Topic: Be Good to Your Children
started by: Spidey
Posted by Spidey on Nov. 10 2008,5:29 pm
Today I made a quick run to the store. At the check out was a woman and her little boy. He couldn't have been more than six or seven. He was talking about his day with enthusiasm. "Mom" turned to him and said, "be quite!" ... in disgust, along with a little grunt. He dropped his head and stared straight ahead. You could almost see the joy and excitement roll out of his body. He stood that way in silence until they left.
Just as they were gathering their bags and about to leave ... "Mom" dropped her keys. Another grunt. The little boy immediately picked them up and handed them to her. She barked, "Give me that!!" ... as though it was his fault?
This "Mom" looked like a working mom ... maybe in an office somewhere. She may have had a bad day ... but she sure took the wind out of that little boys sales today.
Posted by Ned Kelly on Nov. 11 2008,4:11 pm
Some day he will have to pick her rest home. Think he will listen to her then?.................. 
..........ned
Posted by Robert Hoffman on Nov. 12 2008,12:55 pm
...and he'll think about it everyday between now and then.
Posted by This is my real name on Nov. 12 2008,4:13 pm
But... but...She's probably working really hard to give him everything he wants!
Posted by Spidey on Nov. 12 2008,4:23 pm
By the look on his face, this wasn't the first time she had talked to him that way. I thought when he jumped to pick up her keys ... that isn't something all little kids will do ... he was being extremely polite, but then her bark came, and I thought he was trying to please her. Just a sad moment that I witnessed that day. I suppose we have all had our moments that we wished we had done better ... or that we could do over. This moment seemed to be more than a "moment". More like a pattern. So sad.
I think when parents treat their children like this on a daily basis ... it can be just as detrimental to a child as physical abuse.
I wanted to tell him that "I would love to hear about his day" ... but then I would probably get arrested.
Posted by grassman on Nov. 12 2008,9:47 pm
I am not one to say a parent should snap at a child in public like this but, life is full of ass chewings. The political correct of handling things these days is a bunch of bs. Life has downfalls. Get used to it. Do not protect your children from negative things. Life is full of them and it can be overwhelming if never experienced because of over-protectant parents.
Posted by nphilbro on Nov. 12 2008,10:41 pm
It makes me sad to hear about that. But, as a parent with the youngest at 3 and 5, I'm sure if had my own moments in the sun. We can't know the background or context. Kids can turn on a dime - happy, sad, mean, etc. Our moods tends to hang around and our patience and energy are finite.
Again, I'm sad to hear about that, but it's another reminder of my own responsibility as a parent.