Monday, August 4, 2008

Baby Mammas And Little Feet

Parents worships the ground their little ones walk on. But it seems that they don't realize that the ground their kids walk on is just as filthy as the ground the rest of us walk on. Is it because children's feet are smaller that moms and dads think that the dirt on their soles is not as dirty, so it's all right for them to walk on furniture or stand up in their seats on buses and trains? We suggest that parents allow their children to stand on their laps. This way, they make a seat available to a passenger who has paid full fare and maybe the seat will be sans footprints. People on their way to work don't want to walk around with a small footprint on their clothes.

There used to be a line the MTA used - Little enough to ride for free, little enough to ride your knee. Paid passengers should have the right to have a seat when available before a child who has not paid. That child should sit on the parent's lap. If a passenger wants to give up a seat for a child, the parent should accept the seat and put the child on her lap. Caregivers can be the worst offenders. Maybe they fear losing their jobs if the kids run home and complain about not having a seat.

Our parents used to say that we are a reflection of them. It's not the children who are displaying poor manners, they really don't know any better until someone tells them. So, the next time your child wants to stand up on a piece of furniture that's not yours, tell him to have a seat. If someone offers your child a seat, you take it and give him a seat on your lap. Besides, you're the one who has to go home and do ten things before you go to bed.


1 comment:

Lynda said...

There are many travel issues with parents and kids on public transportation such as strollers left open taking up valuable aisle standing space on crowded trains and buses, kids crying and screaming and throwing things on passengers when they have a temper tantrum and no apologies from the parents about the spot on your clothes from the flying object or letting the child know their behavior is unacceptable. I could go on. I like kids I don't like parents who haven't figured out how to navigate the public transportation system with their child.