Parents Who Don't Know How To Parent Their Own Children

High up on the scale of the most annoying sounds in the world (a few spaces under EEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHH) is the sound of babies/children crying in a public place.
Now, it's not the kid's fault. The kid cannot be held responsible due to his or her non-conscious of others' feelings, wants or needs, up until around age 8 or so. After that, there's no constant crying or screaming in a public place.
So from here on out, we can safely conclude that if a kid is crying in a public place, it cannot be, or can only be at most in part, his or her fault.
Then whose fault is it?

Source: http://myspace-129.vo.llnwd.net/01546/92/10/1546260129_l.gif

That's right. The two people who have decided to spew this screaming third person from their bodies are the ones responsible.
Most parents (I'd hope) do the job right. They put their kids before themselves, they try to bring them up right, and realize that "me" time is over, and now it's "baby" time.
Unfortunately, there is a small portion of parents who don't know anything about what they're doing, and are not only ruining their own lives, but their children's lives and the lives of everyone around them by having kids without knowing how to have kids.

A comment before we start: We are talking about incompetent parents today, not abusive or emotionally hurtful parents. We are talking about the kinds of parents who just have no idea why they had a kid nor what they're going to do about it.

Let's go over a few of the symptoms of an incompetent parent:
-Losing (LOSING!) an argument with your child
A few years ago, I was sitting in my dentist's office, and a woman with her child came in. I don't remember exactly what they were arguing about, but it went something like this:

Mother: "No, Johnny, you can't play with the candy now, "
Johnny: "But mommy, I want some candy!"
Mother: "Johnny, we're about to go see the dentist."
Johnny: "But I want some!"
Mother: "Johnny, please don't do this..."
Johnny: "PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE?!"
Mother: "FINE. If it'll make you be quiet."

That mother needs to be slapped back to reality.She does something against logic just so that her child will shut up? GREAT PARENTING.

Next: Letting your child cry for extended periods of time in a public place, and not leaving or telling them that they will not be getting their new toy if they keep crying. By the way, lots of parents (as far as I know) who celebrate Christmas don't use the Santa excuse as much as they should. Santa is watching ALL YEAR, parents, so use this excuse if your child is SCREAMING IN MY EAR WHILE STANDING ON THE SEAT IN THE BOOTH NEXT TO ME.
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
WAAAAAAAAA *SCREEEEEEEEEEEEECH* AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
I WANT THE TOOOOOOOOOYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Someone gouge my eyes out with a fork. The pain will distract enough.

Finally, we have the parents who argue with their children, win, but don't do it with kindness, caring, or a meeting of the minds.
Now, obvoiusly, this won't work with an unruly child. But even then, the reason why (s)he can't do something must be told each time the child asks until the child is calm enough, or loses the privilege of having his newest toy or whatever. The words for a conversation between mother and child resulted in these two lines being said:

Son: "But why can't I buy the toy, mom?"
Mother: "Stop asking me!"
Son: "Why? (Quietly)"
Mother: "Because when you ask, it makes us ["your father and I"] angry! Now STOP!"

TELL HIM WHY HE CAN'T HAVE IT, MORON!

Parents these days. I weep for the future of humanity. (For many reasons, but this being one of them)
Overall Gross Incompetence Rating: