A shopping centre in NSW has put a ban on screaming children. The Dee Why Grand Shopping Centre has placed this sign in its food court area because staff and customers had reportedly complained about noise levels.
This is a post from Mamamia blogger Jo Abi in response to the ban. She writes:
I am so sick of being judged by the behaviour of my children. Loud kids – bad mum. Quiet kids – good mum.
How ridiculous.
I have three children, not puppies. Children express their emotions, sometimes loudly, and I do my best to cater to them but sometimes it’s just not possible. If my child throws a tantrum at the shops because I’ve said no when he asked for a toy, I’m not going to buy it to shut him up just in case I offend other shoppers. Then they’ll think I’m a bad mum because my child is throwing a tantrum but I’ll know I’m a good mum because I’m refusing to give in to his demands.
Sometimes we go to the play area at our local shopping centre and they get a little rowdy, but I try and finish my coffee instead of getting up to shush them a million times. They’re children, they’re playing. I don’t want quiet children. Yes, I want them to be reasonably behaved and I do my best to teach them this but it doesn’t always work.