Childrens in airports, anybody ? A few weeks ago I was coming back to London on a very busy evening at Gatwick, unfortunately. The display of rude upbringing and absolute disrespect to others that some of the children put up was truly astonishing. Screaming, running around amongst people patiently queueing at passport control, kicking their suitcases, with parents more concerned about complaining to every single already overstretched member of staff than looking after ( taming) their little ones. Some people were truly annoyed, I stood there bemused by the spactacle and noticed that unfortunately the great majority of those children belonged to white middle class parents, who wrongly assume that everybody else should put up with their children poor manners just because they look like blond little angels. It was hilarious to observe a few older indian ladies in the queue with such a look of disapproval on their faces, as if the PARENTS behaviour was appaling and to blame for. i somehow agree.

Again, I was having lunch with my husband in a nice but busy coffee shop in Canada Water. Two relatively young and affluent white mothers came in a for a coffee and a long chat at lunch time parking massive buggies in the middle of the room, two toddlers left to run wild with the waitress really struggling to avoid them whilst carrying hot drinks and food. At one point one of the boys actually run out of the place to a very busy road. The mother shouted and shouted and did not even attempt to reach the door. Another lady, hotrrified by the thought the boy could end up run over by a passing car, quickly ran out to stop him.

I am white, definitely middle class by today's socio-Demographic standards and baffled and a little embarassed by this cultural shift.