Something I see a lot in the UK that really saddens me is parents engrossed with their smartphone and occasionally barking at the child to 'play where I can see you' every two minutes.

It makes me feel like snatching the phone from their hand and doing something rather unpleasant with it.

'...while their kids yell "look at me mummy" forlornly.'

One thing I have noticed a lot in Spain (where I live half the time) is kid's are much better behaved, generally, compared to the UK.

I think it's because children are adored and get attention everywhere they go. Unlike in the UK where they, often, seem to be more of a inconvenience to their parents otherwise perfect little lives.