Wednesdays are hectic for me. There are two afternoon therapy appointments, so I have a lot of planning to do, a lot of eating on the go and a lot of praying for naps to happen right on schedule.
It puts me on edge. I’m hauling kids around and I’m cranky. I snipe at Vince when he dawdles getting in and out of the car. Edda has been in a two-week long screaming-her-head-off-for-no-apparent-reason phase. It’s really hard to keep yourself together with a two year old screaming into your ear.
Anyways, a therapist was at our house and I took Vince to the local McDonald’s so we could split some fries. (yummy!) Vince was running all over the place. I finally sat him down in front of his fries and I was enjoying my first relaxing moment of the day. It lasted about 2 seconds.
There were 3 girls (maybe 13 years old) sitting across from us and they were having a grand ol’ time. They were pelting French fries at each other. Now I’m no party pooper. A few thrown fries are OK. But then it kept going on and on and on. Fries were flying everywhere. It was getting into a baby’s pram, it was threatening schoolbooks, it was making a huge pile on the floor. The McDonald’s was crowded. No one was making them stop, everyone was annoyed.
I finally yelled at them to stop. The kids stopped promptly and then picked up their bags and left. I would have never done it in the US. I’m sure US teenagers would have flipped me the bird and yelled some obscenity.
I used to think that I would never yell at my kids in a public place. Today I’ve sunk to a new low. I’ve yelled at other people’s kids in public place. Sheeze. Never say never.
How long would you have let Vince act like that?
I am sorry, but there are a LOT of parents out there that just don’t care how their kids act in public. I don’t tolerate such behavior now, when my kids are 6 & 8 so that I won’t have to worry when they are on their own in public.
Those girls SHOULD know better and should be ashamed of themselves.
I think you did the right thing.
SP8
I would have yelled and made them eat the french fries that were on the floor. Of course, I’m not sure how but that would have been my wish. Besides now some poor employee from McDonalds was going to have to clean up their mess. That’s not fair to the employees. Those girls needed to be stopped.
Okay I just read your post from yesterday about the trip to the psychiatrist. This was probably the worng reaction but I laughed so hard I fell backwards out of my chair. Poor man had no chance did he?! So funny Doris. I hope you don’t mind my laughing. It is 102 degrees here, the AC is out, the repairman will not be here until tonight, the construction guys keep sanding and scraping and banging. It is really loud and the dogs are glued to me because they are freaked out which would be fine if it were’nt for their hot, hot doggy breath. As you can tell, today I’m a bit cranky so your blog and the crack up it gave me was so welcomed. Isn’t it nice to know you are helping others.
It is okay to yell someone, sometime, I think 🙂
BTW, Mom and I will leave for Washington DC tomorrow after work and will be on Sunday.