In my local (now there's a surprise, eh?!). On the next table is a party of four - three adults and a boy. And the so-called 'grown-ups' are simply ignoring him, carrying on their own conversation. He hasn't got anything to do, no 'electronic babysitter' in the form of a phone or tablet he can play games on. And, of course, he's getting restless - or at least he was, until their food arrived just now. K went to various pubs right through her childhood, but she was always engaged, we played games, traditional, like backgammon and draughts, word and number games of our own devising (a bit of surreptitious extra education, but, hey, it worked pretty well!), or just talked. But she was never ignored. Ever.
Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B
Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B
Drives me crazy to see that. And you know what we BOTH want to do! Grab him, sit him down at our table, and ask him how his day is going! And listen as he tells you. Of course, we know what would happen!
ReplyDeletePeace <3
Jay
Hello Jay
DeleteWhen his boredom led to him getting up and wandering about (the level of his parents' disinterest was such that they made no effort to stop him), I did, actually, manage to ask him surreptitiously if he was OK, to which he nodded, and by the time I left, he'd palled up with another boy of a similar age and seemed to be rather happier. I've said for a long time, and still maintain, that people should have to pass some kind of basic course in parenting skills before they're allowed to breed. Never going to happen, though, not in a million years.
Love & best wishes
Sammy B