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yellowrosetxYup.. Today was one of those days when I wanted to plow a kid.
I don't expect kids to be perfect, kids spill things, it happens.
Today when we were coming up to the door of our nearest Subway, and a kid that looked about 7 poked his head out, looked up at me, brace, walker, and all, dropped a cherry on the ground and smooshed it, he then ran back inside and while my husband was holding the door, he runs out again and starts to drop a cherry in my path. My husband looked at the kid and said, "Kid, if you do that again, I'm going to call the police and have you arrested, that's littering." The kid rushed inside and then back out after we cleared the door. His apparent siblings ran out and back in then ran to mom to tell her about the mean man that told the boy he was going to call the police.
Mom wanted to get in my husband's face and tell him that she didn't appreciate him saying that to her kid and he should have come to her first. Despite pointing out the physical hazard to me given my broken ankle and necessary walking apparatus as well as to others walking in the door, my husband's argument fell on deaf ears. She kept repeating "I don't appreciate you saying that to my four year old son. You should have asked him to get his mother." She seemed to miss that her son had done something not just wrong, but possibly hazardous. I kept my mouth shut and let he of far cooler head deal with it. I almost told her that if she had been watching her four year old or was able to control him at all he wouldn't have been running in and out. Other kids were there and well behaved.
She also didn't grasp that in this state, certain crimes of children are paid for by the parents. No way did she understand that if a cop did come out, she would be fined for littering. After they got their food order, they left.
What did the kid learn? That he can be an obnoxious little toad and Mom will back him up. Sadly, "only a baby" is not a valid excuse when baby is 6, 8, 10, 12, and still acting that way. I'm picturing that mother in court going, "But he was such a good boy," and knowing all the while that she encouraged him to behave that way. Nothing wrong with standing up for your kids, but you must also address their bad behavior and not make them think it's ok to behave badly because Momma doesn't agree with the people the kid has antagonized in some way.
I don't expect kids to be perfect, kids spill things, it happens.
Today when we were coming up to the door of our nearest Subway, and a kid that looked about 7 poked his head out, looked up at me, brace, walker, and all, dropped a cherry on the ground and smooshed it, he then ran back inside and while my husband was holding the door, he runs out again and starts to drop a cherry in my path. My husband looked at the kid and said, "Kid, if you do that again, I'm going to call the police and have you arrested, that's littering." The kid rushed inside and then back out after we cleared the door. His apparent siblings ran out and back in then ran to mom to tell her about the mean man that told the boy he was going to call the police.
Mom wanted to get in my husband's face and tell him that she didn't appreciate him saying that to her kid and he should have come to her first. Despite pointing out the physical hazard to me given my broken ankle and necessary walking apparatus as well as to others walking in the door, my husband's argument fell on deaf ears. She kept repeating "I don't appreciate you saying that to my four year old son. You should have asked him to get his mother." She seemed to miss that her son had done something not just wrong, but possibly hazardous. I kept my mouth shut and let he of far cooler head deal with it. I almost told her that if she had been watching her four year old or was able to control him at all he wouldn't have been running in and out. Other kids were there and well behaved.
She also didn't grasp that in this state, certain crimes of children are paid for by the parents. No way did she understand that if a cop did come out, she would be fined for littering. After they got their food order, they left.
What did the kid learn? That he can be an obnoxious little toad and Mom will back him up. Sadly, "only a baby" is not a valid excuse when baby is 6, 8, 10, 12, and still acting that way. I'm picturing that mother in court going, "But he was such a good boy," and knowing all the while that she encouraged him to behave that way. Nothing wrong with standing up for your kids, but you must also address their bad behavior and not make them think it's ok to behave badly because Momma doesn't agree with the people the kid has antagonized in some way.
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no subject
Date: 2004-08-30 03:39 am (UTC)Maybe not.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-01 07:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-30 08:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-01 04:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-01 07:58 pm (UTC)Maybe, I'm old fashioned, but when my kids (now 17, 20, and 24)were small they had learned that a certain standard of behavior was expected when they went out. They might have been horrid on some days at home, but when they went out, they knew what was expected.