Thursday, May 19, 2011

Scary Children and Parents...

   Last Saturday I went to Wallmart to get some garden furniture for my Dad. I despise Wallmart. I get panic attacks just being there. Too much stuff. Too many people. No windows.
   One of my Dad's desired items was not available until 3pm when a worker who could get it down for me from the high racking was due in for work. It was 1:30. I decided to try to wait.
    Wandering around the aisles I saw this boy around 11-12 years old push his mother around. I heard the mother tell him that he would be late for the party. This boy was crying, screaming and demanding that his mother just listen to him. He wanted something he had seen. This child that was almost as tall as his mother kept isolating her in between aisles to do his tirade. I do not know what came over me but after almost twenty minutes of seeing and hearing this I had to say something. I went to where he could still be heard whining and demanding. He was still pushing his mother around. So this Grandmum gave this boy (potential wife beater -abuser*) a piece of her mind. I told him he was acting like a two year old and to stop being such a baby. Mom said thank you!?  This boy gave me a sideways glare that I will never forget. I am scared for this boy but what is more scary is the fact that this mother had absolutely no control over him. He will be bigger than her in a few years.
    If this was one of my boys or grandsons they would have been led out the store "ever so gently" by the ear or the scruff of the neck. Party would not be on the agenda for the day. He would have spent the rest of his day in his room. Sans anything entertaining.
    That's me though. What are we teaching parents in this day and age when an almost grown boy can intimidate his mother like this?
 
*An abuser will always try to isolate their victims. It is so sad that I saw this in a young boy. Where did he learn this?
 

2 comments:

  1. Your such a 'mean mom'!!! My favorite kind! I try to be one too:) What a sad, disconcerting image you have painted here Rosemary! ...and how many parents are afraid of their kids? very sobering stuff. My neighbor and I had a discussion on this topic recently.She said unfortunately she thinks parents wait far too long to let kids know for sure who the parent is. There is a difference between letting a child 'know' (safe, secure feeling) who is in charge/control and being a control-freak. There is a difference between listening to your child or offering everything in life as a buffet and therefore leaving decisions to the child which should be made and carried through by parents! Sorry for the long comment but it is a tender spot in my heart:)...I'm with you on leading that child 'FOR-EVER so gently' from that store! Missed your poignant writing! Good article!

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  2. GOOD FOR YOU...see, you were meant to be in Wal-mart that day...boys like that scare me. They think they can push you around and get what they want because of their size...like you said, potential wife abuser...you obviously put him in his place...there are so many talks in schools these days about bullying and not letting other people push you around...I think parents need to attend these assemblies...it might help...

    I guess I'm a "mean mom" too cuz I don't put up with that stuff even now...and yeah, there would be NO party...NO video games...NO iPod...NOTHING...(My son is gonna love me when he's a teenager, eh!?) :D

    In regards to your comment Janet, I think parents are truly afraid of their kids these days...these kids scream abuse when it's just honest discipline. THEY are the ones in control...I'm not saying all cases are not abuse...there are TOO many people out there that do take advantage of children and abuse them...but there are those kids that think they can get away with anything because they know they have the power. A lot of kids are missing discipline these days and it's basically because the parents' hands are tied... :0( Sorry for my long comment too! Obviously you've struck a chord with us! Thanks for posting!

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