There are some ‘unfriendly families’ living in Hoboken

Dear Editor:

As a Hoboken resident for 17 years I have enjoyed seeing and being a part of the city’s transformation into a family-friendly town but it’s a shame that not all families are friendly.

On Saturday, March 31 at Columbus Park, the Hoboken Family Alliance put a lot of time and effort into a fun day with the annual Spring Fling. A sunny day in the park was the perfect setting for an egg hunt, bake sale, bonnet making and a little bit of mayhem. But that’s what families are often about.

It was a shame, however, that event organizers and attendees had to battle the bad manners of some families who could not wait for the egg hunt to begin. And once it did begin, they felt compelled to take more than their fair share. It sounds awfully trite to note that there were not enough eggs to go around. Most of the children probably moved on quickly and enjoyed the day regardless.

Children need to learn lessons of winning and losing and having and having not. Parks and playground provide valuable settings for life lessons – for parents and children. On a day that’s intended to be fun for all, parents need to help teach those lessons by setting good examples.

In the meantime, we should applaud the HFA and many of the town’s families for showing what a great community Hoboken is.

Theresa Howard

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