As a grandparent I sometimes am taken back by the behavior of young parents and their children in public. Children are our greatest asset in life and should not have suffer for their caretakers stupidity. I have often bit my lip keeping my nose to home when I have seen children in precarious situations. I often wonder where the line should be. I would like help.
The situation that got my skin crawling this time was at a Middle Class Mexican restaurant last evening. A group of woman about 5 were having a dinner celebrating something. A young mother was there with an infant 6 to 7 months old and a toddler. The woman were deep, I mean deep chat. What first caught my husbands and my attention was the slumping infant, whom did not fit the seat she was placed in. My husband was concerned for her tiny head. The mother finally came up for air and repositioned the child after she was half out the chair. By this time the toddler need to potty. She left the table with the other woman in "charge" of the infant. In which a short time was slumping again. Another came up for air and finally remove her from the seat.
The mother returned in a long while to resume the huddle. The toddler slipped out of his chair and proceeded to climb a knee wall the restaurant has around the court yard like interior of the dinning room. The knee wall is trimmed by a decorative iron work panel and was suppose to be bolted to each pillar that breaks up the knee wall in about 8 foot lengths. The iron panel was completely loose and moved each time the tot clung on.
The mother was total enthralled in her conversation and oblivious to what he was doing. The tot would get up top and giggle at someone on the other side. I could not tell who he was flirting with.
Waiters walked by holding their breaths and no other patron said a word. The child climbed up and down each time trying to go higher and to stand on top. Serval times it looks like he would loose his balance come smashing to the marble floor backwards. My husband and I held our breaths waiting for the woman to look up at this child. They just kept going on and on and on. The child was going to try to stand on top of iron work when I lost my cool and I called out three times, pointing at the child. His mother did not even hear me, but one other lady did. She had to point to the child before the mother was aware of what was happening . He was no older than two and cannot make decision for himself. For him to be ignored this way really got my goat and made me sick. I tried before I lost it to get the waiter to say something, he said he could not because........other peoples children.
He was also relieved when it came to a halt. My husband said I had to be careful about saying something to them. That I should mind my own business. I could not watch an innocent child be hurt.
I am asking what is the line. Do we sit back and let lame parents ruin their children’s future or do we step up and take our lumps. I asked my daughter what she thought and she said she would have been louder than I was and would have grabbed the child. I cannot understand why some women let their children loose in a restaurant because they need to gab. My daughter and I would have never let that happen.
On the way out I wiggled the iron work and it was seriously loose, I brought it to the Managers attention. I felt sick all the way home.
i am finding a lot of peple are really...really worried...about where did i come from?/
..and u roots...and all that...and make a big thing..of it... well..i wonder what is WRONG w/ me? I don't spend my energy thinking about it. But "I think"...best I can figure....my ancesters came overe from England...on a ship ..because they were in debtors prison...and was a coming over here to work in the house and field for 'em big wigs....w/ alll teh money....but dont' think my ancesters would go back to prison....they just made the most of it....and now here i am!....w/ all the rights of the good ole GRAND America!.....damn.....But WHAT's wrong w/ ME! I shoulb be bit..ching... all that....cuz i don't know my heritage.....and further....i'm a big...fat ...grandma..... A WOMAN!.......which ...in itsef is ...a Double...whammy!....I guess i'd best g et me a "counselor"....think somein wrong.w/ me.
I am glad to see some parents can take responsibility in teaching children behavioral etiquette in public, but that is not as easily done for everyone. If everything was as simple as you describe than it would be wonderful to do away with the Wal-Mart’s carts. It seems as you have forgotten our special needs children that require a little extra from society. But with the point of view you expressed I guess we should lock those children in insane asylums like they did a hundred years ago. Bravo to Wal-Mart trying to meet the needs of a young mom with one of those children, the ones whom don’t keep hands behind back or sack mommy’s groceries. They way you think maybe we should drown the little darlings. June Clever was long suffering and understanding to different situations, not judgmental and narrow minded.
