Was this person wrong to call a 15-month-old a brat for crying in the car?

Question

My sister has two kids, 12 and 7, who are very badly behaved when it comes to long car rides (and pretty bad on short car rides; they just aren't disciplined). My brother has a 15-mo-old who has entered a phase where *if he's woken from sleeping in the car* he cries until he gets out of his carseat.

The family is planning a trip from NC to OH. My SIL asked my sister if her kids would behave in the car because the 15-mo-old would cry for hours if he isn't able to nap in the car. My sister said no, she couldn't promise that her kids would behave or be quiet while the baby slept. The next day, my sister mentioned that they probably won't ride together because the little nephew "acts like a brat."

Does that seem fair? I think her kids should be able to behave in the car, but I don't call them brats. What do you think?

**Sorry if this posts twice. It never came up the first time...so annoying!

Answer 1

It is wrong to call kids names when they have cranky emotional meltdowns, 'cause it makes things worse.  Your neices and nephews should be on TAKE HOME NANNY and / or SUPERNANNY.  I highly recommend it!  If you have anything to say about this, please feel free to email me 'cause my user allows email.

http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/take-home-na...

http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/take-home-na...

http://www.supernanny.com/

Answer 2

SIL & her kids are the brats! a 15 mth old is just a baby they need their sleep, SIL should teach her kids some manners & respect for others

Answer 3

I think a lot of babies cry if they're in the car seat. He's not a brat just for crying. Her kids are old enough to behave themselves in the car.

It was totally unfair.

Answer 4

she -the mother- should discipline them better, so its her fault, not the children's

Answer 5

no....that is how they felt....long rides and kids sometimes do not mix.

you have to have enough items to keep them busy.

have a bag of tricks..toys ..books ..dvd/player...music....songs...

another thing that sometimes drivers do not do on trips....when mapping trips ...mark playgrounds...or parks.along the route..

gives people time to streach their legs.

Answer 6

yeah that is tottaly rude

Answer 7

That just shows her perspective of children. her own children sound like brats, therefore other children will seem like brats to her. If she feels the need to make a mean snotty comment about a 15 month old then that just shows her level of maturity. She is also most likely angered about the fact that she is going to have to take a seperate car and also angered about the fact she cannot control her kids and since there is no one to blame because you can be d**n sure a person like that wont blame themselves hey lets blame it on the 15 month old. Not saying your sister is a badd person, probably just under alot of stress toppled with the fact she cant control her children can make for mean comments like that.

Answer 8

to be honest, it's a typical response from a mother whose kids are undisciplined...

putting the blame on the 15 month old and not her own kids

Answer 9

Well. A trip from NC to OH is pretty long. I've done it back and forth 4 times. I knew that i would even get cranky and bored and carsick!! It's not very fun. I wouldn't put a 1 and a half year old in the car with to misbehaved kids. Back to the main topic, I would say it was wrong for the person to call the child a brat.  

Answer 10

a 15 month old is still a baby so to speak .

Answer 11

she should remove the plank from her own eye before trying to remove the splinter out of someone elses

of course he cries he is tired, bored, etc, its natural for a toddler

its NOT natural for her older kids especialy not the 12 year old to not be able to behave, and well her behaviour and reasoning behaviour fully explain why her kids aint growing up, if you let a kid raise kids they cant grow up, cause a kid dont have the ability to raise kids in a way they grow up

so the sis never became a mature adult herself, thats the reason her kids aint growing up

Answer 12

I think that the two children are the ones being brats, the 15 month old doesn't know any better and needs its sleep.

Answer 13

It wasn't very nice of her to say it, but she didn't say it to the mom or the child. I think that the 12 and 7 year old should behave in the car, but I don't really think it would be fair to expect them to sit quietly the whole time while the baby naps.  If it is going to be a long trip, then they are going to get restless.  

Answer 14

Yes, I'd say that's very wrong.  Some people just don't do well on long car rides, ESPECIALLY children.  It could just be that he is hot, uncomfortable and maybe even a bit nauseous, and that goes for the other kids too.  When this happens, everyone should be allowed to get out and stretch their legs for a bit.  Trust me, I went on a TON of long car rides when I was a kid and I was always so miserable.

Answer 15

She probably just said it out of frustration. It sounds like a feud between the girls that's all.

Answer 16

Tempers flare people get mad, things get said.  

Answer 17

I think she's being the brat. The kid is 15 months old for godsake, the poor thing will probably cry about a lot of things, ESPECIALLY if it's waken up.

I think she needs to learn how to control her own kids, if they can't behave while driving in a car, even when they're asked to, they're being the brats. Maybe tell your brother to find something to distract the kids in the car, so they won't be loud? Like a book, or a game or something?

Although, it'll probably be better if they take different cars, but you'll lose a  lot of money on gas.  

Answer 18

wat the heck a person should never do that

Answer 19

I think your sister is the Brat.

She has a major attitude problem. If her kids are already 12 and 7 and she's still is not able to train them how to behave properly inside a car then definitely its her kids who are brats!!! I think she needs to get psychological help!!!  a 15 month old child is an innocent angel and it is only right for him or her to cry if he/she will be woken from his/her rest. Even Us adults would be irritable if we are woken in the middle of the night and have to put up with two noisy kids.

She has no right to call that little angel a brat. She is the brat.

Answer 20

Yes she was wrong, and i think her kids are brats!

a 12 and 7 year old not being able to behave themselves in a car!

There's bad parenting for you!

I have a 9 yr old bro who can keep quiet in a car if you tell him to!

Answer 21

sometimes pple jst get rlly mad and say stuff they dnt mean

but tht wasnt right 2 say tht though

Answer 22

In my opinion it is wrong to call a child a derogatory name at any age.  

Answer 23

One year olds should never be called brats. Most of them cry a lot, especially during car rides. Since your sister is a parent and should know how kids are, especially if hers are badly behaved,  she should know that it is wrong to call a one year old a brat.