an early age, not to be a parent.

I have enough screaming, out of control people in my life not to consciously choose to add another one.

Frankly, I will never understand what motivates people to become parents.

EvanR wrote: It's episodes like this that made me decide, at an early age, not to be a parent. I have enough screaming, out of control people in my life not to consciously choose to add another one. Frankly, I will *never* understand what motivates people to become parents.

Different strokes for different folks and all that Having a kid is one of those things where if someone has to explain it to you...

I saw a similar situation in the Frankfurt Airport. Child of similar age was smacking the crap out of his dad (repeatedly). The dad was taking it in a calm fashion but it gave me the opportunity to think ahead about what I'd to if my (then 1-year old) son pulled the same stunt (I'm not a big fan of letting my kid hit his dad)

A year later Alex (that's my son) decided to throw one across his dad's face while having a tantrum in public. Having the benefit "planning ahead", I just carried him over my shoulder (ha! can't reach my face now can ya? ) and continued walking until the tantrum subsided (took all of two seconds as his "wtf?" set in).

Good times.

Kids are just testing the waters at that age, I think. Big props to that dad for keeping his cool though.

I think I would've spiked the kid like a football in the endzone.

Flying from Dallas to Chicago for work, late, kid a few isles up was tired, whiney. You know how a little kid doesn't want to do something but knows it has to; so gives out one last long "Noooooooooooo" then knuckles under.

This little four year old was German, so it was "Niiiiiiiiiinnnnnnn eeeeeee" So cute.

EvanR wrote: It's episodes like this that made me decide, at an early age, not to be a parent. I have enough screaming, out of control people in my life not to consciously choose to add another one. Frankly, I will *never* understand what motivates people to become parents.

I never knew either till I was in the game. Truth is you will never be able to explain it. Stopped at one because I firmly believe that the only thing we can do to save the planet is have less people on it.

Twenty years later, I am glad I did not miss the show.

I know a person who was on a plane taxing out to the runway when one of her kids lost it. This was after a long day and 11 at night. They turned the plane around and de-borded the mother and children. I cant see where any jury would have convicted her under the circumstances.

Of course 5 minutes later the kid was sound asleep.

EvanR wrote: Frankly, I will *never* understand what motivates people to become parents.

While I understand your position, in answer to your question: Watching my daughter slide her Subaru wagon through a tricky R-L-R combo in my most recent autocross layout, then gather it up on the far end and get her foot back down. That is part of what made me want to be a parent. Having her bring me interesting books to read, that I probably never would have heard of otherwise - there's another reason. I could go on.

Nope. Still don't get it. But neither do I begrudge others their choices.

Sky_Render wrote: I think I would've spiked the kid like a football in the endzone.

Tempting, but not worth the consequences.

I still remember my dad carrying my brother around a hardware store by his ankle because my brother wouldnt stop touching things.

EvanR wrote: Nope. Still don't get it. But neither do I begrudge others their choices.

It's not for everybody. That's not a failing.

EvanR wrote: Nope. Still don't get it. But neither do I begrudge others their choices.

Yep.

I don't even like dealing with our two cats now that my wife travels 3-5 days a week for work. I'm hoping at some point they will start to resent her for never being home and then I can get rid of them.

Another "kid" story:

Sitting in the Houston airport this family (mother and father) who were very suburban looking had three girls (also very suburban looking) aged probably from 4yrs-8yrs who were very energetic. The girls weren't being "bad" just being energetic.

I had moved myself to an empty terminal to read my book (they had the news on TV at my terminal and this one was "line of site" from where I needed to be), and this family came and sat next to me. Meh. Life goes on, I can ignore kids.

The dad, it turns out, I couldn't ignore:

He started of with that hokey suburban parent slow "threatening" voice: "noooooow girllllllls... jusssssst siiiiiit and be stillllllllll..."

Then he moved on to the threats of discipline. Except he wont take responsibility for disciplining his girls, he has to straw-man in a complete stranger to action: "see that guy over there?"

(he points to a pilot across our terminal who is also reading a book)

"He's the 'time-out' monitor. He walks around the airport looking for girls to put in 'time out' and takes them to stand in the corner"

Now the girls are afraid of this poor stranger pilot. Who's sole job it is, apparently, to punish little girls for being energetic (seriously, they were scared of this guy, and they kept checking to see if he was coming to "get them").

I wanted to spike my book into the dad's left eye. What kind of spineless ass-hat needs to hide behind a complete stranger to discipline their kids? And he wasn't even doing a good job of it either!

(The mom was on board with this charade too)

"Other Parents"

You should have called dad on his bluff. Go over and say " OK, lets go girls. I've seen enough. The corner is in (section farthest away from current position.)

Now dad is going to have to roll over on himself.

One morning a mom was fighting with a noodle kid. You know, those kids who just don't wanna, and go limp, refusing to move? Mom is pleading with kid. You could tell she wanted to punish his ass, but didn't want to cause a scene.

I say, "That's OK. Leave him on the floor, we'll make him work pushing brooms." I had a broom in hand, showed it to the kid, and start making my way out from behind the counter. I think that kid levitated off the ground. Mom gives me a look of thank you.

Mission accomplished.

Hungary Bill wrote: Another "kid" story: Sitting in the Houston airport this family (mother and father) who were very suburban looking had three girls (also very suburban looking) aged probably from 4yrs-8yrs who were very energetic. The girls weren't being "bad" just being energetic. I had moved myself to an empty terminal to read my book (they had the news on TV at my terminal and this one was "line of site" from where I needed to be), and this family came and sat next to me. Meh. Life goes on, I can ignore kids. The dad, it turns out, I couldn't ignore: He started of with that hokey suburban parent slow "threatening" voice: "noooooow girllllllls... jusssssst siiiiiit and be stillllllllll..." Then he moved on to the threats of discipline. Except he wont take responsibility for disciplining his girls, he has to straw-man in a complete stranger to action: "see that guy over there?" (he points to a pilot across our terminal who is also reading a book) "He's the 'time-out' monitor. He walks around the airport looking for girls to put in 'time out' and takes them to stand in the corner" Now the girls are afraid of this poor stranger pilot. Who's sole job it is, apparently, to punish little girls for being energetic (seriously, they were scared of this guy, and they kept checking to see if he was coming to "get them"). I wanted to spike my book into the dad's left eye. What kind of spineless ass-hat needs to hide behind a complete stranger to discipline their kids? And he wasn't even doing a good job of it either! (The mom was on board with this charade too) "Other Parents"

If I had heard that, and was the "Time out monitor" I would have made a huge show of telling the girls I had quit my job and encouraging them to be as rowdy as humanly possible. Mostly because I like being a E36 M3-starter.