This is something that has been on my mind
for a while.
We recently were in the US
visiting family and friends over the holidays.
While in transit at the Dallas Airport sitting at our gate, I just
happened to looked up to see a women walking along bogged down with bags, an
infant strapped to her chest and what looked like a four year old following
behind her.
She stopped to check on her daughter who began
to throw a tantrum for whatever reasons (there rarely is one) and threw herself
on the floor. The mother was obviously
in a hurry to catch a flight and had words with her daughter to that extent
while grabbing her hand and pulling her along behind her, along with all their
bags and the infant screaming in her ear.
Her daughter wiggled away and continued the tantrum. The exhausted mother grabbed whatever limb
she could manage too, which just happened to be her leg, and began
pushing forward.
Then out of the blue a woman stopped and I
thought oh good some one is helping her. I was bogged down with my own infant and
bags, so was in no position to help. Boy
was I wrong, the woman began lecturing the mother about how she should never
drag her child by the leg and that she is abusing her child by doing so. The mother to her credit just told the woman
to leave her alone and continued on with the two screaming children. But the women followed her basically telling
her what a bad mother she was being and she should respect her children more.
Luckily at this point the daughter got over her tantrum and stood up and
the mother was able to make a hasty get away from this judgmental woman.
I was left shocked and disturbed by the audacity
of this stranger who walked off with a self righteous spring in her step.
First of all, anyone could have seen she was
stressed and struggling. As anyone with toddlers knows they can be
frustrating and non-negotiable.
Basically you have to call their bluff to get them to do anything half
the time. And this mother, not caring
about who saw her, called her toddlers bluff.
She did not hurt her child in any way she was just not putting up with the
kids’ tantrum. Most people you would think
would have had the same thought I did: let me help you get to where you are
going, rather than stopping her when she is clearly in a rush and lecture her
about her parenting technique.
When did it become okay for anyone to do
pass judgment like this so publicly? Honestly
this woman could have done the mother a favor by keeping her mouth shut and walking on by.
