Parenting doesn't just mean giving birth....

Recently there have been a lot of businesses who are attempting to ban children from their establishments. From restaurants to movie theaters, even airlines are trying to do this (for more information, click here).

I really don't understand it.

Maybe its because I'm a mother. Maybe its because I've seen a temper tantrum in the flesh (not from the girls, but Mason has been known to throw a fit recently). I don't know, I just really find the whole thing ridiculous.

Yes, children are obnoxious. They stare at people, they drop food on the floor, they talk loud, they can throw fits over anything.

But so do adults.

How many times have I had to listen to the girl at the next table describe her "worst. day. ever." to her totally rad bff on the phone, while her boyfriend sits there completely quiet, picking away at his food? Or worse, the person with "Barbie Girl" as their ringtone....on full blast.

Yep, totally stole from myspace

Or how many times have I seen someone stare at another person, all because they look different? What about those adults who drop food all over themselves, or can't even chew with their mouth closed.

What if we started banning them from restaurants? Think people would get pissed off? Yep, probably.

What about if you step it up a notch from restaurants? What about all those annoying people on facebook who tag themselves in EVERY PLACE THEY GO, or the ones who put every ounce of their life drama on "the book" for people to read about? Can we ban them from facebook? (no really, please, can we ban them?)

Instead of grouping all children into one category, how about you force the parent to be accountable for their kids? How do people expect children to learn the decent way to act in public if they aren't allowed in public? If parents aren't raising their kids to be respectful of others, what kind of adults will those children become?

The solution to this is a little bit of common sense: If your kid is acting like a butt in public, handle the situation. Remove your child and yourself and remind them how they are to act in public. Don't let them scream, hit, punch, yell, or throw things. Ignoring the problem doesn't work (really, it only makes you look like a jerk).

Don't let a few people who choose not to handle their kids spoil things for those of us who have decent children.

Otherwise I will be the one to throw fits in places. And the only thing worse than a toddler throwing a fit is a 26 year old mother of 3 doing it. :)

OK, maybe there are some things worse. But not many.