Longer opening hours on Sunday

Thanks, elegran. I guess you beamed it to me across the airwaves.

Tolerance. That's it. How about a bit more tolerance of other people's foibles?

But, yes, I agree with what you said in your last post too. Things are never simply black and white.

I guess I've been arguing for a measure of "allowance" (not the right word; elegran, where are you? Need help with my diction!)

I suppose it does, eloethan, but I think petallus took care to phrase it politely.

I agree that we make judgments all the time, anya, and even remarked that I was making a judgment on the shopping-centre-for-leisure mentality by choosing to do things other than that in my leisure time, as do (as I also said) most of the people I know. But my judgment on other people's shopping-centre-for-leisure mentality stops there as, I think, does petallus's and that of a few other posters who have taken part in the discussion.

I regard some of the comments as too judgmental. That's all I'm saying.

We make judgements all the time. Looking for meaning in the world and making value judgements is an inescapable part of beimg humans, but that is not necessarily the same as being judgemental.

thatbags Petallus made the comment:

Alea why not just be thankful that your GC get to fly kites and so on and stop worrying about children going around shopping centres.

By suggesting that Alea concentrate on her own children and grandchildren, doesn't that come across as telling her to mind her own business?

Surely your latest posts could be judgementaliism disguised as lack of concern Bags?

Do I care that people might think that? Nope.

Nobody has said, or even implied that certain views are unwelcome, alea. Some people have recounted their different views and argued against what they regard as over-judgmental attitudes.

I think the thread reads as a good discussion. I don't have a problem with any of it even though I continue to think that some of the views expressed in it are judgmentalism disguised as concern.

I daresay some people are reading my views as expressing lack of concern.

It is one of those questions that can be viewed in so many ways.

To say Museums, science parks, garden centers etc are surely favourable places to take your family for a day out rather than shopping also means there are staff who are working on a Sunday whilst their family are at home to keep such places open , so Sunday working will apply to somebody somewhere at any one time.

I have a friend who chose to work Sundays at Morrison's as she could cover school duties mid week and use her parents less for child care, hubby took over on the weekends she was on duty. It didn't seem to bother them as he bonded well with the kids as he became a dad who cooked, played and entertained his kids. Other dad's could work Monday to Friday and go to the pub, football, play golf on their Sunday off.

My daughter worked at Morrison's and Birmingham Airport when she was a student and was very glad of the hours she was given, including Sunday working , to pay her way through uni.

If you go on holiday do you say I have a principal that I will not fly on a Sunday as I don't agree with people having to work Sundays. If you travel on a Sunday do you say I refuse to fill my car up as it's Sunday and I don't believe the petrol station attendant should be home with her family.

Someone is always working Sundays somewhere . Some are greatful for the chance to earn a wage.

I am not trying to argue the point, just adding another view.

petallus Does it mean that because you feel your own children/grandchildren are OK that you shouldn't be concerned about other children?

I don't think anybody is suggesting that people shouldn't go to shopping malls (though, in my view, they are pretty characterless places). I sometimes go to Westfield and Lakeside myself when I need to do some shopping. I appreciate the convenience of not being out in all weathers, not having to negotiate busy roads and having shops all in one specific area. However, they are not places I would habitually visit as a "leisure activity", whether on my own or with children.

Some people actually make shopping their "hobby" and are less likely to engage in more traditional family activities. I think it's reasonable to express the view that children would probably enjoy and gain more from other more active pursuits. It's not "preaching", any more than expressing a view on anything is "preaching".

I often think that myself Alea

OK I admit defeat. None of my business what other people feed their children's bodies or minds.

"Shop till you drop."Fine by me
But why have a discussion if opinions are not welcome?

I agree with thatbags.

Alea why not just be thankful that your GC get to fly kites and so on and stop worrying about children going around shopping centres.

My GC do both as it happens.

Also even those children you consider to be deprived will be stimulated at school at least.

Creepy how the iPad associates drinking and gin with GN
So often it turns what I want to say into total gibberish, which may of course be an improvement

It'sh better now ? is it the iPad or is it the gin?

When I was a child, I used to dread Sunday's, it was always a dead day somehow.It's much better now, but shops closing at four or thereabouts seems alright.

Oh, I've got it now, Alea!

Drinking gin sounds ok to me, especially with a slice of lime and some tonic.

The iPad, curse of mankind, changes everything I want to say.

^ stops people drinking^

Does that not make sense, Ana?

I am not (unlike some) given to " preaching -honest!! I just sometimes see these young families out on a Sunday in our shopping centre ( sad place) and compare it with the way DD and SIL make a point of taking the DGCs out to the country, the donkey sanctuary, or to ride on steam trains, ride their bikes and scooters, go swimming or swing from ropes in the trees and think how privileged they are.
I think Eloethan has said it so well.

There has always been a large section of each generation that has not had the benefits of science museums or whatever their equivalent before science museums (books, perhaps?). But still the proportional size of the educated middle classes grew. I suspect that we don't actually know that this trend has stopped.

Does that make any better sense? Did you mean gin?

It's all very well saying it would be better for parents to take their children out and about and do things with them, but it smacks a bit of preaching.

There's a whole new generation growing up not having been introduced to the delights of the Science Museum and kite-flying, but that's just the way society's gone. Not much we can do about other people's way of life, we can only try to teach those nearest to us as best we can.

My iPad is determined to bring GN into my posts

" drinks GN " should of course read drinking