We went for a ride on the river ferry on a variable day of wind, rain and sunshine. Pleasant to sit and watch the river and its craft and the buildings on the banks - and the people.
Two people got on with bikes - looked like grandson and grandfather. I was impressed that there is a bike rack for them - right next to my seat. The riders moved away and soon after the pedal and crank started going around. I looked down and a little hand from behind me was giving the pedal a workout. An adult voice told him to stop. He didn't, so I turned round with a bit of a disapproving look in an effort to discourage him. I figured I wouldn't want someone messing with my bike, plus I think it's good if a kid is encouraged to do what he is told.
The kid persisted so I said, 'Don't do that, Matie.' So he swapped to doing it with his foot. Another discouraging word and the adult got stroppy and told me it wasn't a problem. I said I thought it was and left it at that.
The kid, however, did stop.
So what's your verdict? Grumpy old woman stopping a kid having fun or a mature adult doing her civic duty of protecting someone else's property?
PS I watched later as a little girl refused to do what her parents told her eg not to hit her sister, not to put her feet on the seat and how they didn't continue to insist. I watched her as she obviously tried to see how much she could get away with. Recipe for disaster I reckon. But I can be pretty grumpy about such things,,,
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Perhaps a dozen years ago a student in one of my classes told fellow students (and me listening) that she did whatever her 2 year old son wanted because it was easier. We all thought it was storing up trouble for the future. Ken S
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that it is hard work to do consistent parenting but if is done in the early years then the later years are not so hard.
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