Me and my partner decided to come with ky 2 year old daughter. She is a good kid but she gets excited and can be loud (she likes so sing and talk and she laughs randomly).
I've dreamed about coming here for the past 20 years, and just feel like I want to go home haha. We are from the UK but we are brown so I know people aren't that fond of non white foreigners plus we habe a kid.
She sings on the train and people stare at us badly, so I've been telling her off every single day. Ive started showing her cartoons on the tablet eveywhere we go, which I feel so bad for because back home she rarely gets screen time but it's the only way to stop her talking to people and laughing/singing.
We went to a claw machine today, and there was a children's version (it was the same height as my toddler). This Japan lady was there using the machine and I won a teddy for my toddler and she got so excited and jumping around. She was playing with the machine and singing and then the Japanese lady shushed my daughter. She gave her such a dirty look and went to find a staff and report my daughter (there was nobody else there except us at the time).
I know they don't like badly behaved children, but we were in a children area, and she wasn't having a tantrum, she was just excited. Even when we are holdimg her hand while walking with her, people nudge into her. When we put her on the pushchair, people look angry that we're taking up space.
I just feel really sad. Every day we are telling off our toddler – not even for being bad. Yes she has tantrums sometimes but she's a kid.
But we're shouting at her and telling her off for just showing excitement, singing etc.
Sorry guys. I know it's the custom here and I don't expect anyone to change their ways. Im trying hard to keep her quiet… but at the same time she is a kid. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm scared to go anywhere. I just feel weirdly ashamed.
We are quite tall, and my daughter looks a but older than she is. She still talks half in baby talk, but she looks like an older toddler as well so even back in the UK people mistake her for being older.
I just feel so bad. And I regret coming. I was stupid for believing people when they said that people would be understanding of kids. She's only 2 years old.
Maybe I'm just a horrible mother that can't control their child. I just thought people would be more friendly in children spaces, but even there she is getting shushed. It's only been 3 days and I can sense mt daughter is sad and becoming more reserved because we constantly have to tell her off for just existing, because if we don't day anything we get disgusted looks.
Still have 2 weeks left of our trip, and we're trying to make the most of it. It's a beautiful country, just maybe I should have visited before I had a child.
I saw a lot of videos saying people were friendly with them and understood when their children were just being kids, but I don't mean it badly but a lot of these people were white, and I feel white foreigners are treated differently to brown?
She cries for her grandma and grandpa every time we tell her off.
But yeah sorry guys… does anyone have any recommendations of where I can go with my daughter where she can just be a kid? I just want her to be happy and if there are any areas from your experience where she will be able to run around and enjoy without being shushed or shoved?
Again im not judging the culture… I don't expect anyone to change. I just feel stupid for making the decision to come here.
by PinkDragonWoman