Animal Lovers That Dislike Children

[Ripley]

I dont understand the big deal about shopping centres and children. I just pop in my ipod and listen to music while I shop so I dont have to hear squeals as I dont like the noise either, but if you go to a shopping centre you expect some noise. Shopping centres are geared towards families anyway. Last Saturday morning at a cafe, there was a child standing on the cake display counter in front of me and hitting the glass while I lined up to get a coffee. His mother didnt ask him to get down, so I decided to move away from him and go to the café next door rather than listen to him. The only time recently I have asked a child to stop something was last month, we went to get some takeaway one evening in a small town and a little girl old enough to know better was banging on the restaurants fish tank that contained gold fish. I asked her to stop and explained that she wouldnt like it if she was trying to go to sleep and someone came along and pounded on her bedroom door loudly. She stopped it, but ran off to tell her father who was busy enjoying his dinner with friends whilst letting his two kids run amok in the restaurant. His father looked over at me, I met his gaze and smiled and he just smiled back lol.

As for long haul plane trips, yes its awful not to get any sleep because of a screaming child and it's happened to me before too, but its also hell sitting next to an obese person who spills over into your seat, arm rest hogs, people who recline their seat right back, drunks, coughing and sniffling people or people who snort it right back up their nostrils. Thats why noise cancelling headphones, an eye mask and a valium ensures a smooth long haul flight.

I dont have children, just didnt feel the urge to have them but I dont dislike them either. Guess Im indifferent but I do enjoy having my friends niece over occasionally as shes well mannered, sensitive and 10 going on 35. At work in my section I have two women who only talk about pregnancy or getting pregnant, kids, weddings and they dont like animals and feel all animals should never be allowed near kids or in the house. Their conversation is very limited but the invention of the ipod and sitting away from them helps. Unfortunately in an office environment you are forced to work with women you wouldnt even speak to at the bus stop.

Edited March 9, 2012 by Ripley

[LizT]

:laugh:

Look what my kids just stuck on the back of my office chair!

Gotta love' em. ;)

[Dame Aussie]

:laugh:

Look what my kids just stuck on the back of my office chair!

Gotta love' em. ;)

:laugh:

[Staffyluv]

I don’t understand the big deal about shopping centres and children. I just pop in my ipod and listen to music while I shop so I don’t have to hear squeals as I don’t like the noise either, but if you go to a shopping centre you expect some noise. Shopping centres are geared towards families anyway. Last Saturday morning at a cafe, there was a child standing on the cake display counter in front of me and hitting the glass while I lined up to get a coffee. His mother didn’t ask him to get down, so I decided to move away from him and go to the café next door rather than listen to him. The only time recently I have asked a child to stop something was last month, we went to get some takeaway one evening in a small town and a little girl old enough to know better was banging on the restaurant’s fish tank that contained gold fish. I asked her to stop and explained that she wouldn’t like it if she was trying to go to sleep and someone came along and pounded on her bedroom door loudly. She stopped it, but ran off to tell her father who was busy enjoying his dinner with friends whilst letting his two kids run amok in the restaurant. His father looked over at me, I met his gaze and smiled and he just smiled back lol.

As for long haul plane trips, yes it’s awful not to get any sleep because of a screaming child and it's happened to me before too, but it’s also hell sitting next to an obese person who spills over into your seat, arm wrest hogs, people who recline their seat right back, drunks, coughing and sniffling people or people who snort it right back up their nostrils. That’s why noise cancelling headphones, an eye mask and a valium ensures a smooth long haul flight.

I don’t have children, just didn’t feel the urge to have them but I don’t dislike them either. Guess I’m indifferent but I do enjoy having my friend’s niece over occasionally as she’s well mannered, sensitive and 10 going on 35. At work in my section I have two women who only talk about pregnancy or getting pregnant, kids, weddings and they don’t like animals and feel all animals should never be allowed near kids or in the house. Their conversation is very limited but the invention of the ipod and sitting away from them helps. Unfortunately in an office environment you are forced to work with women you wouldn’t even speak to at the bus stop.

I totally agree with this - iPods were made for those of us that don't want to listen to others kids carrying on in public.

However, it is still the responsibility of those that choose to have children to make sure they don't bother those of us that don't want to be bothered in public places :)

Just as an example - I was at a restaurant, eating with my boys (grown up now) and 2 tables over were a group of parents with their kids.. When the kids finished eating the parents put them off their chairs and the kids began to run in and out of the tables - annoying other customers (I was not the only person annoyed at this)...

I would NEVER have done this with my boys when they were smaller. (No I was never a perfect parent)

We would change our plans if the kids were tired and we knew they would not have sat, eaten and behaved themselves for the duration of our time out...

To be perfectly honest, I would never have taken my little kids to a place where they would have to sit still for ages while me and my friends had dinner, drinks and chatted about whatever for ages... The kids that can tolerate sitting still for that long are few and far between (my oldest would have but my youngest would have driven everyone, including me up the wall in half an hour)...

When you have children, you realise that life changes with that decision - no you don't have to be a hermit but guess what... Kids change your life, accept it and live with the knowledge that you can go back to your fancy restaurant when you have a babysitter or the kids are old enough to look after themselves...

[Bartok]

My family packs a lunchbox for the kids when going shopping.

My nephews have sandwiches etc packed and they are raised to know

not to ask for anything. They are not perfect and can be right

little horrors, but they know if they perform they don't get a

treat once my sister has done everything she needs to

If your child is throwing a fit because it wants something it either

has to be taught that No means No or some patience is required and it if is generally

hungry then you as the adult should have something prepared for it

or have purchased something prior to entering the store.

Why should anyone expect to be able to pick something up off a shelf

and consume it prior to paying for it? Teach them they can have it once it is

scanned.

[Guest Tess32]

I think sometimes the issue is that some people (including me and I even have one) can't accurately judge the age of toddlers. My son has quite a lot of hair and is walking pretty well, so some people might expect that I'd be able to control his behaviour, but he is only 13 months and just a baby.

[Dame Aussie]

I think sometimes the issue is that some people (including me and I even have one) can't accurately judge the age of toddlers. My son has quite a lot of hair and is walking pretty well, so some people might expect that I'd be able to control his behaviour, but he is only 13 months and just a baby.

I think there's some truth to this. I'm HOPELESS with kids ages.

I often say, ummm she was walking, how old does that make her? Wouldn't have a clue between the ages of about 8 months to 4 years :laugh:

[Kavik]

I think sometimes the issue is that some people (including me and I even have one) can't accurately judge the age of toddlers. My son has quite a lot of hair and is walking pretty well, so some people might expect that I'd be able to control his behaviour, but he is only 13 months and just a baby.

There are a couple of kids I see at the park when I take mine that are VERY big for their age, it causes no end of problems for their mum. The boy is not old enough to start school yet - starts school next year, but looks big enough to be in school already and she gets questioned about why he is not in school all the time - apparently people threatened to call authorities about it and a little girl who is not yet two but is as big as my 4 year old - so people assume she can talk well etc and are baffled when she doesn't answer their questions.

[LizT]

I don't think I even tried to take my kids to meals anywhere that wasn't "kid friendly" until they were at least 10+. :laugh:

It is always so much more enjoyable if there is a kids playground they can slink off too if ( incentive) they have eaten their dinner first.

When my sister got married we dressed our two year old son up in a little toddler tux and he came to the ceremony, then after family photos and before he got real tired and cranky another Aunt, from the other side of the family, came and took him home with her. It was, simply put, not an event for a child. And he was the only child permitted to the ceremony because, at that point he was the only one in the immediate family and my sister knew he would deal with that without fuss.

[LizT]

I think sometimes the issue is that some people (including me and I even have one) can't accurately judge the age of toddlers. My son has quite a lot of hair and is walking pretty well, so some people might expect that I'd be able to control his behaviour, but he is only 13 months and just a baby.

There are a couple of kids I see at the park when I take mine that are VERY big for their age, it causes no end of problems for their mum. The boy is not old enough to start school yet - starts school next year, but looks big enough to be in school already and she gets questioned about why he is not in school all the time - apparently people threatened to call authorities about it and a little girl who is not yet two but is as big as my 4 year old - so people assume she can talk well etc and are baffled when she doesn't answer their questions.

It's something that goes on into teenagehood too.

My sisters husband is a big bloke, and when my father first met him, when he was about 17, dad was concerned why this man was hanging around with a bunch of teenagers and thought he was someone "up to mischief". Poor Dad, I don't think he believed us at first when we said he was still at school and the same age as my sister.

[Kavik]

Ah, weddings with kids, been there done that :laugh:

We were the first out of our circle of friends to get married, the first in the family to get married, also the first to have kids (at 28), so we have been through a few weddings with a kid in tow. Quite a stressful event, though I think there was only one that was a disaster, where OH missed most of the reception walking a colicky baby outside. And the o/s wedding which combined the dreaded long haul flight/jet lag etc with a wedding and reception - that was fun (not! :laugh: ).

With babies you just have to accept that you may end up walking an upset baby outside rather than having fun, and with a toddler that you may end up walking them around outside the venue to keep them occupied at times.

[Merci]

I guess it comes down to preferences. Just like some people love dogs but not cats. I am at that age where my friends are moving from having pets to having children and I am CERTAINLY not predicting any children in my near future.

If you ask me to hold your baby you are likely to get a blank stare from me unless its an emergency (the one time I have held a baby it WAS an emergency infact) but ask if I want hold your puppy or kitten HELL YEAH. Probably for the same reason why people would want to hold a human baby but not a baby lizard.

On as side note from the early posts, people said they dont like naughty kids, but I cannot stand untrained dogs and people who treat their pets as people. They are not people and if you let your dog sit on the couch and ask me to pull up a floor board you will have lost my respect. Children can be naughty just because its part of being a kid but Dogs are naughty purely because that's the way their owner lets them behave GRRR

[Ripley]

I'm better with older kids, they tend to like me. Babies make me nervous and I'm sure they can sense this in my body language and no I do not want to hold them. At a work lunch one of the women asked if I'd hold her baby while she went to the loo. I knew the baby would cry and I didn't want to hold her but she handed her over quickly. Sure enough, she let out a wail. I could also smell that she needed changing but thought surely mum knows. I gave her to anolder woman who has an adult child opposite to deal with and she said straight away to the mother that she needed changing.

Then a colleague on another floor brought her baby up and he cried so yep, if there is a baby brought to the floor near me, I will stay at or leave my desk as I'm not interested in the babies of people who aren't friends.

We had puppies brought into our office the other month. Labradors from a well known charity. From where I sit, only myself and another woman went up to play with them as there were a number of lab puppies (and it's time away from the desk). One of the women who is obsessed with marriage and having a baby, but not an animal lover, said that the puppies shouldn't be allowed in the office and I thought neither should babies and kids love, this is a corporate office, not a creche.

Edited March 9, 2012 by Ripley

[LizT]

I'm better with older kids, they tend to like me. Babies make me nervous and I'm sure they can sense this in my body language and no I do not want to hold them. At a work lunch one of the women asked if I'd hold her baby while she went to the loo. I knew the baby would cry and I didn't want to hold her but she handed her over quickly. Sure enough, she let out a wail. I could also smell that she needed changing but thought surely mum knows. I gave her to anolder woman who has an adult child opposite to deal with and she said straight away to the mother that she needed changing.

Then a colleague on another floor brought her baby up and he cried so yep, if there is a baby brought to the floor near me, I will stay at or leave my desk as I'm not interested in the babies of people who aren't friends.

We had puppies brought into our office the other month. Labradors from a charity we do work for. From where I sit, only myself and another woman went up to play with them as there were lab puppies and it's time out of work. One of the women who is obsessed with marraige nad having a baby, but not an animal lover, said dogs shouldn't be allowed in the office and I thought neither should babies and kids love, this is a corporate office, not a creche.

:laugh: I would have leapt over a pram to get to the puppies. I mean PUPPIES!

ETA. Oh, and then come to a screeching halt to discreetly ask permission to "PAT THE PUPPIES"!!!

Edited March 9, 2012 by LizT

[Ripley]

Didn't have to LizT. A huge meeting room was set aside to play with them. No wees on the carpet either as they put down some matting. :laugh:

[Beanzy]

Didn't have to LizT. A huge meeting room was set aside to play with them. No wees on the carpet either as they put down some matting. :laugh:

Your company allowed puppies into your office - how awesome is that...!!!!

I wanna work where you work, all I have to play with in my office are engineers...and they're no fun.....

[LizT]

Didn't have to LizT. A huge meeting room was set aside to play with them. No wees on the carpet either as they put down some matting. :laugh:

Clever. Now that's guests that you're happy to ask back again. :)

[Mags]

I'm better with older kids, they tend to like me. Babies make me nervous and I'm sure they can sense this in my body language and no I do not want to hold them. At a work lunch one of the women asked if I'd hold her baby while she went to the loo. I knew the baby would cry and I didn't want to hold her but she handed her over quickly. Sure enough, she let out a wail. I could also smell that she needed changing but thought surely mum knows. I gave her to anolder woman who has an adult child opposite to deal with and she said straight away to the mother that she needed changing.

Then a colleague on another floor brought her baby up and he cried so yep, if there is a baby brought to the floor near me, I will stay at or leave my desk as I'm not interested in the babies of people who aren't friends.

We had puppies brought into our office the other month. Labradors from a well known charity. From where I sit, only myself and another woman went up to play with them as there were a number of lab puppies (and it's time away from the desk). One of the women who is obsessed with marriage and having a baby, but not an animal lover, said that the puppies shouldn't be allowed in the office and I thought neither should babies and kids love, this is a corporate office, not a creche.

LOL I seriously understand this. I was working in an office and there was a client that came in with an hysterical screaming infant that she totally ignored until she had finished her business when she turned her attention to the child who continued screaming. After what seemed like hours she and screaming infant finally left and there was a sigh of relief from everyone, including the other clients.

Our boss was standing there looking at all of us and commented if that had been a kitten or puppy you would have all been over there making sure it was OK - we all looked at each other and realised he was dead right at which point we all laughed and he shook his head and walked back into his office.

[OSoSwift]

I think sometimes the issue is that some people (including me and I even have one) can't accurately judge the age of toddlers. My son has quite a lot of hair and is walking pretty well, so some people might expect that I'd be able to control his behaviour, but he is only 13 months and just a baby.

There are a couple of kids I see at the park when I take mine that are VERY big for their age, it causes no end of problems for their mum. The boy is not old enough to start school yet - starts school next year, but looks big enough to be in school already and she gets questioned about why he is not in school all the time - apparently people threatened to call authorities about it and a little girl who is not yet two but is as big as my 4 year old - so people assume she can talk well etc and are baffled when she doesn't answer their questions.

I have ajd the same issues. The people asking why he wasn't in school started at not quite three. WIth the younegr one around 3 a bit more. I ahve very tall boys and one had heaps of heair and quite often people would expect 4 yo behaviour out of a two year old. I never let them run amoke, but they did act far more immature than many people thought they should. Now I have a 6 yo who is the size of an average 8 year old and a 4 yo who is the size of an average 6yo.

I guess that can happen when you dad and half your relatives are 6'4 and over!

[Peace_Of_Mind]

Didn't have to LizT. A huge meeting room was set aside to play with them. No wees on the carpet either as they put down some matting. :laugh:

Your company allowed puppies into your office - how awesome is that...!!!!

I wanna work where you work, all I have to play with in my office are engineers...and they're no fun.....

At my work over the years I have allowed my staff/volunteers to bring in their pets.

My assistant on numerous occasions brought in her guide dog 'Danny' that she and her partner were training.

When Danny finally graduated and left and went to Japan, they bought another dog 'Maggie' who was also allowed in the office.

Another one of my volunteers got a puppy and she rang me to ask if she could bring her in as she was only with her for a week and of course she did not want to leave it alone for 8 hours and that was okay with me, as long as she took care of any mess the puppy would do. It actually behaved, firstly we put her in the bathroom, but a few hours later she was either sitting and falling asleep on my lap whilst working or on her mama's lap.

I am pretty flexible with my staff and volunteers - after all you want to keep them happy as well. :)