Here's the scoop people. I try not to force my opinions on Facebook. Every day there are posts about how Obama is horrible, people suck at driving, this man deserves jail because of doing this, guns don't kill people - people kill people, the government should have zero say with what I do with my body, etc., etc., etc... There are some things I agree with, some things I just shake my head at, and some things that occasionally I'll put in an opinion. I try not to do the third because it ends up being a debate, and I don't enjoy doing that on social media. I've learned over the years that it doesn't matter how logically, eloquently or delicately you try to say something, someone will look at it as an attack and tell you that you're wrong and start arguing.
That being said, I'm not trying to start a fight when I say this, but I feel like it needs to be said.
Please, please, PLEASE stop judging parents you see out in public!!
Trust me, I get it. There are parents out there who aren't really being parents. They let their children make the rules and we're creating a generation of selfish children who expect everything to just be handed to them. I get it. But that being said, you have NO idea what that parent is going through. Yes, maybe that kid throwing a temper tantrum in Walmart really is spoiled and doesn't like that his mom said he couldn't have a chocolate bar. Or maybe, their kid is like mine and usually very well mannered but is just having a bad day. We ALL have bad days, children included. We, as adults, usually find someway to fix a bad mood, whether it's through exercise, venting to a family member or friend, punching a wall... whatever. Kids don't know how to do that. All they know how to do is cry and scream. And yeah, maybe the bad mood is caused from Mom having a bad day and not paying enough attention to her kid. But maybe she just lost her job and has no idea what do next. Maybe she's been talking on her phone for an hour because someone close to her is going through cancer. Maybe her kid is autistic and she just needs a break. Or maybe she really is just an oblivious mom and doesn't realize the damage she's doing to her child. Or maybe she really doesn't care. Even if you know the reason, does that give you any right to get on Facebook and complain about it?
There are so many parents out there going through so much crap. Josh and I are lucky because despite all the crap we've gone through over the years, we've only gotten stronger. We are a minority, though. We have a wonderful boy who 95% of the time is perfect out in public. But he's still a kid. The first time we went to a small group down here in Savannah, Jack was having an off day. We were new to the area, to the church, and were so looking forward to meeting new people and hopefully making new friends. And Jack ended up running around our new friends' backyard, tipping over plates of food that had been left on a table. That is absolutely not our kid, and we barely even recognized the faces we were with at that point. It. Was. Embarrassing. Mostly because I know, thanks to Facebook and other websites, what society thinks when they see a kid misbehaving. "That kid is wild." "They have no control over their child." etc., etc., etc... We know all those families pretty well now and considering it's never been mentioned, I like to think if there were any ill thoughts, they've been wiped from that awful experience..
Since then, I've changed the way I look at children behaving poorly in public. Are there times where it's obvious it's not just a bad day and there are some issues with parenting? Absolutely. But has anything been solved by complaining on Facebook about it or being vindictive about it? Absolutely not. If you know my family and saw Jackson acting like a brat out in public, what would you think then? Would you still hold the opinion that we're horrible parents? Probably not. So why is it okay to judge a parent you don't know when they could be exact same as us? How about next time you're sitting next to a table in a restaurant with a screaming kid, instead of shooting daggers at the family for ruining your meal, you smile at them or just ignore it. Maybe say a small prayer for the family. Pray that the child is having a bad day and things will get better. Just please stop judging parents you don't know!
(And also, if you see a parent out in public with children and no wedding ring, don't just assume they aren't married and have had kids out of wedlock. I can't tell you how many times I've gone out in public without my wedding ring on because I took it off to bake bread or something of the sort and forgot to put it back on... For days! You don't know their story, you have no right to assume anything!)
Thanks for listening to me rant. I hope if anything, it let you see another side of the story..
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