I want to ask if anyone gives up their seat for children?
Personally, I wouldn’t give up my seat to anyone except pregnant ladies and frail elderly. And I emphasis on frail. Some people although they are senior, they look fitter than me, so why should I give up my seat to them? Back to talking about children, I obviously do not see the need to give up my seat to a child.
They are shorter so their centre of gravity is lower and should be able to balance themselves on the MRT what. It is also their parents’ duty to ensure that they behave in a public place so why should I give up my seat just to stop them from running around? I am asking this because a parent asked if I could give up my seat for her child, who looked like he should be at least in primary school. When I declined saying that I have a poor ankle, she rolled her eyes at me and even when some other person gave up their seat for her, she continued to stare at me like I did something wrong. I’m not obliged to do this what so am I wrong for not extending goodwill to her child? When it comes to giving up my seat for others in a public place, I have a strict policy. I give up my seat to pregnant women and frail elderly, and that’s it.
I’m not saying that I’m heartless, I have my reasons for this policy. For starters, the centre of gravity of pregnant women is higher, making them more prone to losing their balance. Additionally, the frail elderly may be physically limited and may not be able to stand up for long periods of time. In both cases, I believe giving up my seat is the right thing to do.
However, when it comes to children, I’m not so sure. While I understand that some children may need extra care, I do not see the need to give up my seat for them. After all, most children are quite capable of standing for a short while. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the parents to ensure that their children behave properly in public places. Therefore, I think it’s unfair for me to give up my seat just so that the child does not misbehave.
Recently, I was asked by a parent to give up my seat for her child. The child was old enough to be in primary school, so he was not exactly a small baby. I politely declined, citing my poor ankle as the reason. To my surprise, she rolled her eyes at me and even after someone else gave up their seat for her, she continued to stare at me. It left me feeling a little uncomfortable and I started to question if I had done something wrong.
I do not believe I was wrong for not giving up my seat for the child. I had my reasons for not doing so and I certainly did not expect to be judged for it. Furthermore, I had already offered to give up my seat to a pregnant woman and a frail elderly person earlier, so I was not being completely inconsiderate.
At the end of the day, it is up to each individual to decide whether or not they wish to give up their seat for someone else. For me, I am only willing to do so for pregnant women and frail elderly. I do not think I should be expected to do this for children, especially if their parents are not properly monitoring them. Therefore, I stand by my decision and I do not believe I was wrong for not giving up my seat for the child.