Manic Monday

It's been three weeks since I've had the desire, the content, or the balls for a new blog post.  But I suppose it's time.

As we get closer and closer to Christmas, parents and their children crowd the mall and nearby retail stores in search for gifts to give their friends and family.  I think taking your children Christmas shopping has its pro's AND con's.

Pro's:
1. Teach your children WHY you buy presents for other people.
2. Teach your children how to act properly in a crowd.

Con's:
1. If you don't believe in disciplining your children in public, their horrid behavior goes unpunished.
2. They want everything for themselves.
3. They're tired and cranky and pitch a fit.
4. They're NOT tired or cranky but still pitch a fit, just because.
5. You subject the general public to your child's tantrums and poor behavior.

There are many, many more pro's and con's, but these are the ones that come to mind based on my recent shopping experiences.

I was at Ross last week shopping for a New Year's Eve dress, which I found, and I'm totally excited about.  While I was in line to pay, there were two adult women with two small boys in line behind me.  I assume a Grandma, Mom, and two sons.  All of a sudden, the two boys started to fight and both began to throw a monster tantrum in the middle of the line.  Not just a little fit.  I'm talking about jumping up and down, stomping their feet, screaming and crying to the point of hyperventilation - all because they wanted a toy that mom wouldn't buy them.

At this point, I would have expected one of the two adults to take the kids outside.  But did that happen?

No.  Of course not.

Instead, the entire store was subjected to this meltdown.  The mother did nothing.  She let her kids scream and cry and throw their fits while everyone turned to look, I'm sure just to make sure no one was beating them or trying to kidnap them.  That's what it sounded like.  I turned around and looked at the older kid square in the eye, raised my eyebrows, he stuck his tongue out at me, I looked at the grandmother (who just shook her head), and turned back to the registers.

What would I have liked to say?

"Your kids are monsters.  Take those little brats outside!!!"

Look, if you don't want to discipline your kids, that's your own business.  But when YOUR business affects ME, that's MY business.  And your decision to not correct your demon child's behavior very much affects me out in public when I'm trying to make a simple purchase and go on with my day.  Teach your kids how to act in public.  If they misbehave, you put your cart to the side, take your brat outside, get him straightened up, and go back inside to resume the line with your items to pay.  I don't care what you're buying or how long you've waited in line.  Your child is your #1 priority, and teaching them to be a functioning, contributing member of society is your most important job.

"Ali, you don't have kids, so you can't comment."

WHATEVER!  Just because I've never experienced something doesn't mean I can't comment on it.  I've never jumped off a bridge but I can comment on how dangerous it is.  I've never lost a pet but I can comment on how sad it is.  What's the difference?

All I'm asking, is that if you have children who are misbehaving in public, take them to a private area and get them in line.  That's your job as a parent.  If you can't, then you leave and come back without children at a later time.  Maybe that's not practical at times, and I understand that.  But at least make an effort to get your kids to behave.  Don't just let them act like hooligans because you're too lazy to do anything about it.

I know what good parenting looks like.  I know these requests are possible, because I have a very close friend who has THREE kids that are all extremely well-behaved in public and at home.  The youngest is 2 1/2 and even HE knows how to behave.  So don't tell me it's hard or it can't be done.  Of course it's hard, but it's not impossible.

End rant.