August 02, 2010

I'm sure this post has been written a million times...

I'm sure this same thing has been  written a million times by several different folks.  In fact, I've even written about it before... and totally related when someone I went to high school with wrote about similar situation here.  I'm not calling myself a parenting expert, in fact, I've told you before that I'm not, nor do I aspire to play one on television, but some parenting problems are just so apparent, I don't understand why the parent questions.

We'll do this one, written out like the little mini-drama it was:

Scene:  A Taco Bell play area in small town Texas.  Heath is getting our food, the kids and I are sitting at the table waiting.  Lady, Grandma and her three boys (I'm guessing aged 10, 4 and 2) are sitting near us.  The boys are screaming, refusing to eat and hanging off the outside of the play structure.

And ACTION:

Lady (to Grandma):  "You see, this is why we stay locked up in the house.  They're animals!  Actually, they're little "cuss words."  Did you hear me?  (now yelling at children) You're acting like little "cuss words!""

Grandma (to Lady):  "I don't know how you deal with them!  I'm worn out just watching them... and your house?  I don't know if you could ever repair it enough to sell it - it's totally wrecked from those kids."

Lady (to kids):  "Get off or we'll leave!  I said get down or I'll wear you out!  Stop, stop!  Quit acting like that!  Why can't you sit there like those good kids over there?"  

Lady (now to me):  "How do you get your kids to sit there?  Are they drugged?"

Me:  Huh?  Well.  Uh.  I don't call them cuss words for fear that they might actually live up to their labels.  I also enforce rules that I set, so it's not often that my kids walk all over me, and it's usually never in public because I know their signals and we would have waltzed right out of here at the first sign that something was going down and I, well.... but instead I just said, "They are acting really great, aren't they!  I guess we're just having a good day?"

Lady (to Grandma):  Maybe if they napped?  I mean, they didn't wake up until 10:30 today, so when are they going to nap?  (now to the biggest kid) Grab your brothers, I'm done with this place!

Parenting is always a bit of a soap opera, but really?  I just can't imagine kids actually tearing your house apart.  What are you doing while this happens?  And they didn't wake up until 10:30?  That sounds like a huge cry for structure!

At the very least, I'm feeling a little bit better about my parenting decisions...for today, talk to me later on tonight and we'll see!

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6 comments:

Anna said...

Sounds like a scene that plays out all over America! And a great opportunity for intercessory prayer.

Julie said...

Seriously. I know some people have more challenges than others, but most of the time well-behaved kids are that way because of parents who work dang hard to make sure that they're that way.

Good job! :)

Mie said...

I'm guessing this type of sentiment is why I hear so often how "amazing" it is that we do what we do. If THAT's what they're thinking of when they're thinking of us being parents to multiple young ones, no wonder they think we're crazy/amazing.

Mie said...

Although I have to admit...you are REALLY good at getting them to sit. ;)

JJB said...

All kids are different (mine are extraordinarily difficult in lots of areas and so easy in many others) and whoa baby believe me we have had our horrible moments in public and private but seriously... how many posts have I written on this subject?

I see no reason why a MANDATORY parenting class should not be part of prenatal care or hospital discharge requirements... just saying.

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