Trust me. The lady in question has ignored this problem for years. My wife is a preschool teacher (3 year olds) and they all know the difference between inside and outside voices by Christmas. If a 3 year-old can learn it, so can an 8 year-old.
I raised two kids and I learned you should never make excuses for bad behavior. Bad behavior should be challenged, not ignored.
> Bad behavior should be challenged, not ignored.
Quite. But it will happen. If it didn't, why would we be talking about how people should respond to it??? The fact remains that kids will make noise in inappropriate places, and other people will just have to deal with it. Those people have a right to be upset if the parent does nothing or, worse, encourages the child, but they really ought to understand that it's still going to happen.
For example, a kids shouts one word at the top of his lungs. Do you take him out of the restaurant? Do you spank him? Probably not, as both of these, believe me, will create far more noise than the act you're trying to prevent. And then he does it again. And again. And finally, you act, and drag his little ass outside for a telling off and perhaps a smacked hiney. Of course, he screams all the way, and the elite in the place turn and shake their heads, complaining about breeders, while a frightening number of Freepers apparently start muttering about how this never happened in their day.
What a state of affairs! Parent who are doing their best are caught between the child haters on one side and those who think all children can be perfect on the other.