Bringing your kids out in public for a fun family night can be nice, and I definitely encourage spending time with your kid(s). After all, kids love having your attention and going on adventures to the park or out to eat. Now don't get me wrong, I love kids, but there needs to be an understanding that there's only so much the public can tolerate from your misbehaved bundle of joy. Here are some rules for going out with your children that display common courtesy to those around you:
1. Don't take them to the movies.
OK, seriously, I know that this sounds cruel, but I can't tell you how many times a screaming child has ruined a movie for me. Not only did I pay like $9 for a ticket, but I also probably bought snacks and brought some friends. I invested time and money into this so that I could enjoy the production, and your noisy kid makes that a little difficult. Bringing a well-behaved child is one thing, but you should know better than to bring toddlers (or younger) to the theater. Honestly, they're probably not watching anyway.
2. Don't let them run around/away from you.
Personally, this bothers me when people just let their kids run around and do whatever they want to. I mean, not only is that unsafe for the kids to be without a guardian, but there are so many things that could go wrong here, and as someone who loves kids, it really makes me nervous. You never know how sketchy people are these days, and I certainly wouldn't want to take the risk.
3. Please, please, hold their hand.
This is a sort of side note for number two. If you hold their hand, then they can't run away, and it is also safer than letting your child run freely. It's a win-win situation.
4. Don't let them scream and misbehave.
This particular "rule" can be tricky. I know that babies cry, and I understand that all kids have tantrums. However, I know that my mother could make me be quiet and stop making a scene just by giving me a single look. Kids don't have to act out like that, and I am living proof that it can be controlled.
5. When in restaurants...
There are a lot of different things that go with this one, but I think the main (obvious) thing is to make your kid(s) behave. In other words, don't let them stand on tables, shout across the room or throw things from the table.
6. When bringing your child to someone else's home...
This could also have a few different things too, but the bottom line is for them to have manners. Even if they are still on the young side, you (as the parent) can still make them implement good manners. For example, don't let your kid run around with food when there's a perfectly good table for both of you to sit at. Since you're a guest, I'm sure the family already cleaned house for you to come over, so they probably don't want to chase your kid's crumbs around after you leave.
I know that parenting can be different for everyone, but I feel that these are common rules that every parent can implement with their child(ren). Raising a respectful human being would actually do the world a favor, as respect seems to be so rare these days. Just remember, it costs $0 for you to be a good person, and all it costs to raise a good person is a little time and effort.
