Parents do many things to show the world how cute their little children are, but these things don't always register the right way with the recipients. These things include the following:

• Placing the child's recording on the answering machine
• Answering the telephone without knowing how to take a proper message and not even knowing what to do when the listener asks for the parent
• Attaching labels to invitations, even though they come out crooked, upside down, or on the wrong side of the envelope
• Accompanying the adult on business trips. The child may be out of place in their visit

The children don't belong in locations.

You may think that your children are very cute, and they may well be so. However, others should not be required to entertain them for you. They did not call in order to entertain your child. You are making them waste valuable time that they wanted to use for other things. You don't have the right or the justification to do this to those who call. They are not your babysitter. They should not be your children's entertainers. It is your obligation to raise your own children.