Can we talk about park slope kids for a second?

carmen

And NOT complaining about them-
-being assholes
-being in bars
-crying
-getting vaccines
-mugging someone


On the contrary- I've been walking my dog every morning by the school on 5th ave and 3rd street and the kids are generally really nice! I'm usually there around 7:30 so its a bit early, but every child I have encountered has been tactful, pleasant and friendly (with three separate kids telling me to have a nice day this morning!) So kudos to many of you parents out there- after living in some other neighborhoods in brooklyn I was really giving up hope on anyone under 18, but I've been pleasantly surprised by these kids for the past three weeks.

whatchuwant

That's cause you got that cute doggeh, and they all want to be nice to the lady so they can pet it.

whynot_31

part of me wonders if the youth in question were:

male
between 14 and 17
heterosexual

WCW, surely you've had similar experiences.

carmen

no no, they were younger I think (they seemed primary or middleschool aged) and they did like the dog but still. They werent assholes about it and we really courteous and well-spoken. Ive been impressed.

belzjm

i've noticed the same thing...overall the kids i encounter in the neighborhood seem very well behaved and courteous. they seem super smart too.

danielj

The kids I've encountered in the neighborhood have been rowdy packs of teenagers cramming into the bodega, shouting at the top of their lungs to their friends down the block, and generally thinking that they own the neighborhood (which they basically do between 2 and 4, de facto.)

belzjm

unless you subscribe to the antiquated and rather absurd notion that children should not speak unless spoken to, being a bit rowdy and shouting after a long day at school seems like a fairly common thing to do when you're a kid.

if you told me they were stealing from said bodega, smoking and tripping people, i'd be concerned.

being loud....well...that's called being a kid last i checked.

whatchuwant

Carmen wrote: no no, they were younger I think (they seemed primary or middleschool aged) and they did like the dog but still. They werent assholes about it and we really courteous and well-spoken. Ive been impressed.

From my short experience as a primary and middle school teacher, I found that most of the kids were very well-raised in general. I taught on both sides of the spectrum- in Manhattan at 2 private schools, where the kids were very well-spoken, smart about the world around them (well, shit, they DID go to France for Christmas, Italy for Easter, and Switzerland for skiing, but I digress). But, they could be bratty. Respect for elders was something that the teacher had to "earn" in their eyes, which I found terribly annoying.

Bed-Sty on the other hand- they were poor, not as well-spoken, but very respectful of authority figures- however- you got the respect but had to prove yourself to keep it.

In general though, the major difference between suburban kids and city kids (there are many, many differences, I just want to focus on one here) is that city kids aren't shy and they aren't racist. They can't get away with it- too many different kinds of people. They also seem to be more in touch with social causes than their suburban counterparts- they're less likely to make rash judgments about people they know nothing about.

danielj

I'm not saying it's a bad/ unusual thing, just in my experience they haven't been as well-behaved as other commenters here would have me believe.

veets

DanielJ wrote: I'm not saying it's a bad/ unusual thing, just in my experience they haven't been as well-behaved as other commenters here would have me believe.

Ditto on that.
Every once in a while I enconter local kids (mostly when I walk the dogs.. who are magnetic) where I am amazed on the kids' social graces and engagement. Sadly, I am more often confronted with the raudy (I am not even 11 year old) cursing and rough housing on the street.

longtimesloper

I have found a lot of the kids who go to or hang out at MS 51 (the school Carmen is talking about) to be very rowdy and loud and obnoxious with each other. But, whenever I have had to converse or interact with any of them (for example, having to push a stroller past a group of them), they turn very polite and respectful to me.

ljnd

At middle-school age, kids begin broadcasting. In other words, they talk loud to impress their friends and everybody else around them. The loud talking, rowdiness, and obnoxious behavior is largely a social pose - and if you engage with most of those kid individually, you find that they are generally polite and respectful.

opossumqueen

I'm sure there are plenty of well-behaved kids, but I only notice the others lately due to a few really bad encounters. My dog used to like kids and I always encouraged curious kids to pet him and he like it, but after many very bad encounters around center slope, he is now terrified of kids (all ages) to the point that my usually slow, calm dog will try to dart into traffic to avoid them.

And not once from the very bad encounters (kids intentionally kicking, hitting him with bats), has a child or parent uttered one word of apology. Once a father corrected his son (after the kid chased my dog and hit him with a plastic sword) by telling him not to pet dogs without asking the owner first. I thought that was good.

It's really dangerous for kids to run up to a dog they don't know, and especially to scream and kick it.

If you're a parent, please for the safety of all involved, teach your child how to ask before petting and be gentle to dogs!

I'm not really griping about the middle school aged, loud ones that bark at the dog, but the smaller ones that I guess are still in an "everything they do is cute to the parents" age (under 8?).

longtimesloper

I agree oppossum! We are big animal lovers in my house and I teach all my kids love and respect for animals. I have a 3 year old who will always ask someone if she can pet their dog and people are always shocked that she knew to ask first. i just tell her that not all dogs like kids!

i am sorry to hear about your pooch, that really sucks that people let their kids do that to her! I would have wailed on some of those parents!

chuleta

Well just for the record...

I left Park Slope after living there for 4 years. It was and is my favorite nabe in the city. Part of the reason for that was that it was a place with kids and families around, which is rare in the city. I don't have kids and don't plan on having them, but I've always liked that there were kids in Park Slope. It creates a different atmosphere. A more casual one, I think. I like that.

I also became friends with 2 families on my old block. I don't know if it's a function of having kids around, but stuff like dropping in on each other for dinner felt much more casual than on friends without kids.

winstonsmith

OpossumQueen wrote: I'm sure there are plenty of well-behaved kids, but I only notice the others lately due to a few really bad encounters. My dog used to like kids and I always encouraged curious kids to pet him and he like it, but after many very bad encounters around center slope, he is now terrified of kids (all ages) to the point that my usually slow, calm dog will try to dart into traffic to avoid them.

And not once from the very bad encounters (kids intentionally kicking, hitting him with bats), has a child or parent uttered one word of apology. Once a father corrected his son (after the kid chased my dog and hit him with a plastic sword) by telling him not to pet dogs without asking the owner first. I thought that was good.

It's really dangerous for kids to run up to a dog they don't know, and especially to scream and kick it.

If you're a parent, please for the safety of all involved, teach your child how to ask before petting and be gentle to dogs!

I'm not really griping about the middle school aged, loud ones that bark at the dog, but the smaller ones that I guess are still in an "everything they do is cute to the parents" age (under 8?).

Funny, I see from the other point of view. Lots of dog owners think anything their dog does is cute and defend their right to let their dog do anything it's instincts let it .

My kids would never run up to a dog that they were not invited to, but uninvited dogs have jumped on them since they were in a stroller. Not to mention the minefield we have to traverse just to get around the neighborhood.

If you're a dog owner please for the safety of all involved, leash your pet to ask before letting it jump on children.

longtimesloper

it goes both ways winstonsmith, I have seen PLENTY of kids just run to dogs and start with them (your kids don't do it, but, trust me, plenty do, I have a dog most people think is soo cute and pretty and people think nothing of just coming up to her and touching her without asking me)) and I see dogs that are allowed to jump on kids or people.

we all just have to learn to train our loved ones the proper way.

I also had to teach my 8 year old that not everyone walking down the block thinks our dog is cute and wants it near them, he sees no problem with her sniffing people or walking by them too closely because he loves her and all animals, HE had to be taught to hold her back when people are passing by because, not all people like dogs, just like I told my 3 year old that not all dogs like people. We have to have respect for all.

opossumqueen

Yeah, it's not all kids and I we very well knew it was kidville when we moved (though we tried to stay in another less school dense area with no luck). I'm just surprised at how many times we've had such extreme interactions and that not one person has apologized for something that was obviously out of line.

My dog really did like kids and has done a 180 that is limiting what we do with the Good Dog Foundation (we can't go places like the hospital since there may be children and he just freaks out).

Slightly tangental rant on kids+dogs in the parks:

As someone who grew up with lots of pets, I'm all for kids learning that dogs are not scary and the two playing, but I don't think some parents realize the potential danger even with nice family dogs when it comes to getting spooked.

It's nerve-wracking for those of us with bigger dogs (and I'm sure plenty of smaller ones) in the park when folks let their toddlers loose at off-leash right in the middle of it all. Our big dogs that are not used to kids could easily knock a kid over just in their normal play or grab a hand while trying to grab that great stuffed toy or piece of bread. We don't want that to happen (my dog runs the other way, but I still worry about others) and I think some parents just don't realize the potential danger. We don't hate your kids, we are just nervous about the possibilities.

I've seen at least one parent with toddlers at off-leash rip a new one in a guy whose dog was being overly playful with her kid. It wasn't the owner's fault the parent let her child, with lots of dangly things for some reason, run around far from her and the big dog wanted to play, smack in the middle of Long Meadow at 8am. Everyone else gets the park most of daylight, we just want that little time we get in the morning to be safe.

I feel better now

danielj

There's a big difference between the kids who live with their families in Park Slope, and the kids who come here from other parts of town every day to go to school. Let's not confuse the two- there are BIG differences in the politeness-factor.

seasidearms

DanielJ wrote: There's a big difference between the kids who live with their families in Park Slope, and the kids who come here from other parts of town every day to go to school. Let's not confuse the two- there are BIG differences in the politeness-factor.

I agree with this. I have noticed that kids who come from other areas are more polite overall and much less bratty.

ringrunner

seasidearms wrote: [quote=DanielJ]There's a big difference between the kids who live with their families in Park Slope, and the kids who come here from other parts of town every day to go to school. Let's not confuse the two- there are BIG differences in the politeness-factor.

I agree with this. I have noticed that kids who come from other areas are more polite overall and much less bratty.

How can you tell where a kid comes from without asking them?

seasidearms

well if you work in a school you tend to know where they come from.

ringrunner

seasidearms wrote: well if you work in a school you tend to know where they come from.

Oh, I guess if you has access to personal information about a kid you know where they live.

I was thinking you can tell where a kid is from by how he orders a slice of pizza.

winstonsmith

OpossumQueen wrote:

It's nerve-wracking for those of us with bigger dogs (and I'm sure plenty of smaller ones) in the park when folks let their toddlers loose at off-leash right in the middle of it all. Our big dogs that are not used to kids could easily knock a kid over just in their normal play or grab a hand while trying to grab that great stuffed toy or piece of bread. We don't want that to happen (my dog runs the other way, but I still worry about others) and I think some parents just don't realize the potential danger. We don't hate your kids, we are just nervous about the possibilities.

I've seen at least one parent with toddlers at off-leash rip a new one in a guy whose dog was being overly playful with her kid. It wasn't the owner's fault the parent let her child, with lots of dangly things for some reason, run around far from her and the big dog wanted to play, smack in the middle of Long Meadow at 8am. Everyone else gets the park most of daylight, we just want that little time we get in the morning to be safe.

I feel better now

What kind of moron would bring their little kids to off-leash. Come on, ya need a license to own a dog, but any idiot can breed. My kid learned to walk on the grass in Green-Wood just because I knew the it would be poop free.

the chipster

Please differentiate between toddlers; whose PARENTS are responisble for their behaviour, and KIDS (8yrs+) who are responsible for themselves. I guess some of the stroller spawn turn out ok. nice to hear something good. the biggest offense at that school was 1 kid showing another his weed. i've seen much worse.