Please, PLEASE tell me how to raise my kids! *rolling eyes*

[MynTop]

I've heard all the horror stories...you're in a store and attempt to discipline your child and some nosey buttinsky decides to let you know everything you are doing wrong as a parent based on the five seconds of parenting they saw.  I've heard, but never has it happened to me....until today!

Today was TJ's birthday, we are very tight on money but I wanted him to have a special day because the money concerns are not something I want to affect my kids.  First, we decided to take him to Toys R Us where he was allowed to pick out toys to buy with the gift card he received from my Grandma.  While at the store the kids were VERY hyper and kept walking and even running away from us.  I have to say, this is NOT normal behavior for my kids, so I was not a happy mama!  So we got through that portion of our day and it was about lunchtime. 

We wanted to take the kids to the park where TJ was dying to play with his new football he got from daddy for his birthday.  Well, we decided to go to Walker Johnston park so we could walk around the pond too.  Hy-Vee is across the street, so we chose to go there first and grab some lunchables for the kids and sandwiches for us and have a little picnic.  While we were in the store, the kids again kept trying to walk away from us.  Tony and I were discussing what he should get for himself and I had asked the kids to hold each other's hands and just stand by me so we could talk.  Well, TJ wandered off in front of people shopping and having those mother eyes in the back of my head, I saw him and grabbed his upper arm, and pulled him back over to his brother and sister.  This older lady was walking by at the same time and started shaking her head and glaring at us.  Tony, ever the confrontational type (cuz we all know I'm not right?  lol) asks if she has a problem.  She decides to tell me that I was RUDE to my kids and that someone else should be raising them instead of me!  WTF?  I was like dumbfounded!  First of all, how was I rude?  By pulling my son out of her way (she was one of the shoppers he walked in front of)? By trying to make sure he stayed within my sight so as not to get snatched by some pervert hanging in the deli?  By trying to make sure my kids learn to listen to me and do what I say to keep them safe?  I said, excuse me?  Do you know me, or my family?  I ended up walking away after several other heated comments made on both my and her part, taking the kids further down the aisle as Kaecee was getting scared.  Tony went over to ask her to just move along and not worry about it...(I heard him he was being very respectful) and she had the NERVE to tell him he better watch his kids around me! 

Another older lady saw the incident and came over to talk to me while Tony was trying to shut the other bitch up.  She chatted with us for awhile and when she found out it was TJ's birthday she opened up her purse and gave him a dollar!  What a nice lady! 

Anyway, so that's my experience.  I guess I could have expected some looks had I swatted his behind, or slapped his hand, but I'm telling you I grabbed his arm, and pulled him back over to me...not even roughly!  Some people really need to mind their own damn business!

[rcullens]

Sep. 5, 2009 at 11:32 PM

Don't u love when people tell u how to raise your kids. These people don't know u fromAdam. They probably don't even know Adam. Never mind the nosy people and their opinions.  I don't know u, but I'm sure if u were a horrible mother, I would have seen u on the news by now. LOL

[sammiesmom2000]

Sep. 6, 2009 at 12:45 AM

I had a lady one time tell me that I was a horrible om and she felt sorry for my son all because I stopped him from running into a parking lot by himself (he was 2 at the time) and explained to him that cars wouldn't see him and I didn't want him to get hurt.  I told her if that makes me a bad mom then so be it.  What I found funny is while she is reading me the riot act (she followed me to my car) her kids were in the car alone.

[larissacst]

Sep. 6, 2009 at 5:09 AM

gosh, I've told you before and i'll tell you again : i view you as some kind of supermom, always out and about to all sorts of places with not but just 1 kid, not with 2 kids, but 3!!!!! and they are all safe and loved because of you (okay, i'll give tony some props too. lol). it hasn't happened to me yet but i could almost swear i can tell by the looks sometimes. well unless you count the time mason was sucking on a chezz wiz bottle and this lady was staring so johnny asked her "what?" and she told me "it has contents under pressure, it might explode" that was friendly advise though. next time ask her to show you her Mom of the Year trophy.

were you serious about you being non-confrontational? umm,  i seem to remember an incident in the park with some unruly teenagers whom you "spoke" with.

"and she had the NERVE to tell him he better watch his kids around me"

wtf>>!!!????? what a bitch. johnny would have slapped her. he might be meanie sometimes to me, but he will take up for me at the same time.

[PrincessZ20]

Sep. 6, 2009 at 9:48 AM

Ugh.  Some people just need to mind their own business! 

I've gotten lucky and haven't had any big problems so far (one lady got a bit worked up when Alex was fussing on the plane because her baby was sleeping...I was obviously trying to pacify him and get him to sleep, and her snarky comment wasn't helping any!  It's not like I was just reading a magazine and letting him cry.)...but now that I've said, that, I'm going to get it for a week from everyone I come across ;)

[Ferrari]

Sep. 7, 2009 at 1:32 PM

People should really learn to keep their opinions to themselves, but there is always that one person that finds it their business to let you know exactly what you are doing wrong in disciplining your child. I've come up with they either never had any children of their own or never really disciplined their children.

Sorry she was so rude.

[Patientchild3]

Oct. 18, 2010 at 10:26 AM

Some people may think because a kid acts up in the store that they are lacking discipline at home..  Kids are kids and as long as they are kids they need guidance...    My boys are 7 and 10 and I still have to tell them to stay close..