I take my child off. (Rant coming... Feel free to stop reading now)
I have a huge issue with entitlement. I do not want to teach my children that they are entitled to anything. Our society raises children who grow into adults with self entitlement issues. Think about it, if a child opens a chocolate at a supermarket it's the stores fault for having it in reach (erm no). If there's a pass the parcel there us a treat in every layer... and I could go on and on.
If someone was eating something I wouldn't let my child grab it out of their hands because they wanted it. Yes chocolates at eye level are a PITA, so are $2 rides... But it's part of learning. Yes there will be meltdowns and tantrums but its ok! It's part of learning. Yeah it's a PITA for you if they meltdown, but letting them get on the ride every time they see it isn't going to help them to learn anything. I hate quick fixes. Poor kids never learn anything then just because its easier on the parent.
And alternate happy shiny rainbows situation, minus the rant... If they offered for my child to stay on I would say thank you and make sure my child too thanked them.
Good point Rouge. It puts me in mind of a seminar at our school recently about "raising resilient children". My thoughts on children being resilient is that they learn how to lose and/or not come first. (ETA: obviously resilience is more than just this though!!) Back in my day (... the days when we rode in a horse and cart!), any competition/event/sport we had at school had a winner and a loser. We were taught from an early age how to lose graciously - ok, MOST of us were taught how to lose graciously. While I can see both sides of the argument, it does make me roll my eyes how no scores are recorded in kids sports till a certain age, and how all kids get a certificate/medal for participating rather than just the kid who came out on top getting something etc.
Re the "thank you" tangent, IMHO an automatic "thank you" doesn't equate to a hollow thank you.
I would like to think that my DS1, who almost invariably says thank you and (often but not as consistently) says please has been brought up to have an attitude of gratitude and respect, rather than that he's been brought up to spout meaningless words.
He has, to my belief, understood the meaning, appropriate context and heart of a genuine "thank you" and he uses it appropriately - having seen it used appropriately and genuinely by those whose behaviour he models.
My kid didn't even know those things moved til someone else put $2 in. He just wanted to sit in a bus. We usually hang out at the ride for 15 minutes or so before heading back to the car on shopping days, I feed the baby and he shouts 'beep' and sings 'the wheels on the bus'. Due to his intense enthusiasm he has gotten free rides. We say thank you. I rarely have cash so can't reciprocate. If I ever get around to having physical money then I have no problem with free loaders. Provided they know the words to wheels on the bus.
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