So I'm walking through the local craft store. I've noticed this family because they are scaring this little girl(about 3 or 4) with the Halloween decorations. Mostly it was the big brother doing it. The mom would say stop meanwhile they were all laughing hysterically(except the poor little girl).
Cut to next scene:
Ryan, Lily and I were checking out the cake aisle. I hear the mom say, "Okay, bye." She walks by our aisle as we are emerging. The little girl runs toward them screaming. They met right in front of us and the mother chides the little girl, "Look at that little girl," pointing at Lily, "She isn't screaming. Why are you screaming? She isn't."
I just kept my eyes fixed on my kids and said, "It's time to go. This way, please." They trotted along with me. We checked out and left the store. What I really wanted to do was look this woman in the eyes and say, "Seriously?! Do you seriously wonder why your little girl screams when you tell her you are going to leave her in a store?!"
Just so you know, I am not trying to brag on my kids' impeccable behavior, far from it. Maybe if Lily had not thrown a fit when we left the party store with no balloons... ::sigh:: I'm just baffled at this woman's complete lack of awareness that she was causing the exact behaviors that upset her.
2 comments:
It definitely sounds like she and the older kids were exacerbating the situation... poor little thing might have just been tired or hungry. I really don't like when parents threaten to leave their kids somewhere. Tom pulled the "Ben, hurry up or we're going to leave without you." at home the other day and I went off on him. It's just not nice.
Not really related, but I do always feel kinda badly when I'm in a store near a screaming child and my kids are being well behaved... because goodness knows, I've been on the other side.
I would have felt bad for her too if she hadn't been causing it all. As it was I just felt bad for the little girl and maybe a little embarrassed by her pointing Lily's behavior out. Plus that horrible feeling of pressure to keep your kid from misbehaving after their behavior has been used as an example.
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