Common Courtesy

Here's a little unsolicited advice for people who bring their young children places.

1)If your child hits/kicks/spits on or otherwise does something unkind to myself or my children APOLOGIZE.
2)If your child can not control their urges to run around and scream like a banshee DO NOT take them to a sit down activity like story time at the library and let them do their thing.
3)If your child is sick in any way STAY HOME.
4) If your child makes a stinky diaper and you know it DO NOT let your child continue to walk around and play leaving a path of stink behind. Kindly take your child to the bathroom and change him/her.
5)The booth at a restaurant is NOT a changing table, their are sanitation laws for Pete's sake.
6)If you go to someone else's home for a play date please at least OFFER to clean up the toys after your child has taken them ALL out.
7)If you and your child eat lunch at someone else's house clean up after your child. Heck, cleanup after yourself.
8)If your child runs around a play group pulling EVERY other child's hair please remove them from the group.
9)If your toddler loves babies kindly teach them that it is generally NOT OK to touch every baby he/she sees and or give the baby a kiss esp. during cold and flu season.
10)If you know that your child will be hungry and/or thirsty be prepared and bring a drink and snack so your kid will keep their paws off my kids' snack.

It floors me that I even have to say some of these things but these are things I encounter all the time while I am out and about with the little ones. I try my best to raise my boys to be respectful and kind and to behave appropriately for the situation. My boys are not angels by any means and we definitely have moments when I'm sure other parents cringe at what my kids are doing. The difference is that I do discipline my boys when they are not behaving appropriately and if that means packing up and leaving then so be it. I apologize to people whenever I feel it is necessary and in general I try to teach my boys to be good people.