Overheard Parenting

I get a lot of parenting dos-and-don'ts while observing strangers in toy stores, restaurants, the bookstore and church.   This pretty much sums up why:   

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At restaurants I'm drawn towards parents who include their kids in a meal's togetherness.  You can kind of tell someone's parenting style by the way kids are ignored or included.  One lovely couple was having adult conversation but when their kids would overhear and interrupt with questions, they would patiently answer.  They managed to explain "what is cancer?" without dumbing down the information. Nice, I'll do that too.
At church, I love family-watching.  I love watching how parents handle their kids in a place that's not child-friendly.  I love watching how parents are with each other.  I'm drawn towards husbands and wives who sit together rather than have their kids between them.  But it's hard pala when you're holding the pamaypay and you're in the middle!

At the bookstore, I don't know why this is where I see the most inspiring parents.  I smiled at the grandpa who happily played a loud game of 'hide and seek' with his two year old son (I didn't mind the noise).  I marveled at the calm, confident mom who let her crawling baby go everywhere and teethe at everything.  I love hanging around there.  
By far, the toy store is the most hilarious place to eavesdrop.  I think it's because toy lust and parenting are in eternal conflict:

"Oh no, we stay away from princesses" - Mom of a 2 year old toddling towards Princess Sophia.  

Yeah, good luck there, momma.  

I was a smug toddler-mom too, until we hit five years old.

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"That's for boys" - Grandma to her toddler daughter who grabbed a Teenage Mutant Turtle toy.

That's unfortunate.  Very unfortunate.
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"O ha, birthday and Christmas only" - Dad's warning to his preschooler upon entering.

That was a reminder to me to start thinking of my own rules about toy-buying.  

I copied that dad shamelessly.

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"For important toys, go ask your mom." - Dad to his 8 year old who wanted a big Lego set

Consistency in parenting rules!  And deference to mom.

Mmmm, I'm liking that too much. 

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What are your overheard parenting stories?  I'd love to know.