We are meant to guide our kids to grow and survive and to succeed and to be the best possible people they can be.
so how is it that I am asking myself this question more and more? Am I uptight? I think no.
I just don't quite get it. Where are the mothers around here?
I find myself at the park or library or pool thinking this.
Seriously? Why is it that your kid is left to torment the rest of the world?
Are you too tired to care?
Do you know that they are behaving this way?
Are you ignoring it?
Why is it okay that Bobby is ripping that noodle right out of my kids hands leaving her to cry while his momma is MIA?
Reading? smoking? sleeping? HELLO? you have a child here.
Why is my doorbell being rung incessantly and then, when I open it, your child letting themselves in!?
WHERE is your mother?
Hasn't she ever taught you any manners?
Does she even know you have just rang my doorbell?
I could be the witch from Hanzel and Gretel for heavens sake!
Does she even know you have just rang my doorbell?
I could be the witch from Hanzel and Gretel for heavens sake!
Has she ever stood behind you to guide the way?
"One ring is enough, OK good now wait. Don't peek through the windows that's rude...."Am I being over bearing? No, I don't have to do that anymore because I did it enough so that they use their manners now.
And of course it's work. It's your job actually. You know, the one you accepted the day they popped out of you.
She's doing you a disservice.
Because in the future I will hide from you. I will avoid you. I will squirt you back.
Okay, so I may ask my children this very same question when they are doing something rude.
"where is your mother?"
They know that this means haven't I taught you this is rude?
But I'm standing there and asking the question.
THIS PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS BROUGHT TO YOU TODAY
BY THE MEAN LITTLE BOY AT THE SPRINKLER PARK that decided the very best fun in the world was to squirt me full on straight in the face. Even when I asked him politely to give me a minute to show my child how it worked.
Even though I was a grown up asking him not to squirt me in the face for just a minute. A minute. You can go on ahead and squirt me in the face in just a minute. (Yes, I actually said THAT)
The one who then thought it would be even funnier to squirt my four year old full on in the face.
The one who apparently had no mother.
Go find her. Your mother.
And tell her I need to see her immediately with the same hose you just used on us in my hand.
Because I am HER mother and it's my job.
I find myself asking the same question at times... Sometimes I think they think ah someone else will watch them... It's one reason I HATE going to the pool... I feel like everyone is gonna drown! I try and teach my minis but sadly I fear people may often say where is their mother?!? Usually I am late to the punch, apologizing profusely, and scolding intently! Sorry you and little miss got squirted in the face :( even after asking nicely... great post!
ReplyDeleteArrrgggg! I know what you are saying!
ReplyDeleteI actually ( Lord forgive me ) told a kid last week that I was going to kick him in the head if he spoke rudely to my 8 year old daughter again. We were at the park and every single time she ran past he called out, " Where you running to, moron? " or " Oooh, you running off to kiss your girlfriend, dyke girl? "
Dyke girl? Are you freaking kidding me. I grabbed this little punk and told him that I would bring him down if he spoke to her again. He threatened to tell his mother and I'm like, " Awesome! I would loooove to meet her. " I forced that little bugger to apologize to my girl and to everyone else around.
It's not just manners. It's absolute disrespect, cruelty and self absorption. I don't like placing blame on parents but there is no way that this kid acts this way in the park and then goes home and is a perfect angel. The parents have to know what little jerks they're raising, right?
I feel the same way! You couldnt have said it better. It is beyond important to me that my son, who is only freshly 2, learns how to be considerate of others and have manners. But every once in a while I catch my self with the coutrageous thought of 'why teach him manners, why not let him grow up like all the other inconsiderate children so he doesnt get as frustrate as I do by someone else not being considerate?' Crazy I know.
ReplyDelete