Violence averted at the San Diego Bonsai Pavilion

[Bonsai Nut]

This weekend we were at the San Diego Safari Park checking out the wildlife, and it happens to be the home of the San Diego Bonsai Pavilion. It was the first time I had the chance to check out the new set-up, and I was really pleased. It is located in a quiet corner of the park, so fewer people visit, and it gives you the opportunity to contemplate the trees without the hordes viewing the tigers, etc.

At any rate, while we were there, a "family" rolled into the pavilion. Three generations, two strollers, indulgent grandma, dumb son, irritable daughter, and four bored grandchildren. While we were standing there we watched the grandkids proceed to climb all over everything, touch the trees, throw rocks into the water feature, etc. One of the kids was starting to kick over the rocks lining the path when my wife had finally had enough. "Stop doing that!" She proceeded to give the kid a tongue lashing. Grandma and Ma never said a thing. I had been at the far end of the pavilion and returned to see what the commotion was about. We stood around and clearly weren't going to leave until they left (I was concerned dumb son was going to pick one of the pomegranates that he had an eye on for 10 minutes). They finally moved their caravan out of the pavilion to go ruin some other part of the park. Where do we get these people?

 

[Derek91]

I told my wife not to take the kids

 

[Cadillactaste]

What a beautiful setting...so proud of your wife, her standing her ground. Appalled ones couldn't corral their own brats...who knows what damage they might have accomplished during their time there had you and your wife not been there! Right place at the right time...a crying shame had they damaged that area.

 

[M. Frary]

Sounds to me someone should have taken the little monsters out behind the woodshed in their formative years and taught them some manners.

 

[Derek91]

Sound like the parents needed the beating more than the kids. My kids know better than to even move the wrong way in an environment like that or I would come unglued on them.you would think the parents would have had the brains enough to know better.

 

[coh]

Probably no one ever taught the parents any manners, and now they're just passing "the gift" on to the next generation. The cycle of life.

Kudos to the OP (well, his wife, really) for speaking up.

Chris

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Probably no one ever taught the parents any manners, and now they're just passing "the gift" on to the next generation. The cycle of life.

Kudos to the OP (well, his wife, really) for speaking up.

Chris

I was over with my daughter talking about tanuki grafts. I was keeping an eye on the son because they had a pomegranate in the ground that was fruiting, and he kept asking his mom questions about it... none of which were bonsai-related or I might have spoken up.

My wife was doing the whole "take your time I'm going to sit here in the shade" thing - but she had the pleasure of watching the little miscreants treat the place like a jungle gym.

We were both amazed - they had no idea what bonsai were, and were not even slightly interested in trying to understand, and yet we couldn't get them to LEAVE so we could take a few photos. They were all just wandering around aimlessly and touching EVERYTHING.

 

[Vance Wood]

Sounds to me someone should have taken the little monsters out behind the woodshed in their formative years and taught them some manners.

I agree but you can't do that any more. We had some punk kid-football star get arrested for assault on a security guard and managed to dodge the bullet on that assault. He turned around a few weeks latter and assaulted his girl friend and the judge let him go again. You tell me,---- both incidents were on video.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I agree but you can't do that any more. We had some punk kid-football star get arrested for assault on a security guard and managed to dodge the bullet on that assault. He turned around a few weeks latter and assaulted his girl friend and the judge let him go again. You tell me,---- both incidents were on video.

Sometimes you ask me...it's the last name seems to be a "get out of jail" card. I hope the parents of the girl continues to pusue it. Especially with his prior incident under his belt...what are they teaching that young man. By no means are the helping him...just creating a monster.

 

[Nybonsai12]

Sounds like the parents and the kids deserve a free trip to Adrian Peterson's sleepaway camp.

 

[Dav4]

I agree but you can't do that any more. We had some punk kid-football star get arrested for assault on a security guard and managed to dodge the bullet on that assault. He turned around a few weeks latter and assaulted his girl friend and the judge let him go again. You tell me,---- both incidents were on video.

But Vance, it wasn't HIS fault. Clearly, there is someone else to blame for this guy's poor social skills....


No one takes responsibility for their own actions (or the actions of their kids). I'm sure if damage had been done to the bonsai display that required significant attention (and money) to remedy, the parents would have foisted the blame on the safari park for lack of signage explaining how the children SHOULD behave in such an environment, or some other excuse. Totally unacceptable behavior which, unfortunately, seems to be more or less accepted everywhere in our society.


Beautiful garden, by the way, and worth getting in the face of a few ill mannered morons...give your wife a fist bump for me.

 

[jk_lewis]

Where do we get these people?

I'm afraid that we BREED them, then help them get worse with our Everybody-gets-a-ribbon, indulgent, self-esteem child rearing.

You could have suggested that they go play with the tigers.

Looks like a nice exhibit. That cast-iron shohin stand seems a bit "busy" though.

 

[Bill S]

Sounds like the parents and the kids deserve a free trip to Adrian Peterson's sleepaway camp.

Friends of mine growing up had to go to the yard to get mom or dad a switch if they did bad things. HUGE deterrent. I mean I watched him toss out a branch that was too small, saying he would get it worse if the switch wasn't going to fit the punishment.

I am a firm believer that children should have a healthy fear of their parents, and consequences.

You guys are lucky they didn't go off on you, these days everyone has the right to do what they want you know, and almost daily we see that you don't like the result, go after them with social media, that will change things. Gives an entitlement of do what you want.

 

[Nybonsai12]

Truth be told I don't condone hitting of children in 99% of situations. And in most cases I find that the parents who would give their kid a smack if necessary, have kids that never end up needing one.

The cases where children are deserving of a smack usually have parents who deserve a much harder one, right in their reproductive organs to make sure the same mistake is not made again.

 

[dick benbow]

we get em at the koi shows quite often. Kids playing in the water, tank to tank, sharing any kind of infection...as well as kicking the tanks, unsettling their occupants and owners. We have security at nights to dissaude any thefts, but makes as much sense to have security in the day time to deal with such as discribed.
Ashame, but it seems a certain percentage always seem to find their way in to ruin it for others.
Thought the fist bump suggestion, a great way to say thanks

 

[edprocoat]

Stay off my lawn you damn fool kids !!

ed

 

[Vance Wood]

Yes the parents are a problem. They were probably brought up with the same kind of discipline some of you seem to recommend, they probably displayed the same annoying traits that now drive us nuts and their behavior with their children reflects it. The kids are out of control because their parents have only learned a modicum of social graces by the fact they have had their peers threaten to kick their asses. Do you expect differently? We live in a society where discipline is a dirty word, along with work, respect, honor, and concern for others. Sorry but I call em' like I see em', and believe me, I wish it were not so. Oh yah I forgot the best and truest: IT'S NOT MY FAULT!

In case some my query themselves I have raised two children that are both approaching middle-age and I have 12 grandchildren from 18 months to 23 years.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I think the younger generation is creating monsters.(though I don't consider myself old...I am 43yrs old)...there is nothing wrong with raising children with structure and consequences if set rules are not followed. Children really want structure even if they don't really know it. I know I went through a faise when I wanted my mom to step up and give me structure and consequences. She did neither. I have been told by some I can be strict. No...I have rules. My kids never climbed all over my car. The car was for traveling...if they were to get in it...they best be sitting in their designated spot be it car seat/booster or just now the seat and buckled.

I teach the preschool class at church. And have no trouble with any of the ones that on my off days seem to give others an issue. The seemingly worse behaved ones...are my best behaved. We have fun...but there is structure. I've also learned that I am the younger ones choice teacher on Sundays. (Not to be boastful but I honestly feel it's the structure that they actually like)Nothing wrong with the other teacher...just...no structure and sometimes the class becomes out of control. We also do the church youth group and are the youth leaders. We took the entire group to Cedar Point. Not one incident...never needed to correct one. Had ones come up to me and comment on our well behaved large group of teens as well. There is no reason one can't have structured guidelines and not have fun while following them. It's a shame...honestly that more haven't grasp the concept. It would make the world more pleasant if ones could just grasp that knowledge.

 

[Nybonsai12]

I think the younger generation is creating monsters.

Said by every prior generation since the world began.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Said by every prior generation since the world began.

Possibly very true...sadly, I knew a mom who grounded her child from her cell phone. The teen called the police. The mom then stated...she felt it was from lack of discipline when she was younger since she never disciplined her. This woman is my age...so...yeah, my age group also are creating monsters. I still can't get over she placed this information on social media...for it basically was a reflection of how she parented. So my generation slipped a notch or two as well. I guess since I was basically brought up for the most part by my grandparents...I have a different code I follow.

Though honestly...we have children killing parents over being grounded from video games. Is a crazy scary time we live in if you ask me...