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  • Patricia
  • Member Since Aug 20th, 2006

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SmackDown: Should Parents Bring Babies Into a Bar? {ParentDish}

Jan 25th 2010 7:16AM I used to be a karaoke DJ in a bar in SC. My shows would run from about 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. While running my show one night, I watched a family come in to the bar: Grandma, Grandad, Mom and Baby. The infant was probably close to one year old. They stayed for the entire show.

Around 2 a.m., while I was winding up cords and putting away equipment, I watched as Mom, who was now thoroughly plastered, got up from the bar stool. Grandad was holding Baby. She reached for Baby, took her from Grandad (who I don't think was drunk - hard to say for sure). Mom lost her balance and fell backwards, knocking over barstools as she went down. Fortunately, Baby was on her chest and Mom went down on her back. Baby was frightened, though, and started screaming. Grandma (also pretty tanked) tried to help Mom up, but only managed to crumple down next to her, pushing more bar stools out of the way. Grandad had to help them both up and hurry Mom and Grandma out of the bar with Baby screaming all the way. It was hard to tell if Baby was genuinely hurt or not.

I am TOTALLY and THOROUGHLY against babies being in bars!!!

Cat Fur Sweaters for Everyone {Lemondrop}

Jan 4th 2009 1:11AM So it's like when your mother dies, you shave her head bald and use her hair to line the top of your trendy snakeskin boots. It's in memoriam, so it's completely respectful, right? Although I am happy to hear that no cats are actually harmed in the making of these items, I still register the gross factor to be pretty high. Eww.

Dumb Bank Robber {AOL Video Blog}

Jul 10th 2007 6:19PM I'm just wondering why banks in America don't have these alarm shields, or whatever they're called. In America, it seems that-- for bank robbers--you don't even need a weapon! Just a tersely worded note or just demand it yourself. The tellers hand it over obligingly and you walk out again. HOPEFULLY, the video camera picked up enough information to get you later--before you've spent the cash. Shoot, just the other week here locally, a guy walks into a bank, no weapon, demands cash, gets an undisclosed amount, then takes off on a BICYCLE!!! At least, as of the time they aired the story, the guy STILL had not been caught. And I'm sure the money had long been frittered away.

Cat Loves Bunnies? Or Cat Eats Bunnies? {AOL Video Blog}

Jun 2nd 2007 2:50PM I agree 100% with John (#12). As a cat owner for many years, I, too, have watched various mother cats raise various litters of kittens, although I can't help but wonder if this is a momma cat with a name like "Scooby." With this woman...who knows? The way the cat is biting down on the bunnies is in no way life-threatening to them. It is a disciplinary measure momma cats use to keep their kittens in line; although, yes, should the momma cat figure out these are not her kittens but possible food, she could quickly go from discipline to attack/kill/eat.

I can also say that even the newest momma cat has no desire for her babies to keep walking all over her. She tolerates it while she grooms them, but gets easily annoyed if they (or some idiot woman who thinks it's cute) keep piling back on top of her. This whole video is annoying as is the ignorant woman filming the thing. Puppies...are you kidding me?

Are kids getting brattier? {ParentDish}

Aug 20th 2006 11:03AM I have, very much, enjoyed reading everyone's posts on this matter. I believe that most of you who took the time to read the article and respond to its message are most likely very conscientious parents who are extremely aware of your childrens' (those of you who have them) behaviors in public places.

I am married, but have chosen not to have children. Throughout my twenties, I used to rant that I didn't like kids. The fact is, though, I love kids. The truth of the matter is...I can't STAND (some) parents!!

I live in a tourist town, and, over the years, I have waited tables in both high-end restaurants, bars, as well as your more family-oriented restaurants. I have toe-curling stories of horrible or, more commonly, sheer neglectful parenting in all venues. I have also worked 3rd shift at a three-star hotel for about a year and a half. It is amazing to me how many parents come down on vacation with their young children in tow and, since they are on vacation (after all), they are determined to stay up late and PLAYYYY!!! The attractions around here know it, too. They stay open til 11 or 12, and many parents keep their kids there till the last ride stops. I've even seen them walking up and down the strip with toddlers in hand at 1 to 2 a.m. Then they wonder why the child is so horribly cranky the next day!

My own best friend once came to town with her kids on vacation. My husband and I agreed to meet her at a kid-themed restaurant. Upon arrival, we immediately regretted agreeing to this meeting spot. Their food had already arrived: two pizzas still in their pans had been picked apart and dragged all over the table (you could follow the sauce trails), then left half-eaten and half-hanging off of plates; pitchers of soda hardly touched but topped off with straw wrappers and crumbs; the rest of the table covered in Cheerios and crackers that she had brought for the youngest to eat (and apparently wear and throw). The scattering of crumbs, straw wrappers, and pizza crusts also sprinkled over onto the floor. A chair had been turned over so she could put a child carrier in the legs for support.

The older kids were already off and playing (loudly) over in the arcade area of the restaurant, while she was still sitting at the table, talking to me as though this was the most normal thing in the world. To top it off, when it was time to go, she asked one of the middle kids who happened to be back at the table to go get everybody from the arcade. The little one ran as fast as she could over there and yelled, "Come on! We gotta go! Mom said!", to the general area. Needless to say, most all the kids stopped playing. Go? Who's mom? Said what? Eventually, the right kids came out of the ball-crawl and the nets and trumped back to the table, all the way voicing loudly their objections at having to leave so soon. When all were assembled, "Mom" grabs the carrier with the youngest in and...leaves. That's it. No, "Hey, let's get this mess cleaned up, guys." Not even a tip for the waitress. My husband, having not eaten a single bite, put a few bills on the table out of embarrassment. I righted the upturned chair, then we both scurried out of the restaurant.

I'm sure many of you are thinking, "Why didn't you say something to her?" I actually have voiced my opinions to her in the past, but the response is always the same. "You're not a parent. Don't try to tell me how to raise my kids when you don't have kids yourself. You don't know how it is." So, we have just agreed to disagree in order to keep our friendship. I just, since then, try to keep our get-togethers kid-free.

That's just one instance a little close to home, although I have hundreds of tales that would have you running to child services. I used to work in a bar that happened to serve food like a restaurant a few years back. I watched as a family--mom, dad, their daughter, and daughter's infant child--sat at the bar ALL night--right up until closing. Daughter was feeding the baby milk from a bottle. The baby somehow managed to sleep through most of the evening (maybe its used to sleeping in very crowded and LOUD surroundings??) At closing time (2 a.m.), mom, dad, daughter, and baby prepared to leave. Daughter was visibly drunk and was having difficulty keeping ahold of the baby, so mom took the baby while daughter got down off the bar stool. Meanwhile, mom helps herself off the barstool, baby in hand, and misjudges the distance to the floor. She staggers back into the stools and falls down backwards, hitting her head on the floor. She somehow managed to keep the baby airborn. Regardless, the baby started to cry. Daughter seems to still be in a fog, so dad (rather shakliy) reaches for the baby from mom, helps mom up, and they all stagger out the door with the now crying baby. Nobody did a thing--not even management. The family (I presume) drove off into the night, never to be seen in that bar again.

I am SO sorry I have rambled on for days here! I realize that for every horror story I have witnessed, there are at least a hundred parent couples who are marvelous with their children and teach them what to do and how to act in public. But, as we all know, it only takes one table where a child is screaming its head off while Mom very ineffectively tries to "reason" with the child, for several other tables to have a disappoitning dining experience. I reiterate, I don't dislike children. I dislike adults who don't properly raise and discipline their children. A child is a direct reflection of the parent with no excuses. If the CHILD is running wild with no discipline...what does that say of the parent who is responsible for it?