Have you seen this link?
Basically the author talks about "curbing your brats" and other equally as obnoxious rants directed towards parents of unruly children. I agree with a lot of what he has to say but also see the other side of the story as well; I have two smallish children whom 95% of the time are really well behaved in public. We take them out to eat, we go to the movie theater, the train, etc etc and they behave well. It's important to us that they have manners and know how to behave in public (much like OUR parents thought the same thing)
Tonight, however, was one of the 5% nights.
It had been a long day; we were up fairly early, had errands to run and then had to leave to go the library so I could work for a couple of hours. The kids were wound up-they played with a friend out on the playground for over an hour, they had some decadent chocolate cake made by a patron of the library, and were really acting riled up. I made the mistake of going grocery shopping tonight after this long active day. The store, thankfully, was not busy. Gabe and Bits were excited to be in the store, they were being a bit silly, but nothing I was concerned with. They were using manners, they weren't screaming, they were actually being quite good...until we got to the pickle aisle.
*sigh* the pickle aisle. I am sure the pickle aisle is going to be an aisle that Bits avoids for a good long time after this evening.
Miss Bits was being silly, pointing to random things on the shelves saying "hey mom, do we need may-o-naise? what about a million pudding cups? AND PEANUT BUTTER?!" she and Gabe were having a good ole time pointing out silly things...until she saw a giant jar of pickles (we're talking the giant gallon size of pickles) rather than just POINT at them she picked them up (you see where this is going, right?) *sigh* She picked up the pickles (say that ten times fast lol) and the pickles, being heavy AND in a glass jar, started to slide out of her arms. I wasn't close enough to her that I could catch them and they fell and the glass shattered and the briny smell of pickles filled the air.
And then the tears started and the wide eyed stare of Gabe happened and I had to suppress a giggle (uh oh. did I really just admit that I thought it was kind of funny? yes, yes I did) Bits was so upset, I didn't have the heart to scold her. I asked if she was okay and she replied through sobs that she was "so so sorry momma, I'm so sorry momma" We got a wet floor sign and put it near the pickles and sought out an employee. Thankfully the aisle was empty-as was most of the store. I feel badly that someone had to pick those pickles up, but it was an accident; I'm not too proud to say that I've broken things in stores-it happens sometimes. I've always offered to pay for them, but people know that accidents happen-even when it's a silly kid acting silly-accidents are accidents.
Was she being intentionally naughty? Of course not. Will she EVER pick up a glass jar that's half her size again? Probably not. Were we part of the "brat" culture the articles' author was describing? Probably. Did Bits learn a lesson? Yes. Was anyone hurt? No. Am I a bad momma for this happening? I'd like to think not. The fact of the matter is that sometimes accidents happen and they can't be avoided...and the author of the previously mentioned article would be wise to NOT lump all parents together because of single incidents he's seen from children.
And now it's off to bed for the pickle princess' pooped parent!
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