Quote:
Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction
Fair enough. Like I said, my parents were really strict and maybe I unfairly project that onto other people. It's something I avoid doing now.
I guess on the other side of the coin is how about when it is in your home? Some parents let their kids do whatever they want in their home. For example, I have in-laws that live on a farm and their house is literally particle board and 2x4s. When they come into my home, I need to constantly correct behavior related to how they treat property (and it also extends their behavior in public). It's a situation where they are not "bad", but they are honestly ignorant. It has unfortunately led to some tension when my in-laws visit because I am always having to lay down the law with their kids. They don't seem to think that house rules supersede their personal parenting.
That is actually one of the things that made me start this thread. That Wal-Mart incident was so long ago I almost forgot about it. I was a bit more of a dick back then for sure.
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If it was my house, I'd definitely say something. But as many have mentioned here, it's a case by case basis. It's sooooo contextual. How well you know the parents, how you talk to the kids, etc. What exactly the kids are doing. I mean, kids are loud, that's a fact of life. Without knowing exactly what you are talking about, it's hard to know if your just being a little impatient and/or 'prissy'
, or you have a legitimate compliant. Are they banging on walls? Is stuff getting damaged? Are they swearing a blue streak? For instance my uncle was pretty close to old world. Very strict. Wooden spoon strict. And we'd be over at his house with all the cousins every January for Ukrainian Christmas. But even he had no problem with us rough housing and being loud in the basement. Though it was mostly his son that was causing it, as he was the oldest, and a bit of a bully. (wonder how that happened?)
Hey, you gotta learn how to fight somehow!
But, if you do have a complaint, I would feel no shame in confronting the kids, as long as it's done constructively.
If they are getting really bad, you gotta talk to the parents though, to do the heavy lifting. At this point, I guess I'd ask how well you know the parents. You said they were in-laws? Tough situation there for sure, but if the kids are disrespecting your home, and the parents don't wanna do anything about it, maybe that's just one of those situations where you have those people over less. They're in-laws, so maybe that'll be a good thing.
As for the Wal-Mart thing, I dunno if I'd even say it was a dick move, just that you probably overstepped your bounds a little, and that even a good parent might take a little offense.