Disturbing and Rude

[MickeyMousePal]

That is very sad I wonder what she tries to do to dogs and cats....

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

It seems to me that lazy parenting is becoming more and more widespread, across every culture, ethnicity, and economic status. It seems like every time I go to any sort of public gathering, I'm assaulted by someone else's poor parenting. Bad behavior happens, as no child is perfect and even the sweetest kid has his moments, but it's the indifferent reaction of the parents that alarms me.

With the laziness comes a certain expectation, I think, of how children are supposed to tend to act. I think this is reflected in the "attitude" present in much of the popular culture aimed at children these days. For some reason, the majority of adults seem to think it's cute when kids act snotty.

Obviously, this doesn't always amount to a tendency to stomp squirrels, but it's as good an excuse as any to complain about the whole "snotty children's culture" thing.

[Jerren]

Originally Posted by Phonedave

I believe it is a sign. It is an act of cruelty. My daughters, especialy my oldest, would never do such a thing. However, they have no probelm with me hunting, or fishing. If fact they both love fishing.

They have no problem killing an animal if its done humanely and for a valid reason (food) (and lets not debate humane, thats off topic and gets way out of hand) but to just try and stomp one for fun is being cruel for entertainment.

-dave

Exactly, Hunting and Fishing for food is one thing and yes you can hunt and eat squirels...as long as you don't mind spiting out a lot of pellets as you eat them...

Stomping squirrels for fun (no matter how evil they may be, disrupting power grids etc.) is just wrong.

[Jerren]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoelaces

It seems to me that lazy parenting is becoming more and more widespread, across every culture, ethnicity, and economic status. It seems like every time I go to any sort of public gathering, I'm assaulted by someone else's poor parenting. Bad behavior happens, as no child is perfect and even the sweetest kid has his moments, but it's the indifferent reaction of the parents that alarms me.

With the laziness comes a certain expectation, I think, of how children are supposed to tend to act. I think this is reflected in the "attitude" present in much of the popular culture aimed at children these days. For some reason, the majority of adults seem to think it's cute when kids act snotty.

Obviously, this doesn't always amount to a tendency to stomp squirrels, but it's as good an excuse as any to complain about the whole "snotty children's culture" thing.

I think there's other factors involved there as well, if you read the Book "Freakanomics" (Its a good book btw..) studies have shown that parental guidance and input plays a smaller role than most people believe. Yes the Parents should be there to correct this and I beleive no parent should ever let their kid out of thier sight at WDW, but I think there's got to be more to it and without the child and parents in question to explain (or try to) the child's behavior I'm not sure we should speculate too much more on this...

[OFTEric]

Originally Posted by HappilyEverAfter

I was at Disneyworld on labor day weekend, and I saw something very disturbing...some little girl was trying to stomp on this little squirrel as it tried to run away from her. She was running after him and trying to stomp on the poor little animal, and then when it climbed the fence she got up there and lifted her foot to kick it. I ran after her and yelled at her, and I was just so appalled. And this was in critter country! The whole time I was talking to this girl (she was about 9-10) there were absolutely no parents around!! Do they watch their kids ever? Or how kids just push past you or parents. Are parents not teaching any manners at all anymore...did that all go out the window? Does anyone else know what I mean? I just had to vent...

While I find it unsettleing that a child would try and stomp on a squirel that they could never catch, I personally would never "yell" at another person's child. I honestly cringed when I read that. I would NEVER address another person's child without seeking the child's parents permission first. What if the child had a learning disability, or any disability that you were not aware of, and your yelling could sent that person into fits, or who knows what.

I think it is best when dealing with an out of control child that is not yours in the parks is to first speak to the Child's parents and if the parents are no where to be found, you should seek out a Salaried CM who can get security over there to watch the child.

Because as much as this child wanted to stomp on the squirel, Squirels are too quick and smart to let this happen from an 8 year old so the animal was really never in any harm.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Originally Posted by OFTEric

While I find it unsettleing that a child would try and stomp on a squirel that they could never catch, I personally would never "yell" at another person's child. I honestly cringed when I read that. I would NEVER address another person's child without seeking the child's parents permission first. What if the child had a learning disability, or any disability that you were not aware of, and your yelling could sent that person into fits, or who knows what.

I think it is best when dealing with an out of control child that is not yours in the parks is to first speak to the Child's parents and if the parents are no where to be found, you should seek out a Salaried CM who can get security over there to watch the child.

Because as much as this child wanted to stomp on the squirel, Squirels are too quick and smart to let this happen from an 8 year old so the animal was really never in any harm.

This is a pretty good point, as far as the child possibly having a learning disability. However, were that the case, that would beg the "Where the heck were this child's parents?" question even more.

As far as Jerren's response goes....I've never read the book you're referring to, so I really can't comment either way. Just speaking for myself, I know that my parents shaped my values, and the way I looked at the world, and while there were obviously influences and incidents that they could not control, it was the values that they shaped that determined how I reacted and related to these incidents.

Once again, just my two cents.

[Witches of Morva]

ORDDU: I believe it depends on the situation at hand. Normally, seeking out the parents of a child is the first route to take. However, when parents are missing in action, the next best thing is to lure the little one's to your gingerbread house and put them in cages.

ORGOCH: Right on, sister! Fatten 'em up and ROAST 'em over a fire! That'll teach 'em not ta chase no more critters!

[Jerren]

hence why I never let my daughter out of our sight....

[danyoung]

WOW! I have to say that I think some of you folks are way overreacting to this. Now, don't get me wrong, stomping on a squirrel is wrong. So is throwing rocks at a dog or pulling the legs off of spiders to watch them wiggle. But the fact is kids are stupid, and many times don't fully realize the results of their actions. Perhaps this was a kid who had never seen a squirrel before, and was reacting to it like some folks would react to a rat. Perhaps there was no thought at all in her pretty little head other than to interact with the funny moving thing. But to extend that into serious signals of future psychological bahavior is simply ludicrous.

Kids are stupid - they do stupid things for stupid reasons. The parents should have corrected her, but beyond that you can't tell anything from this one incident.

[hollywood1939]

My problem is where were the parents when this whole thing was going on. It shouldn't get to the point where someone else other the parent telling the child that it was wrong to do.

I don't know if I would have approached the child myself but if that child were mine, next thing they would be doing is to be in the back seat of my car as we drive home. Then again it would never get to that point to begin with.

[jordan__edge]

examples of bad parenting are rampant at Disney. which is very sad.

[HappilyEverAfter]

Oh yes, it happened in Frontierland, my bad!

When I ran over there and started yelling, she looked at me and then continued to do it, but when I got right next to her, and was like what the heck do you think you are doing!!!? She just froze and looked at me, and then ran away. I should have followed her to see if she eventually did go up to any parents or anything, but I was so upset, that I made sure the squirrel was in a tree or someplace higher up and walked away.

If that was me, my little behind would have been so red from my mom swatting it!

I don't have kids yet, but I am glad that your kids would have known better and not behaved like this girl did.

Nothing good can come from kids hurting animals, that is for sure!!

[FantasticDuck]

Wow. We were just there last week and many of the animals we saw walking around (ducks, squirrls, birds...) kids seemed to be fascinated by.

I know when I was 9-10 years old I knew not to try to hurt an animal and if my parents had caught me doing something like that my butt would be too sore to sit on it for awhile!

[MickeyMousePal]

I think the parents don't care because at least she's not stomping on them. Okay honey go stomp on that squirrels.

[NeverNeverland]

We sawa family hand feeding asquirrel. They looked at me so proud and all I could do was shake my head and hope that when that wild animal bit them and gave them rabies, they wouldn't sue WDW for their dumb move.