Rainyday and p1ssedoff...
To clarify, my disdain is for selfish parents. This is not an inference that all parents are selfish.
In an effort to prevent this discussion remaining circular, the original point was that (certain) selfish parents expect society to tolerate their kids' behaviour, merely because they do.
This is usually down to two factors:
1: super-liberal parents who don't believe in chastising or controlling their kids, opting instead for the laissez-faire, 'let them express themselves as people' attitude.
Or 2: feckless, ignorant parents that just don't give a damn about anyone else.
While countless numbers of parents are raising well-behaved, pleasant children, it is unfortunately the bad apples that tend to get noticed, and for the wrong reasons.
This is not a call for the 'seen but not heard' victorian approach either. Simply that parents should recognise that it is unreasonable for them to expect others to tolerate their kids' unruly behaviour.
Which reminds me: a few years ago I saw a mother verbally assaulting a pensioner waiting at a bus-stop outside a newsagents. The man was minding his own business on the bench, when the 5/6 year old walks over to him, in full view and under the watchful eye of the mother. Kid starts yapping away to the elderly man, singing/shouting etc, man responds all smiles and politeness. Mother grinning away also...
Then it all kicks off...pensioner hands a 50p towards the kid - in full view of everyone. Mother is a frenzy of shouting - storms over, snatches the coin from the man, thrusting it back in his face. 'What the hell do you think you're doing, have you no sense...etc'. Kid dragged away.
Man mortified and bewildered.
Kid confused and crying.
Mother righteously indignant.
Everyone else gobsmacked. Mother continues muttering to no-one in particular about the affrontery of it all, just can't trust anyone... Everyone pretending not to hear her.