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tararu · Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 494

I was heading over to B�y�k Ada a couple of years ago. There was a Turkish family next to us on the ferry and their 10 year son was throwing rubbish into the sea. My husband complained to the son's father about this and his response was that he couldn't control his children. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "What can l do? My children are crazy".

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

I totally agree with the previous two posts but being a father now I would like to qualify what was said.

It is tough to find places for kids to play when you are living in an apartment block surrounded by other apartment blocks. Where I am there are no parks within walking distance. The kids in our building play football at the entrance to our bulding which my 22 month old wants to join in-the ball bounces off cars, windows and people and often I am the only adult watching when my kid is there. The ball goes under cars and it is often difficult when someone else's kid runs after it. What do you do-tell them not to? Stray dogs and strangers wondering around make me regret not having a garden and regret not appreciating what I had as a kid.

About controlling your kids-throwing rubbish like that is wrong but I was with my 22 month in a supermarket last week and he went straight for the sweets section and started taking packets of sweets and chocolate from the shelves and putting them on the ground. I tried to stop him and he gave me one of his "I am going to scream and shout if you don't let me" looks and I hadn't the heart to ruin our little outing so I let him do this with me picking them up-eventually I was able to persuade him to leave but as I said, there are much less opportunities and places for Turks to play with their kids outside, especially if you have no car and work long hours. Don't be too hard on the parents! I never appreciated how hard it was for my parents until now.

tararu · Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 494

I know that kids from all nations can be little nut bars, but the aforementioned father was trying to convince us that his child was insane and therefore was beyond reproach. I am not a mum, so my view will be biased until l go forth and breed. I suppose that l had a very strict upbringing (My mother often threatened me with being flayed alive), so when l see kids completely out of control and pissing everyone off, l suppose l do look at the parents for an answer.

saloma · Joined: 07 Jul 2005 Posts: 211

In Turkey, it seems though the father is always the soft touch, and the moms have to do all the disciplining, (if any).

In my childhood home it was the opposite. The utterance, "Wait 'till your father gets home" really meant something!

My mother also had this "upper arm squeeze" technique, which was very subtle and stopped us from saying anything too incriminating on-the-spot!

M For example: me-as-a-child talking to family friend:

Very Happy

My daddy says that your new hair colour makes you look (squeeze)..... Shocked

tekirdag · Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 505

The only thing I would change about Turkey is the economy, really. I would boost that sucker up. Imagine! Jobs for every Turk, well-constructed sidewalks (pavements for u UK oddballs Laughing

), buildings with good paint jobs, no one on anti depressants.... Turks could just fly off to whatever country they wanted and not have to worry about getting visas before they go... Ole Erdoğan off to G8 summits (G9 with Turkey!).... decent textbooks for learning Turkish... d�ner in McDursun's served by guys with really big mustaches...ahhhhh. ....Is it hot in here or am I just getting too excited?

tararu · Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 494

If we take the squeeze idea and turn it into an electric shock, then what a better world this would be.

Turkish friend-"l haven't seen you in ages. My god you've put on so much ZZZZZZZZT!!!"

saloma · Joined: 07 Jul 2005 Posts: 211

LOVE IT!!!

mbd26 · Joined: 31 May 2006 Posts: 36 Location: Istanbul

I'd get rid of foreigners who pepper their (English) speech with "yani" and "şey"!

(I wanted to post that on the thread that's now been locked ) Laughing