expathopeful

I've been here a month now and I need a question answering about "unwritten rules".

Whilst queuing in the shops, on a number of occasions, some little shit has just barged their way to the front of the queue and got served straight away. The last time it happened, the kids parents even gave him the money and told him to go to the front which he did.

This made me wonder, is it customary to let kids get served first? I don't want to look a twat giving some kid an earful and "The Stare".

My mate said it must be but I think it's just because they don't know any better. Can someone confirm this for me?

Boomhauer

Was it a local kid ?

mentalist

You don't say where you are writing from, whether KSA, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman or wherever. From a UAE perspective I find most kids to be rude especially when raised by housemaids with little parental control. Its not the fault of the housemaids but the parents. Lebanese and certain Arab speaking folk seem to be the worst, but even western kids can be a pain in the backside, particularly when around their peers.

expathopeful

Sorry, im in Abu Dhabi. The kid with his parents in tow was local, other times they've been far eastern. That's what I was trying to find out, do Emirate kids get preferential treatment? Don't want to go upsetting the locals now do we.

Ive got kids my self and one thing I'm very big on is manners, please and thank you's etc I cant get how people can teach their kids to be so bloody rude.

busybee2

i always make a point that even children they should learn to q...... quite often the people behind the counter will still allow them in front, but its very bad manners, and it happens a lot...... wait until you get the big people who do it when in the q for car4 make you wait because the veg is not priced, then we wait again because they forgot to get their clubcard thing and sent someone down to the underground car park.... and then.... fact of life... but i always make a point of mentioning it that its bad manners etc etc.... then you will get this is my country spill...... they will never know any better if people do not question it.

Beakersful

At fast food joints in malls in KSA there are plenty of kids (normally male) who pay their money and can't wait for their food to be cooked and served without hanging over the counter sticking their hand at the staff and whining half formed words, sometimes even climbing on the counter and trying to grab things with ADHD like symptoms. They all too frequently speak in their own language with awful pronunciation, act insultingly towards the staff, unable to stand up straight, tie their shoelaces, and other detractions that demonstrate a lack of adequate upbringing as we see it in the West.

scrubbedexpat141

Local kid, I'd probably bottle it and let it slide.
Anyone else, I'd shout for them to not be served.

Queues here are generally a joke, but trust me, if you've got some guys or women from the sub-con or Asia pushing in....a quick shout and looking mean will make them go to the back.

Nine times out of ten they just smile, shrug and walk to the back. They might act as thick as pig shit sometimes but they're definitely not.

All that being said, sometimes I don't bother. If a chap is that desperate to get there first then it's not worth the argument. Plus, being a bit white bloke shouting at a scruffy Indian...it feels a bit heavy handed, brutal and you just come off looking like a right snobby ****.

Judgment call to be made on each occasion. Or, blindly ignore thinking and just start shouting.

Irishbeekeeper

its bad manners plain and simple, no matter which part of the world your in and no matter whose kid it is
any idiot can have kids, even animals have kids
but it takes a lot more to become a parent

Meow

It's irrelevant where anyone is from or their age; that kind of behaviour is bad manners. Anyone who does that in front of me is told to join the queue and wait like anyone else. Locals too and I have never had an issue as I am polite but firm.

Basic courtesy should be expected from everyone and it is certainly not Emirati or Arab culture to be rude in that way. You do people, and especially children, no favours in life by letting them get away with it.

kittycat1

teenage boys here are incredibly arrogant and rude and need to learn some manners! I think it's because people don't say anthing as they are intimidated, I've pulled a few up in taxi ranks and they normal tut and roll their eyes and mutter in arabic, if they ignore you just be a bit firmer- Oi- did you not hear me, there's a queue love (mutter you little sh1t under your breath as you point to the 30 people in line) then slowly say Queue starts at that end, then they strut across the road like they are P Diddy and try to flag down cabs befoe they pull into the rank, in the UK I would refer to these types as W**ky little sh**y chavs - no respect for anyone else - to be fair I probably wouldn't say anything in the UK as would get a mouthful of abuse back + god knows what else

OriginalSunshine

Same as Meow - polite but firm "no, I'm next, you wait"

staff member will never do otherwise as they are scared of losing their job

but stroppy white woman dressed in work clothes (rather than mum clothes)? works every time