You knew it would happen, too. So did I. As soon as I point out someone's bad parenting on the internet, the very next day I turn into one of them. I'll spare you the details, except to say that it involved one of my children at the pool (where else), teetering precariously on top of something dangerous (as usual). And as I was in the middle of correcting him or her (okay, him), the man sitting next to me jumped right on in and YELLED at my kid to GET DOWN BOY BEFORE YOU CRACK OPEN YOUR HEAD. At the top of his lungs. Yelled. So that was interesting.
The story ends with me snatching up the dripping, disobedient child and carting him off to the restroom for a "talking to", and the man apologizing to me for interfering (and frankly exacerbating the problem), followed by me leaving the pool, with the aforementioned child trailing behind, still screaming. And since there is still a week of swim lessons left, I'll be seeing the same man every morning for the duration. hoo-ray!
Which leads me to wonder, what level of misbehavior would it take for me to yell at someone else's child? What about you? What would put you over the edge?
I'm more the type to say nothing and then blog about it, but it still got me to thinking.
It's been a pretty good birthday, other than that episode. My husband pretended to forget just long enough for me to get mad, then surprised me with a spa gift certificate. Goober. Then of course we hit Happy Hour at Sonic, which basically means we all get slushies for about two bucks. My kids know to ask for a slushie between 2 and 4, because they know it's half price, and that I am always craving a Dr. Pepper right around then, so they've already learned to simultaneously exploit two of my weakness: bargains and caffeine.
I'm headed out now for a birthday dinner with the family at a restaurant owned by one of the parents from my daughter's school. You'd think I'd learn my lesson from this morning, that when out in public, it's best to be anonymous, yet onward I go. Hopefully, humble pie won't be on the menu.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
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OK, I think you put this post up while I was commenting on the last one. It's awesome. I do not yell at other people's children. And if you were not one of the children in my bible school class today you may actually believe that's true.
ReplyDeleteNo, I'm kidding.
Occasionally I will talk to other children when we are out and politely ask them to "Please stop this that or the other" if it is affecting my children and they seem to have no parents around. It usually gets almost no response. So maybe I should yell.
I have eaten a lot of humble pie in my life. It's actually not to bad if you can get past the bitter aftertaste. I'd still go for the birthday cake though.
Oh, and ADORABLE profile picture. Love it.
Maybe the man was just so scared for the boy that he couldn't help his shout. ?? I don't know. At least he apologized for it though. Most people don't do that.
ReplyDeleteI don't usually have a problem correcting other people's children if someone could get hurt by what they are doing. And I wouldn't mind if someone yelled at my kid if they might get hurt or hurt someone else. Unless it was vicious. Then I'd have to kick some major A#$!
Glad your day was okay other than that. ;)
Chrissy - first let me say, I can't wait for our portion of the Southern Road Trip next month. Second, I yell at other people's kids all the time! Maybe it's the wanna be a New Yorker in me but I usually do it with a little sassiness. Like this: "now you know your mamma don't like you talking like that!"
ReplyDeleteI would yell at another person's kid if they were in the process of doing something that was endangering themselves or someone else. So that situation might have set off my "yell at a strange kid-o-meter" too, except you were right there and dealing with it.
ReplyDeleteHappy (belated) birthday. and by the way, love the picture of you that you're leaving behind as your calling card. so cute!
ReplyDelete