tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11125127.post8036923670409891498..comments2023-05-02T10:52:43.408-04:00Comments on Church of the Big Sky: What will Hell look like for the indulgent parents of Montgomery County?Merujohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14123831956012950960noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11125127.post-80084420553641427342008-03-10T15:23:00.000-04:002008-03-10T15:23:00.000-04:00Good for you! I live in MoCo, and I waited tables...Good for you! I live in MoCo, and I waited tables at a "family friendly" restaurant in Bethesda for five years until recently. Although I loved working there, my favorite part about the job was correcting the teenagers, by saying "you're welcome" when they didn't say thanks, thereby humiliating them in front of their friends; I always insisted on counting the check money in front of them and when it amounted to 2-7%, I would just leave the tip on the table and tell them they must have counted wrong. Most teenagers are like this though as far as tipping/manners go. <BR/><BR/>I have to say though, that Bethesda has it's own culture that is so foreign, nobody living outside of MoCo would understand how ridiculous the parenting is. I actually had parents who made me stand at their table for 3 min until their 5 year old said "please" and THEN the parents would not say please or thank you themselves! Not to mention that I have 6 other tables to take care of and are giving me the evil eye for not running up to their table BEFORE they sit down.<BR/><BR/>I remember one woman who made me soooo angry. I gave her and her FIVE brats excellent service on a Saturday lunch shift. They were one of 3 tables in the whole restaurant. She was wearing those J. Crew pants with the anchors on them and a sleeveless Ralph Lauren top- she was very demanding. Her children (all under 7 and blonde) were dressed impecably . As they left, Spaghetti noodles everywhere, french fries on other tables, fingerprints all over the artwork and neighboring tables. They TOOK the CRAYONS! I was sure that an excellent tip awaited me.... FOUR dollars on a SIXTY dollar check! I walked outside just in time to see them pull away in a brand new Mercedes SUV with temporary tags.<BR/><BR/>This is a stereotype of a typical Bethesda parent, although I had a few regulars who were pretty great Bethesda parents and were just as horrified as me by the alcoholic parents who let their children run full speed around the restaurant without batting an eyelash. The servers got really good at holding our ground, so they would run right into us and fall down! Anyway, thanks for the read!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11125127.post-47494966917674473072007-02-01T14:15:00.000-05:002007-02-01T14:15:00.000-05:00Maybe it's because I was a teenager in MoCo not to...Maybe it's because I was a teenager in MoCo not too long ago (B-CC class of '01), but I think that parents are three times the problem as their spoiled-rotten offspring. <br /><br />It's the soccer moms who drive their emerald green SUVs with the phone in one hand and the skim latte in the other--utterly oblivious to the fact that the road does not belong exclusively to them. This center-of-the-universe role that people in Bethesda/Potomac/Chevy Chase think they fill is passed on to their kids like a genetic disorder.<br /><br />As for kids hanging around the mall in PG County (see pgcist's comment) with "gang colors" and "jailyard eyes"--let's give the kids a bit of a break. Kids have been hanging out at malls since about the time dinosaurs went extinct, it's just that society seems to treat bratty white teenagers as less of a threat and nuisance than bratty minority teenagers.<br /><br />I think that the mainstream-liberal mentality in MoCo makes people think that they're decent human beings, simply because they are tolerant of diversity, open-minded about sexuality, and they consider themselves more evolved than people in the rest of the country. That sense of superior values, superior lifestyle, superior diets, superior professional experience, etc. makes MoCo parents feel, well...superior. <br /><br />Kids have been pains in the asses since the beginning of time, but as kids follow in their parents' sociopathic footsteps, I'm glad that you gave a few of them a dose of reality. Their parents certainly never will--because as long as little Johnny gets into Harvard, he can date rape and drop acid his way through life and mommy and daddy will always have open doors and wallets waiting for him back in MoCo.Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04841523752358713539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11125127.post-74679817023041759762007-01-31T16:45:00.000-05:002007-01-31T16:45:00.000-05:00Wow, great story. I'm sorry those punk kids said ...Wow, great story. I'm sorry those punk kids said those things. I sympathize completely.<br /><br />Interesting comments, too. <br /><br />I live within walking distance of PG Plaza, aka, The Mall at Prince Georges (sic). I often patronize the Food Court, Target and Office Depot. Here, it's mostly groups of young men w/foul-mouths, jailyard eyes and gang colors. If I rebuked group of jeering youths at the Food Court, I would probably punched in the face by their girlfriends.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11125127.post-34933790885177966232007-01-31T11:11:00.000-05:002007-01-31T11:11:00.000-05:00I grew up in MoCo, graduated from B-CC in 1984. Su...I grew up in MoCo, graduated from B-CC in 1984. Sure, some kids were disrespectful and obnoxious then, but not the way they are now. My wife and I now live in Aspen Hill, and here are some of the things we have had to deal with:<br /><br />-- Parties with hundreds of kids, parking their cars wherever, playing their stereos full-blast at 2AM, leaving trash on everyone's lawns--and all this with the parents home!<br /><br />-- Motorcycles and "pocket bikes" zooming up and down the street and sidewalk for hours at a time--again with the parents watching!<br /><br />-- A kid with a remote start letting his noisy sportscar idle for 15 minutes early every morning<br /><br />...So, I'm with you. by the way, my wife and I are among those who have chosen not to have kids.<br /><br />And there's no need to apologize for your reaction, to say it's because of what you've been going through. Those teenagers need to learn that their disrespect will have repercussions.Rogerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05633549985719217431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11125127.post-47045052805593857122007-01-29T16:01:00.000-05:002007-01-29T16:01:00.000-05:00Reading your experience made me want to haul off a...Reading your experience made me want to haul off and punch the closest teenager. I'm seeing more and more of this - kids completely out of control and parents unwilling to take any responsibility for their actions. Children should be disciplined, not reasoned with. With no consequences, no fear of reprisal, how would even a saint be on their best behavior 24/7? Those lessons of cause and effect, violation and ramification, are learned in the early years and establish the moral framework for the rest of the child's life.<br /><br />My parents showed me early on to respect others, especially when they are different from you, at all times. They also never beat me, but they spanked if I was out of line. And I knew at a glance if I was treading in dangerous waters. That fear of punishment did a lot to ensure that I stayed out of trouble. It also taught me that my actions have consequences, and I have responsibility for making good choices in order to avoid them. <br /><br />I'm on board with a lot of the comments heather and jmk made. A lot of the cool, smart, decent people I know are shunning procreation, and I can't say that I blame them (1 - it's expensive; 2 - it would break my heart to raise a little girl in this society; 3 - we are all afraid of becoming another jackass parent).<br /><br />Meanwhile "acquisitionists" add 2.5 children to their brood and treat them as if they are in charge. Worse yet, some of these people who have had children act as if they are extra special and need extra consideration from the rest of us because their birth control failed that one time.<br /><br />We are living in a society that devalues human life and positive interaction. There are few consequences for poor behavior, particularly for the privileged. Unemployable backup dancers with probable STDs are held up as achievers. A waste of DNA heiress is celebrated for being a whore and an all-around despicable human being. No one wants to work for anything anymore. We're in sad shape, and the future of this country is ill-prepared to run a local Arby's franchise, let alone a nation.<br /><br />I'm glad you said something, even if the meaning couldn't reach their tiny, entitlement-addled brains. The world would be a much better place if people took a moment, dropped themselves - through the magic of imagination - into other people's shoes, and tried to understand them. This is another incident that should be added to my forthcoming book: "The Golden Rule: Everybody Just Follow It Already And Stop Acting Like Assholes."kristenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18378032912278695807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11125127.post-58261507636187051062007-01-29T15:21:00.000-05:002007-01-29T15:21:00.000-05:00I can't really say anything that these other peopl...I can't really say anything that these other people haven't already said.<br /><br />However, if I would have been there it would have been attack of the cranky former midwestern girls...YEE HAW in JOHN DEERE GREEN!Sudiegirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16803331651685046953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11125127.post-13699187170544858802007-01-29T11:50:00.000-05:002007-01-29T11:50:00.000-05:00Definitely the parents, I'd say. Even if they lear...Definitely the parents, I'd say. Even if they learn from eachother as well. Mind you, the parents are probably out being successful in places like the French Riviera, so they've left the parenting with their non-English speaking au pairs, wouldn't you say that's a fair guess? <br /><br />If I'd been there with you, I'd probably have smacked one with the other... Not just for being complete idiots, but for not being able to make amends for it even when being spoken to. Oh well, probably a good thing I wasn't there. <br /><br />I don't know the area - but we've got people like that here too. I take comfort in being way too smart for them to even begin comprehending what my rant is all about...Scholiasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10219626585108690444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11125127.post-64326852823585803482007-01-28T20:28:00.000-05:002007-01-28T20:28:00.000-05:00All I can say to this is AMEN and You're preaching...All I can say to this is AMEN and You're preaching to the choir, honey!<br /><br />My friends and I have these conversations all the time about how our parents raised us to have manners, we didn't have a lot of gadgets or high tech toys, we ate family dinner together every single night, we didn't live in McMansions, we weren't given everything we asked for and had to earn most of what we did have. In my case, we didn't earn an allowance. If we needed something, my parents provided it as best they could, but they didn't indulge our every whim and fancy. <br /><br />We were taught to get up in the morning and go to work, no matter how much we might hate it, and we were taught to work together as a team. Quitting, my mother would tell us, was not an option and we couldn't be fired from helping around the house and in the family business.<br /><br />What I resent more than anything are these kids who have everything given to them. I've seen kids driving cars I can only dream of ever owning. My parents never gave me a car; I got to "borrow" the family car. They didn't pay for my education, I worked my way through college and graduate school. Everything I own is paid for--with the exception of my house and my car. I don't have debt and I don't own all the latest and greatest of whatever the latest and greatest thing is.<br /><br />We were taught it was rude to stare or point at other people and it was even ruder to make comments about them. We were required to address adults as Mr. or Mrs. and their last name--a practice I continue to this day with anyone who's old enough to be my parent and who isn't my boss or a work colleague.<br /><br />I'm not saying all this to boast or anything. I'm saying it to say, I'm sick and tired of entitled teens their irresponsible, equally entitled, selfish parents.<br /><br />I'm sorry you were harrassed again this evening. For what it's worth--and I can say this since I've met you in person--those kids will never be half the person you are: kind, sensitive, generous of spirit, funny. But then, that's their loss and an enormous gain for the rest of us.Janet Kincaidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01396294382570650966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11125127.post-65633849493702326582007-01-28T15:51:00.000-05:002007-01-28T15:51:00.000-05:00That really sucks. Kids run rampant a great deal o...That really sucks. Kids run rampant a great deal of the time here too. Not so much in malls at night because a lot of malls have curfews for unsupervised teens/kids. Yeeha.<br /><br />We have our share of screamers in restaurents though. My bro and I never were screamers according to my mom, but if we acted up, it was either be good or we're leaving. <br /><br />Good for you for calling them on their bs.<br /><br />I miss Spike and Angel.Clairehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06168243108016358137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11125127.post-55633497317961843922007-01-28T15:03:00.000-05:002007-01-28T15:03:00.000-05:00I think a lot of the shit I'm going through with m...I think a lot of the shit I'm going through with my kids is down to the fact that other parents just don't give a ***.<br /><br />My kids see their peers getting a good time while behaving like worthless punks.<br /><br />I won't tolerate that: I think my kids behave better than I can really expect, given the circumstances.<br /><br />You know what - I've seen one too many of the sitcoms where some hapless twit gets trumped into some scheme by his / her kids, the parent looks like a moron and the kid looks like a clever kitty.<br /><br />growl, pant, etc<br /><br />near_earth_objectAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11125127.post-78641379625688353422007-01-28T10:16:00.000-05:002007-01-28T10:16:00.000-05:00You are so goddamn right about every word. Good o...You are so goddamn right about every word. Good on you for confronting those worthless shitbags.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11125127.post-28782660480824073812007-01-28T10:03:00.000-05:002007-01-28T10:03:00.000-05:00It is appalling to read about these incidents. Th...It is appalling to read about these incidents. The last time I was aware of people laughing at me for how I looked, I was in middle school. I don't know if people in Kentucky and Georgia are more accepting of people of larger size, or if I'm just totally oblivious to this sort of incident when it happens, but whatever the reason, I believed that our society as a whole was <em>over</em> that sort of prejudice.<br /><br />I really am an optimist :><br /><br />Moving on, though: where is parenting <em>going</em> in this country? There are so many people who think of their children as pets or prizes rather than people. It's gone further than parents wanting to be their children's friend, which is also harmful. Now it's parents letting their children raise themselves.<br /><br />People don't seem to understand that kids aren't born knowing how to behave. They don't spring from the womb with fully-formed adult brains.<br /><br />They don't seem to realize that when they choose to have a child, they are committing themselves to 18+ years of supervision.<br /><br />And many of them are refusing to make that commitment.<br /><br />It sometimes feels like all the intelligent people, the ones who understand what having kids really means, are choosing not to have them. Paradoxically, their intelligence is being weeded out of the gene pool because they are intelligent.<br /><br />And meanwhile, the self-absorbed, the irresponsible, the vapid are pumping out trophy children, then stashing them out of the way of their "real" lives.Heather Meadowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04962932701620185508noreply@blogger.com