Meghan and harry

And I completely agree with you, Casdon

Spot on Casdon

Ach, this is why I'm not a Royalist Or a mother.

The balcony thing was funny, the hands over the ears thing. Him moving about from knee to knee was funny; keeping the child entertained and all that. Even him having a bit of a strop and having a sulky face on the platform. But the disrespect he showed his mother? In a public place? Why is that just something that's to be accepted, maybe even laughed about, "because he's only a child"?

volver

Ach, this is why I'm not a Royalist Or a mother.

The balcony thing was funny, the hands over the ears thing. Him moving about from knee to knee was funny; keeping the child entertained and all that. Even him having a bit of a strop and having a sulky face on the platform. But the disrespect he showed his mother? In a public place? Why is that just something that's to be accepted, maybe even laughed about, "because he's only a child"?

At four they push the boundaries all the time though volver, it’s just part of growing up. It doesn’t mean they aren’t disciplined approprIately, it’s exactly what the naughty step was invented for, but Kate couldn’t put him on the naughty step at that point. I bet mums of current four year olds the world over empathised with her.

Well it's just me and GSM then....

volver

Ach, this is why I'm not a Royalist Or a mother.

The balcony thing was funny, the hands over the ears thing. Him moving about from knee to knee was funny; keeping the child entertained and all that. Even him having a bit of a strop and having a sulky face on the platform. But the disrespect he showed his mother? In a public place? Why is that just something that's to be accepted, maybe even laughed about, "because he's only a child"?

Nobody is laughing at it in the sense you mean. I raised a grin because it shows the type of character he is at the moment he will change a tad no doubt. But, there isn’t a parent on here who given the circumstances - in the eye of the entire world - think about - would have behaved exactly as DoC behaved. You fervently hope that no one is watching (some hope), I would never ever go into full telling off mode in public as at 4 years old you can’t be sure that you will win that battle. Learn lessons for next time ( maybe get nanny to bring him along just for an hour). Have the wisdom to understand that this too will pass, providing you set boundaries and largely keep to them.

So amusing reading these last posts, reminding me of the comment a kind lady made to me in Asda many years ago when my 4 year old daughter threw a wobbly at checkout after being told no sweets until after lunch.

The cashier passed comment on DD’s bad behaviour as I was paying and the lady next to me sneered at the woman in a very loud voice “Easy to bring up other people’s children - it’s our own we have problems with!”

Still true eh?

I don't understand why it is fashionable to show your tongue to people in Facebook photos. There are certain gestures I and my little chums were taught were rude, so rude that we would only whisper about them. Thumbing the nose was more rude than sticking the tongue out. The other almost unmentionably rude sign was making long ears with the hands and waggling the hands.

Even today it makes me cringe if I see people doing any of these signs in public.

volver

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cL-aYdGMMM

The video.

That's very informative, thank you for posting volver.

My thoughts:

Children of Louis' age often struggle to sit still. Their core muscles aren't yet developed and if they don't fidget they struggle to hold their balance.

Catherine was speaking to her son, fair enough, but she was too close for comfort to him. You can see him try to hold her at his arm's length twice, that's his "personal space."
The thumbing the nose gestures are rather rude, yes, but are probably down to his frustration.

He's a very energetic, physical little boy. Watch his enjoyment as he joins in with the music at the end of the video, compared to how composed his older siblings are, he just can't help himself!

So true Pantglas2 all of our five were raised the same, all totally different and fairly unpredictable at 4, apart from one who slept anywhere at anytime and for as long as you would let them (always slept at night also) a bit of a little human sloth.

I'm in good company then. If it was something too long for him to sit through and behave, why not leave him at home? I'm sure the parents and grandparents would have had a more pleasant evening without him. My son was well behaved and could be trusted not to play up like this at 4 years old, though I wouldn't have taken him to a long 'grown up' event. He was brought up to be well behaved even though as an only child and only grandchild he was probably indulged. Louis is almost school age and if he has a propensity to behave like this I would not have been taking him along. I hope he's not going to grow up to be a cocky, entitled 'spare'.

The good company remark was to volver.

GSM ??

I was surprised they had no contingencies for the little chap as it

I didn't expect anything of Kate. Except perhaps to have brought up a better behaved child that didn't need spanking

Ah yes, blame the mother. She’s the only person involved in raising a child. The father has no influence, neither do siblings or school and nursery.

If that’s the worst that Louis ever does, he’ll be a paragon of virtue compared to many small children. All that noise at the parade would have sent me potty, tbh.

Half of the under-fives in town here on Saturday seemed to have been afflicted with whatever was bothering Louis. I’ve never seen/heard so many tantrumming children at one time! None of them were hit around by parents, that I could tell. Some parents were trying to reason with their child (as if you can reason with a 3/4yo if they don’t want to be reasoned with!) and another resignedly tucked their screeching child under their arm and carted them away.

It was a long afternoon. Surely a nanny could have quietly taken him for an hour or so, poor Kate she must have been exhausted

GrannyGravy13

volver & Germanshepherdsmum parents have to pick their battles with children of any age, this wasn’t the place to chastise him and risk a further tantrum.

The Duchess chose to laugh/play off the situation, and keep him calm.

Mind you judging by some of the opinions on here and Twitter there are those who would have liked to have seen him put over her knee and spanked, which I think is frankly disgusting.

I agree.
It's shocking.

I think most of us on GN are parents and probably grandparents (not all) and we've all smiled through gritted teeth when a very young child has played up in public, hissing quietly "Behave, everyone's watching you".
However, in Kate's case, half the world was watching Louis' antics.

Being very cynical I thought that the children were brought along to reinforce the image of dynasty and detract from the fact that the Queen is no longer able to attend such events.

RichmondPark

Being very cynical I thought that the children were brought along to reinforce the image of dynasty and detract from the fact that the Queen is no longer able to attend such events.

You might think so but I couldn't possibly comment

SueDonim

^I didn't expect anything of Kate. Except perhaps to have brought up a better behaved child that didn't need spanking^

Ah yes, blame the mother. She’s the only person involved in raising a child. The father has no influence, neither do siblings or school and nursery.

If that’s the worst that Louis ever does, he’ll be a paragon of virtue compared to many small children. All that noise at the parade would have sent me potty, tbh.

Half of the under-fives in town here on Saturday seemed to have been afflicted with whatever was bothering Louis. I’ve never seen/heard so many tantrumming children at one time! None of them were hit around by parents, that I could tell. Some parents were trying to reason with their child (as if you can reason with a 3/4yo if they don’t want to be reasoned with!) and another resignedly tucked their screeching child under their arm and carted them away.

OK then. I expect that the Royal Household, with all the resources at their disposal, would have the wherewithal to raise children who could be relied on in public to not behave in unacceptable ways, showing disrespect to their elders. Even if they are only four.

I would have expected the Royal Household to have planned out various scenarios, and have a contingency for when any of the children got over tired (or whatever the excuse is) so that they could leave the stand for a while.

I would have expected the Royal Household not to expect the 4 year old to sit through all those marching military people but to come into the seats when the lively and colourful part of the parade came along.

There are also videos and photos of Zara &
Mike Tindalls youngest daughter with her hand over her Fathers mouth, I suppose that is Zara’s fault, not Mikes.

Posting about Royal Households doesn’t erase that your first instinct was to blame the mother.

I think there are what our family call professional tutters around.

We are used to it, when you walk into posh restaurants with children or turn left on a entering a plane, let’s return to the dark ages when children were seen and not heard.

Twisty twisty twist twist.

??‍♀️?

You approve of corporal punishment for children.

You blame mothers for everything.

You don't want children to just be children.

Just read the posts, will you?

Calendargirl

Nobody has mentioned that Harry was photographed when about Louis’ age, sticking his tongue out for the camera.

yes.. it was explained at the time that photographers stick their own tongues out at the royal children to get the same response back.....
happened with charlotte a couple of years ago. not good is it.