Mothers!!

[Caran]

Went with OH to doctors today. (I go with him because he is deaf and misunderstands the doctor)
In the waiting room just in front of us was a young woman with a small boy about four. He was really running riot, all around waiting room, shouting, going under seats, coming between our legs etc. She was constantly on her phone, she would occasionally shout out if you don't stop it I will phone bampy. He didn't like that idea so would stop for a moment. Then start again. She told him to stop it again. He told her to FXXX OFF.
she just threatened him again with bampy. (Bampy is another name for Grandad) which made me think maybe he hadn't got a father figure in his life. She never put her phone down. The child eventually played with some toys in the corner. He kept asking his mum some questions which she totally ignored. By now I was getting annoyed, I wanted to tell her to put her phone away and give her son some attention but I chickened out.
After they went in a few people commented on how loud she was and what a nightmare the child was. I felt sorry for him, he had no attention from his mother.

[ummmm]

I don't think you can judge someones parenting skills from such a short amount of time.

[Old_Geezer]

Maybe not, but one can note they were failing miserably to bother with their responsibilities at the time. Humans will tend to draw conclusions from what they see. But isn't this just modern 'parenting' ?

[horselady]

You see this a lot now Caran, mums pushing buggies and chatting non-stop on the phone, completely ignoring the child, we used to be talking to them and pointing things out. Poor little kid, sounds like playing up is the only way he knows his mum will actually talk to him.

[ummmm]

She was at the doctors. She could just be poorly.

[anneasquith]

He did have a father figure in his life, its bampy, pity he wasn't at the surgery with them.

[ummmm]

Goodness. There is no way of telling if the boys father was on the scene or not.

[murraymints]

when little we were always seen but not heard in public..changed times

[ummmm]

I'm glad times have changed.

[murraymints]

agree..but there is a limit to other's patience with unruly children in public places

[anneasquith]

One wonders if these ( possible) lone parents should be in public with a four year old at all disrupting all our lives. ?

[ummmm]

I find the Brits can be very intolerant of children.

[albaqwerty]

on the odd occasion when I had to see the doctor and no-one was available to babysit, I'd explain to my 2 that folk are seeing the doctor cos they were under the weather and couldn't play loudly or run around so please think about why others are at the doctors.

Maybe the person she was talking to at the other end of her phone was just giving her moral support?

[murraymints]

not moderately well behaved children

[Old_Geezer]

Just poorly behaved children (and the parents that are too poorly to parent but are ok to be continually talking on the mobile and occasionally shouting at their kid).

[ummmm]

All children misbehave at times.

[baza]

Surely the mother knew that the doctors would have sick people in the waiting room, or maybe she was only there to sort out some form of birth control as previous methods did not work for her.

[Sqad]

"She told him to stop it again. He told her to FXXX OFF. "

Doesn't that give you an indication of her parenting skills?
Perhaps not.

[Berniecuddles2]

i'm afraid nowadays chatting on a mobile to someone is more important than being a parent in control of their child!

[237SJ]

It's a shame the staff couldn't say something. I know I would have if a child behaved like that in my place of work. Everybody's too scared to say anything these days in case they get a mouthful.

[mikey4444]

Caran....In my Doctors surgery, that behaviour would have last 10 seconds flat !

The Dragon Lady, that (won)mans the check-in desk, would have been out of her cubby-hole toot-sweet and sorted it out !

By the way, IMHO you should have said something....I ruddy would !