Monday, November 20, 2006
Is There Ever An Appropiate Time to Parent A Parent
So you know I"m in Safeway again. It's interesting how I witness or have incidents in Safeway but never in Shoppers or Costco. We're in the check out line after shopping moving into our new digs. My husband, the kids and I are all delirously tired yet excited. And then I hear in the line next to us, " GET OVER HERE STUPID." My husband, myself, the kids and seemingly everyone in the line with us look over and see a woman talking to one of her children. My husband shakes his head. He sees the look in my eye and knows that I'm contemplating doing something. I stare at the woman and then she yells again to her daughter " You are getting on my f---ing nerves." At that moment we had already checked out of the line and my husband was rolling the cart towards the doors. I walked slowly looking at the woman trying to figure out what I could do. She glanced at me briefly and looked away. I knew whatever I would do would make the situation worse. I noticed that the woman had three other children with her. I saw that her mother was in a wheelchair. I looked at some of the items they had purchased.
Ice Cream. Sugary Cereal. Chocolate. Juice. I thought to myself this woman is grown. She's a grown woman like me. She's a mother like me. She gets stressed like me. She indulges in things that may not be good for her like I do sometimes. But the difference is no matter how stressed, or fed up or how much my kids may pluck that last nerve; I would never curse at them. I would never degrade them. And later on when they get older, I 'll try my best no to embarass them. But I can't promise that one too quickly. I toyed with whether or not I have a right to tell her not to talk to her child like that. Morally I felt it was wrong. I felt it was nothing short of verbal abuse. At the same time, I don't know her situation. BUT can her situation justify her degrading her child in public!!!. Regardless of how I would of said it, it was none of my business. I know how I am myself. I get on edge when another parent or older person tells me " You need to button that baby's coat". I don't get angry when people tell me these things. I'm aware of their concern. I say" thank you" or I got it" and keep it moving. Receiving information from strangers about anything regarding your child can be a touchy. I do know how to tread on these matters. I found that I can keep my ideas to myself yet let the parent know that I saw you. Now if the mama in Safeway had reached over and knocked her child back one, then I would be writing this to you all from the INSIDE!!!!. Just so you know!
So you know I"m in Safeway again. It's interesting how I witness or have incidents in Safeway but never in Shoppers or Costco. We're in the check out line after shopping moving into our new digs. My husband, the kids and I are all delirously tired yet excited. And then I hear in the line next to us, " GET OVER HERE STUPID." My husband, myself, the kids and seemingly everyone in the line with us look over and see a woman talking to one of her children. My husband shakes his head. He sees the look in my eye and knows that I'm contemplating doing something. I stare at the woman and then she yells again to her daughter " You are getting on my f---ing nerves." At that moment we had already checked out of the line and my husband was rolling the cart towards the doors. I walked slowly looking at the woman trying to figure out what I could do. She glanced at me briefly and looked away. I knew whatever I would do would make the situation worse. I noticed that the woman had three other children with her. I saw that her mother was in a wheelchair. I looked at some of the items they had purchased.
Ice Cream. Sugary Cereal. Chocolate. Juice. I thought to myself this woman is grown. She's a grown woman like me. She's a mother like me. She gets stressed like me. She indulges in things that may not be good for her like I do sometimes. But the difference is no matter how stressed, or fed up or how much my kids may pluck that last nerve; I would never curse at them. I would never degrade them. And later on when they get older, I 'll try my best no to embarass them. But I can't promise that one too quickly. I toyed with whether or not I have a right to tell her not to talk to her child like that. Morally I felt it was wrong. I felt it was nothing short of verbal abuse. At the same time, I don't know her situation. BUT can her situation justify her degrading her child in public!!!. Regardless of how I would of said it, it was none of my business. I know how I am myself. I get on edge when another parent or older person tells me " You need to button that baby's coat". I don't get angry when people tell me these things. I'm aware of their concern. I say" thank you" or I got it" and keep it moving. Receiving information from strangers about anything regarding your child can be a touchy. I do know how to tread on these matters. I found that I can keep my ideas to myself yet let the parent know that I saw you. Now if the mama in Safeway had reached over and knocked her child back one, then I would be writing this to you all from the INSIDE!!!!. Just so you know!
Labels: Parenting parents
# posted by kokayi @ 3:42 PM 
