Language Timothy!!

The second Sunday of December can mean only one thing; the Neo-natal unit party at St. George’s hospital, Tooting. Having been born 7 weeks early, Joseph qualifies to go and it has always been fun with an entertainer, a disco, balloon making, party food and more fizzy drinks and cakes than you can shake a stick at.

Which is why it was more than a little disappointing to find only food and a man making balloon shapes – we’d promised Missy some dancing and she seemed rather peeved that we’d lied, basically!

So, after a few sausage rolls, some Twiglets, orange juice and a packet of sweets kindly dished out by a very tall but fairly rubbish Santa, we decided the only other thing to do was to join the incredibly long queue for a balloon twisted into the shape of the child’s choice. Provided that shape was a flower or a sword! That seemed to be all he was able to do.

We waited. And we waited. And we waited.

We waited for about half an hour and it wasn’t until we got to the front that I realised what was taking so long.

The hundred and one kids that were charging about waving and popping their balloons were just walking to the front of the queue to ask for another one.

I know what you’re thinking; they’re children, kids don’t worry about the finer points of etiquette.

Well, I would agree except for the fact that there were several parents who also thought it was perfectly fine to just saunter up to the front of the queue with their delightful child-spawn and demand another balloon as “that 4th one you made popped”.

This was happening at the same time as one mother was swearing at this poor little Sri Lankan woman because her son had popped her son’s balloon!

I find this incredibly annoying. I admit I don’t like queuing but accept that sometimes that’s what you have to do!

M said that it is important to teach children manners and I absolutely agree.

But I can’t help thinking that what children actually see, is them standing in line waiting their turn patiently, while all the other kids and their scumbag parents wander up and get seen immediately.

M warned me not to make a fuss but I was pretty annoyed.

How are children going to learn to abide by the rules of society when they have parents who are ignorant?

You can’t.