Don't let your toddler be a savage...it isn't fair to her future teachers.
Grocery shopping, like everything else in my adult life, is always an adventure. One of four things always seems to happen, and some are unfortunately more common than others.
1. Some strange man demands that I smile.
Why on Earth do men (and some women) believe this is charming? Who are you and why is it essential that my facial expressions are always perceived as pleasing? Maybe I've had an exceptionally crappy day at work with large classes full of moody puberty-ridden children. Maybe grocery shopping is the last thing I want to be doing right after work. Maybe YOUR face doesn't ignite warm pleasant feelings in others. Demanding a STRANGER that she smile, particularly in your presence, isn't charming, it's creepy. Cut it out or do something worthy of making strangers smile.
2. An ungrateful offspring is disgustingly rude to their elderly parent.
This is just completely unacceptable. I don't care what resentment you may harbor towards your parents, if you willingly take them out in public, you're obligated to not be an embarrassment by disrespecting them.
3. A relatively new offspring throws a tantrum and ruins everybody's shopping experience.
Guys, just do everyone a favor and control your kids. If you can't, find a sitter and go grocery shopping/mall shopping alone. If you can't find a sitter, get a delivery service. Just please, please spare us all the negative result of your permissive parenting.
4. A strange event out of anyone's control causes a significant disruption.
Eh, typical random event. Storewide power outage requiring the use of backup generators and resulting in a drastic shortage of check out lines. You know, Walking Dead type stuff. I had to use the flashlight on my phone to find my sister. Pretty eventful 45 minutes.
Number 1 is the most frequent, but in light of the massive tantrum I witnessed while NYE shopping, I want to focus on number 3. On the eve of 2016, I decided to make Sangria for the NYE party I would be attending. Cutting up lemons, limes, oranges, finding the right red wine and a reasonably sized bottle of Brandy, chilling it to just the right temperature...you know, the whole shebang. Anyway, after I picked up the most important ingredients from the ridiculously crowded liquor store near my apartment, I stopped by Kroger to grab the fruit and hopefully a container that would prevent the spill of Sangria all over the carpet in my car. I did not anticipate many people being there, seeing that it was 8:30 PM and most people would have already done their NYE preparations. Per usual, I always give people too much credit when I shouldn't. You would have thought there was a massive snow storm coming. As I unsuccessfully attempted to quickly make my way through the aisles of the store, I noticed the futile efforts of a husband and wife trying to manage their increasingly unruly toddler. She was actually an adorable little monster, but they usually always are. I kept seeing them all over the store, so either we had very similar shopping lists, or life once again thought it would be amusing to make a mundane task like grocery shopping an eventful experience.
Once I got to self-checkout, I thought I was home free. As I started ringing up the last of my items, my attention was suddenly diverted to the horrid, shrill sound of whiny screams. Of course, it was the little monster. I turned around to see objects flying through the air. Magazines, peanut butter, rice, chips, whatever she could get her gremlin little hands on from her parents' shopping cart. For a few moments, I just stood there watching this scene unfold. Two people knowingly unleashed their little terror on innocent bystanders who were simply hoping to live out the rest of 2015 in peace. I wasn't the only one watching. The cashiers had all stopped to witness the chaos, and other patrons stood by watching, either in disapproval and disbelief or in utter amusement. I was in the latter group.
As embarrassed as the little monster's parents seemed to be, there wasn't an ounce of sympathy in me for them. That ridiculous tantrum is an example of what I have to deal with as a teacher throughout the school year. Whatever misbehaviors kids demonstrate at school is what they are allowed to do at home. Embarrassed by your child's behavior in the mall or the grocery store? You should be. I think it's justice well served! Want to not be embarrassed in public by your child's behavior? Stop being a permissive parent. Spare the rod, spoil the child. If you allow your toddler to be a little terror, they'll never outgrow it. Don't let your toddler be a savage. Your kid's teachers will thank you for it later :)
1. Some strange man demands that I smile.
Why on Earth do men (and some women) believe this is charming? Who are you and why is it essential that my facial expressions are always perceived as pleasing? Maybe I've had an exceptionally crappy day at work with large classes full of moody puberty-ridden children. Maybe grocery shopping is the last thing I want to be doing right after work. Maybe YOUR face doesn't ignite warm pleasant feelings in others. Demanding a STRANGER that she smile, particularly in your presence, isn't charming, it's creepy. Cut it out or do something worthy of making strangers smile.
2. An ungrateful offspring is disgustingly rude to their elderly parent.
This is just completely unacceptable. I don't care what resentment you may harbor towards your parents, if you willingly take them out in public, you're obligated to not be an embarrassment by disrespecting them.
3. A relatively new offspring throws a tantrum and ruins everybody's shopping experience.
Guys, just do everyone a favor and control your kids. If you can't, find a sitter and go grocery shopping/mall shopping alone. If you can't find a sitter, get a delivery service. Just please, please spare us all the negative result of your permissive parenting.
4. A strange event out of anyone's control causes a significant disruption.
Eh, typical random event. Storewide power outage requiring the use of backup generators and resulting in a drastic shortage of check out lines. You know, Walking Dead type stuff. I had to use the flashlight on my phone to find my sister. Pretty eventful 45 minutes.
Number 1 is the most frequent, but in light of the massive tantrum I witnessed while NYE shopping, I want to focus on number 3. On the eve of 2016, I decided to make Sangria for the NYE party I would be attending. Cutting up lemons, limes, oranges, finding the right red wine and a reasonably sized bottle of Brandy, chilling it to just the right temperature...you know, the whole shebang. Anyway, after I picked up the most important ingredients from the ridiculously crowded liquor store near my apartment, I stopped by Kroger to grab the fruit and hopefully a container that would prevent the spill of Sangria all over the carpet in my car. I did not anticipate many people being there, seeing that it was 8:30 PM and most people would have already done their NYE preparations. Per usual, I always give people too much credit when I shouldn't. You would have thought there was a massive snow storm coming. As I unsuccessfully attempted to quickly make my way through the aisles of the store, I noticed the futile efforts of a husband and wife trying to manage their increasingly unruly toddler. She was actually an adorable little monster, but they usually always are. I kept seeing them all over the store, so either we had very similar shopping lists, or life once again thought it would be amusing to make a mundane task like grocery shopping an eventful experience.
Once I got to self-checkout, I thought I was home free. As I started ringing up the last of my items, my attention was suddenly diverted to the horrid, shrill sound of whiny screams. Of course, it was the little monster. I turned around to see objects flying through the air. Magazines, peanut butter, rice, chips, whatever she could get her gremlin little hands on from her parents' shopping cart. For a few moments, I just stood there watching this scene unfold. Two people knowingly unleashed their little terror on innocent bystanders who were simply hoping to live out the rest of 2015 in peace. I wasn't the only one watching. The cashiers had all stopped to witness the chaos, and other patrons stood by watching, either in disapproval and disbelief or in utter amusement. I was in the latter group.
As embarrassed as the little monster's parents seemed to be, there wasn't an ounce of sympathy in me for them. That ridiculous tantrum is an example of what I have to deal with as a teacher throughout the school year. Whatever misbehaviors kids demonstrate at school is what they are allowed to do at home. Embarrassed by your child's behavior in the mall or the grocery store? You should be. I think it's justice well served! Want to not be embarrassed in public by your child's behavior? Stop being a permissive parent. Spare the rod, spoil the child. If you allow your toddler to be a little terror, they'll never outgrow it. Don't let your toddler be a savage. Your kid's teachers will thank you for it later :)
Everyone will thank you for raising a respectful child!!!
ReplyDelete