this is the reason I hate going out with my friends who have small kids and don’t leave them at home. the entire time is spent like this and whats the point really? no one really enjoys themselves with the kids always nagging.
You have not been around very many mothers. They have four ears and four eyes. Believe me, they can carry on conversations and keep track of kids at the same time.
That always drives me crazy. I don’t think some parents understand that, just because they have a child, that doesn’t mean they can’t be self-absorbed. Visiting with a friend and then ignoring him/her in order to wrangle your child is still ignoring your friend. If you can’t manage a conversation with that friend while your kid is in the room, find a sitter for your visits. Don’t make other people do all the work to be your friend, just because you decided to have kids.
Sorry, that just gets on my nerves. I try to be patient with friends who are parents, especially young ones who are new to it. But their assumption that I’m being selfish when I call them on using their kids as excuses for being antisocial is very annoying. Having a kid doesn’t make you Mother Theresa.
There are some mothers who decide they are on a break from the kidlets when visiting, giving them free rein in the host’s home. I think Phil should appreciate that she is watching her child.
This could be me trying to have a conversation with my sister. The kids are getting older, but the lack of attention to me when I speak has not gotten any better. :-/
even when the kids get older you can’t really have a conversation with a parent. My daughters have older kids (7, 13, and 10) but I can guarantee that every time I call, they both spend more than half the time talking to their children about one thing or another, so I just don’t call as often now. And what is almost as bad is when we are face to face theyspend time texting with one friend or another and I could walk away and they would not notice for a while. So sad, no manners anymore.
Agreed, it’s extremely annoying if you’re not the one with the kid. Point is though, parents need to TEACH their children not to behave like this. Leaving the kid at home for someone else to look after is not solving the problem, and yeah, there is a problem. My parents would never go anywhere that I wasn’t welcome. But you can be sure that my parents taught me not to interrupt, or be a pain. I learned real quick to behave myself, whether out in public or at home.
Hm. This is totally how I feel when my mother-in-law wants to talk to me and the grandkids are around. “Chat? Sure, I’d love to spit out half a sentence before the next rugrat needs a cookie.”
I always enjoy seeing Phil, and especially when Phil is shown smoking his pipe. Today that is not so common, but back when the strip was first drawn, for a young guy like Phil (and a young guy like me back then) to smoke a pipe was not so uncommon.
I can attest that, whether Mom (or Grandmom) is a multitasker or not, kids can (and do) pipe up with impeccable timing to obscure the word serving as a linchpin to the whole conversation. Same is true for pet birds, dogs/cats, TV’s, police scanners, and other diversions.
You must be exactly the kind of person thesnowleopard is talking about. That is about the rudest comment I’ve seen on here. Not only does he/she have a right to his/her opinion, he/she is right. If you go to visit someone, they have the right to expect you to visit with them without your kids interrupting. Every parent deserves some time for adult conversation, and should make time for their friends. Now maybe you would like to tell me to shut up, too. BTW, I have 7 kids, 6 grand kids, and 8 great grand-kids. I DO know something about it.
Sad but true. There is often a gap between parents and non-parents that the other side simply cannot or will not abide by, despite the best of intentions.
mightaswellbe: Get out the slushpump and get your lip back. There are a lot of community bands which would like you to participate. I am in more than one, including Paris (TX) Municipal Band which is the oldest continuously organized town band in the country – dating at least back to 1916 when a fire destroyed the newspaper’s “morgue” – and probably into the 1880s if not 1870s, when any self-respecting town had a band. Most town bands went out when radio came in in the 1920s, but Paris kept theirs, despite being one of the first ten municipalities in the state to get a broadcast license in 1920. In 1925, the citizens voted a special tax levy for the upkeep of the band. It is a most rewarding experience, even at 79.
I think some parents don’t understand that when they constantly break a conversation to talk with their kids (especially when those kids are older and ought to be able to entertain themselves while Mom or Dad is on the phone or visiting), it makes the friend feel like a fifth wheel. Why bother to have a friendship with someone who makes it painfully clear that they can’t prioritize even a half-hour phone conversation with you over whatever two-second meltdown their kid decides to have during that time to get their attention? I get that your kids come first, but you don’t have to be so rude about it.
@jpirard I have taken care of more of your kids than you could possibly count. I don’t have to have pushed one of my own out to know how to wrangle a child—or when someone is being incompetent at it. It is not necessary for children to act like that around visitors. I never let that happen whenever I was taking care of your children. Why does being their birth mother/father make it okay for you to do that to everyone else?
Lynnskay is right. You are exactly the type of parent I’m talking about. Oh, and while we’re at it, please stop letting your children run around like little hellions in public places. It’s both rude and unsafe.
hsawlrae over 12 years ago
When Phil speaks, your lips flap over your ears.
Karig89 over 12 years ago
this is the reason I hate going out with my friends who have small kids and don’t leave them at home. the entire time is spent like this and whats the point really? no one really enjoys themselves with the kids always nagging.
williamemory1924 over 12 years ago
You have not been around very many mothers. They have four ears and four eyes. Believe me, they can carry on conversations and keep track of kids at the same time.
thesnowleopard Premium Member over 12 years ago
That always drives me crazy. I don’t think some parents understand that, just because they have a child, that doesn’t mean they can’t be self-absorbed. Visiting with a friend and then ignoring him/her in order to wrangle your child is still ignoring your friend. If you can’t manage a conversation with that friend while your kid is in the room, find a sitter for your visits. Don’t make other people do all the work to be your friend, just because you decided to have kids.
Sorry, that just gets on my nerves. I try to be patient with friends who are parents, especially young ones who are new to it. But their assumption that I’m being selfish when I call them on using their kids as excuses for being antisocial is very annoying. Having a kid doesn’t make you Mother Theresa.
pelican47 over 12 years ago
There are some mothers who decide they are on a break from the kidlets when visiting, giving them free rein in the host’s home. I think Phil should appreciate that she is watching her child.
Kittydew over 12 years ago
This could be me trying to have a conversation with my sister. The kids are getting older, but the lack of attention to me when I speak has not gotten any better. :-/
jeanie5448 over 12 years ago
even when the kids get older you can’t really have a conversation with a parent. My daughters have older kids (7, 13, and 10) but I can guarantee that every time I call, they both spend more than half the time talking to their children about one thing or another, so I just don’t call as often now. And what is almost as bad is when we are face to face theyspend time texting with one friend or another and I could walk away and they would not notice for a while. So sad, no manners anymore.
psychlady over 12 years ago
He doesn’t realize – mothers can do a million things at once!
J Short over 12 years ago
If you want a kids attention, try talking on the phone.
flagfly over 12 years ago
Considering the mess in his kitchen earlier, Georgia would be wise to say no to someone that lazy.
nancyroy2 over 12 years ago
also… the ’stache should go…w what is this, 1976?… oh wait… it could be.
AndiJ over 12 years ago
Pets are like this too, they always want something when you’re having a conversation! But it’s good practice. ;)
Wendy B. over 12 years ago
Agreed, it’s extremely annoying if you’re not the one with the kid. Point is though, parents need to TEACH their children not to behave like this. Leaving the kid at home for someone else to look after is not solving the problem, and yeah, there is a problem. My parents would never go anywhere that I wasn’t welcome. But you can be sure that my parents taught me not to interrupt, or be a pain. I learned real quick to behave myself, whether out in public or at home.
hippogriff over 12 years ago
mightaswellbe" It can’t be too thin, he has sufficient embrashure to be a professional trumpeter.
my_discworld over 12 years ago
Hm. This is totally how I feel when my mother-in-law wants to talk to me and the grandkids are around. “Chat? Sure, I’d love to spit out half a sentence before the next rugrat needs a cookie.”
Pipe Tobacco Premium Member over 12 years ago
I always enjoy seeing Phil, and especially when Phil is shown smoking his pipe. Today that is not so common, but back when the strip was first drawn, for a young guy like Phil (and a young guy like me back then) to smoke a pipe was not so uncommon.
iced tea over 12 years ago
When a parent(s) go visiting with their kids along, they should take along a few of their toys or paper and crayons so they won’t get bored.
Gokie5 over 12 years ago
I can attest that, whether Mom (or Grandmom) is a multitasker or not, kids can (and do) pipe up with impeccable timing to obscure the word serving as a linchpin to the whole conversation. Same is true for pet birds, dogs/cats, TV’s, police scanners, and other diversions.
lynnskay over 12 years ago
You must be exactly the kind of person thesnowleopard is talking about. That is about the rudest comment I’ve seen on here. Not only does he/she have a right to his/her opinion, he/she is right. If you go to visit someone, they have the right to expect you to visit with them without your kids interrupting. Every parent deserves some time for adult conversation, and should make time for their friends. Now maybe you would like to tell me to shut up, too. BTW, I have 7 kids, 6 grand kids, and 8 great grand-kids. I DO know something about it.
BlitzMcD over 12 years ago
Sad but true. There is often a gap between parents and non-parents that the other side simply cannot or will not abide by, despite the best of intentions.
tuslog64 over 12 years ago
Ever notice when you get an invitation to a “free dinner” that they encourage you to bring friends, but NO children?
hippogriff over 12 years ago
mightaswellbe: Get out the slushpump and get your lip back. There are a lot of community bands which would like you to participate. I am in more than one, including Paris (TX) Municipal Band which is the oldest continuously organized town band in the country – dating at least back to 1916 when a fire destroyed the newspaper’s “morgue” – and probably into the 1880s if not 1870s, when any self-respecting town had a band. Most town bands went out when radio came in in the 1920s, but Paris kept theirs, despite being one of the first ten municipalities in the state to get a broadcast license in 1920. In 1925, the citizens voted a special tax levy for the upkeep of the band. It is a most rewarding experience, even at 79.
thesnowleopard Premium Member over 12 years ago
I think some parents don’t understand that when they constantly break a conversation to talk with their kids (especially when those kids are older and ought to be able to entertain themselves while Mom or Dad is on the phone or visiting), it makes the friend feel like a fifth wheel. Why bother to have a friendship with someone who makes it painfully clear that they can’t prioritize even a half-hour phone conversation with you over whatever two-second meltdown their kid decides to have during that time to get their attention? I get that your kids come first, but you don’t have to be so rude about it.
thesnowleopard Premium Member over 12 years ago
@jpirard I have taken care of more of your kids than you could possibly count. I don’t have to have pushed one of my own out to know how to wrangle a child—or when someone is being incompetent at it. It is not necessary for children to act like that around visitors. I never let that happen whenever I was taking care of your children. Why does being their birth mother/father make it okay for you to do that to everyone else?
Lynnskay is right. You are exactly the type of parent I’m talking about. Oh, and while we’re at it, please stop letting your children run around like little hellions in public places. It’s both rude and unsafe.