Drive By

I drafted this post during nap time today because I was still so shocked by what had happened that I couldn't process it.

The summer weather is still here so we loaded up and went to the park. We were the only ones there for a while but soon it was the place to be and there were kids everywhere.

Now when it comes to busy parks there seems to be an unspoken rule about keeping track of everyone's kids. You watch to see who belongs to who but if the need arises you push anyone's kid on the swing or catch a kid at the bottom of the slide etc. But there are also boundaries.

Today I was the victim of what people refer to as drive-by parenting. And that is a very good description of it. By the time you realize what is happening, it's over and you stand there shocked and staring at the aftermath.

I was sitting with the baby and dealing with a snack when I heard "Hollie I'm going to go play on the swings now" I said "okay" and didn't think anything of it. Five years old is old enough to play on the swings without me hovering so I went about my business getting the other two set up when I hear someone shouting "LITTLE GIRL! LITTLE GIRL IT ISN'T YOUR TURN YET" Sure enough when I turned around it was my kid getting yelled at. (Yes I say "my kids" because for all intents and purposes for 6-10 hours a day 3-4 days a week they are mine) This old woman was shaking her finger and yelling that it was her grandson's turn.

I just stood there. Shocked. The old woman turned to me and shook her finger at me and I resisted the urge to flip her off. Instead I gave her the nastiest look I could manage. I half expected for Goose to come back to me and be upset but she didn't. She's tough. She shrugged and ran off to play with something else. But I just kept standing there.

How dare she yell at my kid and act like my kid was being a bully and it was all my fault. Her grand kid on the other hand was out of control. Cried constantly and hit and kicked her and his mother. Now I don't know anything about them so I don't want to pass judgement on their parenting style but still. OMG MANNERS. If you are going to claim "its his turn" when my kid got to the swing first you don't understand how turns work and I have a three year old that would be happy to explain it to you.