It's not just me!

This past week has been busy. Nearly every day we have had some kind of scheduled activity, or had to go somewhere ...


And I have been in a snit.


A week ago Monday I visited our local library with the girls. Arabella has been racking up points with the bedtime stories I read to her and choosing between rubber snakes, gummy geckos, and candy necklaces for her rewards. As we were walking out a family was bunched at the first self-checkout, and the little boy (about 2ish) was swinging something around like a propeller. I don't let Arabella do that kind of thing anymore, experience has taught me that little hands slip and such things go flying, usually into eyes, and I didn't want Arabella or Sabine hurt so I said: "stop, please, stop. Please, stop." The little boy (and indeed the family) ignored me completely, so instead of pushing the matter I went to the farthest self-checkout. The little boy followed us, still swinging this thing (I did not know if it was a chain or what, but it seemed to have some heft to spin so well). Again I said "stop, please! Stop, please, stop!" and still he continued, so I put out my hand to stop him, and only to stop him. Two things happened simultaneously. My hand stopped his and I realized what he was swinging was a 6 inch long rubber snake, and as such pretty harmless. At the same moment the father finally said something:


"HEY, don't take his toy! It's HIS toy! If you want my kid to stop doing something, why don't you say something to ME?"


So I did, I looked this strawberry blonde mountain in the eye and said "Would you PLEASE ask your son to stop swinging his toy around? I am afraid it may fly out of his hand and hurt someone." He glared at me and said "I will!" and I said thank you and noticed he said nothing at all to his son, and certainly didn't ask him to stop doing anything. I get so frustrated by people who let their kids do stupid or rude or unsafe things in public, around other kids, without even attempting to correct them. I've had parents stand by unspeaking while they watch their children shove, knock down or strike other kids, usually my kid. I don't allow Arabella to behave that way. And I've spent enough time in co-op to get over my innate reticence about correcting other people's kids.


I was very upset by the incident, but after calming down a bit I realized it was all a bit silly, and resolvd to simply let the whole incident slide. After all, I would probably see these people (mother, father, son, baby in stroller) at the library, the park, the Halloween Festival, someday we would probably laugh about it.


So this week we went to the library again (today was a gummy gecko day) and as we were leaving the checkout desk I saw the family come in. I turned back to trying to hoist a baby, stack of books, and huge messenger bag simutaneously, and heard the mother say aloud to her snake swinging son, "Look out, there's the crazy lady."


Really! So the rudeness and inconsiderate thing is inherited and intentional. Mom reminds me what goes around comes around, and we will not be talking to these people, and certainly not laughing about the incident with them.

*************

Sabine and the cat playing footsie under the bathroom door.

I tried to get a better pic, but this was the best I could do.

They played for about 10 minutes until Arabella got in on the act and started squealing. That changed the cats mind about how fun this was.