Dealing with children in public

This is in response to Christine Zielinski’s letter printed June 26.
I am not of her generation, but I had five children in seven years. We took them everywhere and strangers would comment to us about how well-behaved they were. It made the children, and us, very proud.
Our children did not have tantrums in public. They knew our expectations, and lived up to them. Behavior in public was a nonissue.
Now, I see parents bargaining for good behavior and issuing empty threats. Or, worse yet, ignoring their children’s bad behavior.
Those parents should do themselves, their children and the general public a favor and explain to their children beforehand what is expected of them and remove the children immediately if they start testing. No second chances. Take them home. No explanation necessary, and continue that routine until the children stop testing. It won’t take long.
Children are smart and they want to know the rules. They need parents to be consistent.
Kudos to the Flints (letter, June 19). They are dead-on.
Diana K. Pratt, Rumford