The noise shot from a toddler's shoes.  The shoes were designed to make that noise.  Back and forth she paced, hand in hand with supervising family members.  The contrast between the peaceful breakfast setting and the squeaky noise-making shoes seemed to bother everyone in the place.


Had the toddler just been passing through, the noise would have been almost 'cute.'  Instead, the walking was a means of keeping the toddler occupied over quite a length of time.  Back and forth they went.


This event really got me thinking about a complaint I've heard throughout my travels talking with citizens about the state of education in America.  Specifically, too many adults are too busy humoring young people to the point that too often we are not teaching them valuable lessons central to being part of a larger community of citizens working together to live in harmony.  I hear this perception a lot.


At one point the toddler's grandpa was holding her hand as they squeaked and squeaked away for more than ten minutes before I overheard him acknowledge how "annoying" the sound is to a fellow hotel quest before he smiled and stated "I just can't stand it."