Interesting N.Drolma,
I got some samples:
1. Back when I was Catholic and doing my devotions in a Chapel, a very young kid of about 2-3 years old came towards me, took my stack of prayer books, threw it all over the floor and ran back to the parents. Guess what? When I looked at the parents, they did nothing, in fact, both looked left and right as if to deflect my angry stares.
Now 3 options were available:
1. Personally discipline the kid, since the parents had failed to be a good example
2. Confront the parents
3. Report it to the Church Parish Priest.
I chose the third option. Fully aware that the first option would lead to a possible 'lawsuit' and the second option is out too for I do not have the habit of starting confrontations in a public place of worship. Some people who witnessed the incident shook their heads. I left the Chapel and had a talk with the padre. The following Sunday, he gave a scathing homily on parental responsibility.
2. Once, in a Sri Lankan Theravada Vihara, I witnessed how a Bhante (Venerable) was doing a blessing for a family. Guess what? The son's handphone rang midway in their midst and in full view of all in the Main Shrine, he answered the call and was chatting boisterously in front of the Venerable who was still doing the blessing. Family? None of them did anything. Later, I spoke to the Bhante and he lamented that this is a common urban example and despite many friendly and direct warnings.
3. There was a Confucian saying that i heard once: "If man cannot deal with you, then Heaven will'.
A story was related once to me, there was a kid, during Mass, ran up and down the main aisle in full view of everyone, parents were nonchalant as usual. Suddenly the kid ran back to his pew and dared not move for the rest of the Mass. Later when the parents asked the kid what had happened, he related that he had heard of a loud voice that boomed into his ears, "SIT DOWN!". No one that day heard that voice, only the kid. The parents? Probably hard of hearing...
Just some sharing....my business? Should it be? What thinketh you?