Thank you all for your input. It made me feel better. Everyone I've told thought that the woman was inappropriate to say the least. I know this happens, it's just the first time it happened to me. I will give me kids a big hug. Thanks again.
VIC2006 4/30/07 5:00 P
I find that people like that, more often then not, do not have children of their own and feel the need to parent everyone elses. Or atleast make their views known. I had a lady glare at me and make snide remarks about my then, 4yr old. He was misbehaving in the check out line and i said enough was enough and put my foot down. He had taken a candy bar and opened it. This was not the first time, so i paid for it and asked the cashier to throw it straight into the garbage. Well, naturally, my son threw a fit. He was carrying on and i calmly said he would go to his room when we got home if he didnt stop. The lady gave a disgusted look and said " with parents like you, no wonder the kids now a days behave the way they do". I turned around and asked her if she had children. She replied that she didnt. So i told her to keep her parenting comments to herself until she could justify giving them out. She immediately walked away lol. I dont understand what on gods green earth gives people a right to cast judgement on others like that. I suppose to make themselves and their faults look and feel better.
KELLY_SP 4/30/07 7:54 A
Don't let her get to you. It's sad really that she feels the need to cast judgement on anyone to make her feel better inside. Hug your family and enjoy your children...they are what matters.
Be well, Kelly
ASPARKS521 4/29/07 11:46 A
Oh, I'd really have to fight the urge to say something snarky to her like, "Oh, I'm really looking forward to reading your book when it comes out! After all, you'll have a much bigger impact on the world than just trying to solve the world's parenting problems one family at a time."
Sometimes all you can do is laugh when you deal with people like that.
CAERYL 4/28/07 1:44 P
please do not let that woman have the power... Your children were well behaved... you were watching your children.. You do not need to explain yourself to this woman...
as a mother of special needs kids, I can tell you that there are plenty of people who will be more than happy to give me parenting advice over things they have no clue...
Relax... You are fine..
Caeryl
BLUEFISH2 4/27/07 7:06 P
Glad I'm not the only one. In a way I wish I would have taken the high road and just continued to ignore her but the rest of me wishes I would have ripped into her like a monkey on a cupcake.
AMANDASCHREIBER 4/27/07 5:49 P
Man, some people! I hate when people do that, drives me nuts too! I started to get it when I was a teenager, my siblings are much younger than me, the youngest was born when I was 17, and when I was out with them, SOOOO many people would give me dirty looks, thinking they were my kids, and say all kinds of crazy things, "what a shame, having kids so early, ruining your life, etc, etc"
My best friend had something similar happen to her last year, and she said to the woman "If you have that much of an issue, go tell the staff, and see what they say" She also said to me afterwards that she felt sorry for the woman, as she's probably so bossy to her own children (and grandkids) that they don't want to even talk to her to accept her "advice", so she feels the need to give it to strangers
BLUEFISH2 4/27/07 3:59 P
Today I was in a local thrift store sponsored by a catholic parish with my 2 boys (3 & 1). They were really good while I browsed through the books so I told them they could pick out a toy. I got them out of the cart and let them explore the toy section. My oldest immediately picked out a car which he started playing with and my youngest was sitting on a ride on toy. This elderly woman came up an aisle and started staring dissaprovingly at my children. She wouldn't move. Although we weren't in her way I tried to move the children to the other side not sure where she was headed. She then proceded to tell me that this was not a play area. I ignored her and then she said, "there are signs posted everywhere". Which indeed there are. I was watching my children while they picked out their toys. They were not making a mess, not destroying anything, not making any noise, not running around. I was livid and proceed to defend myself and my children. She was sure she was right and had more "advice" for me and I found myself in this ridiculous debate with this woman. I had to stop myself but it is still irking me that I didn't get the last word. I was so angry. What do you do in situations like this?
