Most Wtf Moment Ever

[mariano-BCN]

two nights ago I saw at the Noche de los museos the same: irresponsible parents holding the kids awaken at midnight, just because they wanted to have fun. How egoist, irresponsible can it get?
It happens all over Latin America. Even in Spain, along Latin American migrants.

 

[Crema Americana]

My most WTF moment was seeing a toddler riding on a motorcycle with his father. Around here you see that a lot... little kids sandwiched between parents on a motorcycle or riding on the lap of a driver.

I realize it has to do with economic need, but it shouldn't be allowed.

 

[fifs2]

two nights ago I saw at the Noche de los museos the same: irresponsible parents holding the kids awaken at midnight, just because they wanted to have fun. How egoist, irresponsible can it get?
It happens all over Latin America. Even in Spain, along Latin American migrants.

You're kidding right??

 

[Gringoboy]

My most WTF moment was seeing a toddler riding on a motorcycle with his father. Around here you see that a lot... little kids sandwiched between parents on a motorcycle or riding on the lap of a driver.

I realize it has to do with economic need, but it shouldn't be allowed.

Yeah, I know. It's so commonplace that I hardly notice now, even though it makes me cringe.
I've fallen off my bike twice, luckily at low speed...around 10-15 khm, raining.
My head hit the deck hard on both occasions and even with a helmet you see stars.
Need I say more?

 

[Jaredberryman]

two nights ago I saw at the Noche de los museos the same: irresponsible parents holding the kids awaken at midnight, just because they wanted to have fun. How egoist, irresponsible can it get?
It happens all over Latin America. Even in Spain, along Latin American migrants.

That's not necessarily irresponsible behavior. If the kids had to get up the next day, it would be. People here do not treat their children as mechanical automatons that must go to sleep at precisely the same hour every night. This culture is much more relaxed about things like that and it doesn't mean the parents don't let their children get enough sleep. So during the Summer you will see families out late eating ice cream in the plazas until 2AM. There is just a much more relaxed way of thinking about these things. The kids just sleep later. You might be confusing something cultural for irresponsibility.

 

[lucha54]

Surprised that children ride on motorbikes without helmets? Then you've never been to Southeast Asia/

 

[allcraz]

That's not necessarily irresponsible behavior. If the kids had to get up the next day, it would be. People here do not treat their children as mechanical automatons that must go to sleep at precisely the same hour every night. This culture is much more relaxed about things like that and it doesn't mean the parents don't let their children get enough sleep. So during the Summer you will see families out late eating ice cream in the plazas until 2AM. There is just a much more relaxed way of thinking about these things. The kids just sleep later. You might be confusing something cultural for irresponsibility.

True, true. Definitely a cultural difference, but for a lot of those parents it's not just an exception every once in a while. For many Argentines, it's every night. I know many Argentines who tell me their children go to bed at whatever time they crash, and the thing is...young children don't sleep in till noon. Especially during the week. Sure, they may sleep in til 9, but if they went to bed at 1 or 2 a.m., their lacking about 4 hours of sleep at night. Just this Friday we went to a dinner at a friend's home that started at 8:30. We left our baby at home with a babysitter. The Argentines all took their children with them. Ages 11 months to 4 years. I'm not against this and knew the children were welcome. For the most part, the kids had a good time, but the youngest ones were rubbing their eyes so hard I was afraid they might push their eyeball out their ear. So yes, if this is every once in a while, I'm not going to get my panties in a wad and talk about how crazy it is, but we actually talked about this very topic at dinner - Argentine and expat moms together, and one of the Argentine mothers admitted that her children have no bedtime schedule and that the jardín has called her to tell her that her child needs more sleep because she's so zombie-like during the day. That's not ok. And I would say it's not the exception here, unfortunately. They can call me strict all the want for putting my babe to bed at 7:30 every night. It makes for a rested household. So important.

 

[camberiu]

http://youtu.be/gReqWm9V1UE

 

[fifs2]

True, true. Definitely a cultural difference, but for a lot of those parents it's not just an exception every once in a while. For many Argentines, it's every night. I know many Argentines who tell me their children go to bed at whatever time they crash, and the thing is...young children don't sleep in till noon. Especially during the week. Sure, they may sleep in til 9, but if they went to bed at 1 or 2 a.m., their lacking about 4 hours of sleep at night. Just this Friday we went to a dinner at a friend's home that started at 8:30. We left our baby at home with a babysitter. The Argentines all took their children with them. Ages 11 months to 4 years. I'm not against this and knew the children were welcome. For the most part, the kids had a good time, but the youngest ones were rubbing their eyes so hard I was afraid they might push their eyeball out their ear. So yes, if this is every once in a while, I'm not going to get my panties in a wad and talk about how crazy it is, but we actually talked about this very topic at dinner - Argentine and expat moms together, and one of the Argentine mothers admitted that her children have no bedtime schedule and that the jardín has called her to tell her that her child needs more sleep because she's so zombie-like during the day. That's not ok. And I would say it's not the exception here, unfortunately. They can call me strict all the want for putting my babe to bed at 7:30 every night. It makes for a rested household. So important.

I'm with you on routine allcraz as bedtime routines like bath time and bedtime stories, as much as the earlier timing of such help a child develop a sense of boundaries and security. Ours are no automatons but are happily ready to crash by 8.00pm on a school night. I just found it shocking that Mariano would think a night at the museum as a WTF moment, up there with toddlers on motorbikes or babies in nightclubs. Museums, by day or by night are a cultural experience for all the family. Those parents deserve a medal for organising a fun & healthy family night. Maybe Mariano prefers children lightly fried with a soy sauce garnish....

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

I was wondering how he identified the culprit offenders in Spain as having Latin American lineage?

No real southern European parents would ever do this. Of course.