An Open Letter To The Mom At The Grocery Store Today
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 at 4:25PM Dear Lady With Screaming Toddler,
Yes I could hear your daughter even though I was pretending not to. For such a dainty little thing she sure does have a powerful set of lungs. And that trick she has of screaming until she gags and then looks like she's going to barf?
Priceless.
Very, very convincing I must say. Perhaps she shall be a famous actress one day
Yes indeedy I did hear her. I'm pretty sure everyone did.
I want you to know though, that I was not judging you or her. I have no right to do that.
Goodness knows I've been there.
In fact, I once said to a certain male child of mine, "If you don't stop that noise right now I am going to tell your mom that you were a very naughty boy!"
I said that because I wanted the people staring at me to believe that he was not mine.
And y'know what? He was so confused over the implication that I was not, in fact, his mother that he did stop screaming.
For about two minutes.
And then there was the time that a certain oldest child of mine lay screaming and flailing on a hotel room floor for so long that hotel security came to check on her.
Oh yes they did.
I assured them that I was not beating her (though the thought had crossed my mind more than a couple of times). No, my darling two year old was having the mother of all tantrums because I had not let her open the door by herself.
And if my youngest child did not throw any major tantrums in public it was only because, by the time she was a toddler, I was no longer leaving the house with my children if it could be avoided.
So no, Momatthegrocerystore I was not judging you.
In fact, I would like to thank you for dragging your screaming daughter through aisle after aisle because not only did you help me get my shopping done in record time, but you caused a small miracle in my life.
You made me glad that I have teenagers.
For that I thank you.
And good luck with that precious little girl.
I believe you may need it.
Life Lessons, Parenting
Reader Comments (24)
i'm ALL ABOUT letting benjy have his tantrums in public. "i'll never see these people again" i repeat to myself as he SCREAMS for the toy i won't let him have.
i will win. oh, yes. i will win. :)
Too funny!! I laughed out loud. I have been that mom too.
Since moving to Hawaii, I have taken many 8 hour flights. I have seen families with babies, toddlers or even worse multiple little ones trying to endure this flight. I know it's annoying to other passengers, but I always feel just awful for the parents. Trying to keep a kid quiet and happy in a small area for such a long time has to be exhausting. I even want to cry and whine when traveling like that.
Thank you for writing this. I have a 2-yr-old, and I can completely relate to the mom you spoke of. Now during those public tantrums, I have a tool to help me visualize the onlookers as sympathetic instead of people who are passing judgement on my parenting abilities. We're all just trying to do the best we can!
Glad I could be of some help Michelle. Thx for commenting!