Is it me or WHAT!!! Today at Walmart, while shopping the aisles, there was a small child running loose and having a great time dragging his hand across the shelf contents, spilling and tipping and breaking things. WHAT? I just stopped and watched him and no one called or was hunting for him. At about 4 years old, where was his mother? Or father? Or babysitter? Or SOMEONE! He disappeared around the corner and by then others were just shaking their heads as much as I. My first instinct was to stop him and hold him, both to prevent more damage and to wait for his collection. I was afraid to do that. I was afraid to put my hands on someone else's child. Now I wonder what really would have happened. Times have changed. Was I a coward or smart?
Then, on the drive back home, I saw a young woman carrying a baby about four to six months old in her arms across a large parking lot at a fast pace. The baby was completely bare headed and its head was bobbing with each step. Mind you, we just about froze ourselves when we were loading groceries in the truck as the wind was strongly blowing and temperatures were just 8° when we arrived. Why didn't that child have a hat? What is wrong? Is it me? Mothers DO put hats on babies still, don't they?
I was never an overprotective mother but I knew when kids needed to be supervised and when they needed a hat! There - is it Wednesday so I can rant? Well, Wednesday or not, there is each extreme shown in parenting styles today in my point of view. Where is common sense? The children today are either overprotected or over scheduled or confined unreasonably or they are free as a breeze to do as they please with no protection or oversight at all. This is my first hand observation and I'm being judgmental and negative, BUT...
I'm still upset and it's no wonder I don't go out much to public places and mingle with the public. Restraint is not one of my best skills and it's a wonder I kept my mouth shut.
On the happier side, I looked back at old photos of me and my six young children from years ago and feel better. They are now wonderful parents and people and that's a fact.
Summer Fun
Critter Frog
We were brought up differently than a lot of today's generation. Some women are better off not becoming mothers, or should I say there children would have been better off.
ReplyDeleteYour photos show that you had happy kids!
that should read 'their' instead of there.
ReplyDelete