To the woman glaring at me in Home Goods, I’m so sorry that my toddler’s crying ruined your shopping experience today. I could tell by the look on your face exactly what was running through your mind: “Ugh, can’t she get that kid under control? Discipline her. Do something so the rest of us don’t have to hear her cry. Shame on her for not knowing how to properly parent.” I shot a smile your way hoping that you would take pity on me, but you continued to glare. Do you have children of your own? If not, perhaps you don’t know the feeling of wanting to crawl into a hole and die when your normally well-behaved child starts acting a fool in public. If you do, then can you really not think of one instance where your own child acted up in a public place? Can you really not remember that feeling of anxiety that crept over your entire body as your child proceeded to have a meltdown? Holding back your own tears as you quietly pleaded with her to “please stop”? You see my child is normally very sweet, and a relatively good listener for her age (please keep in mind, she is only one and a half). Would you feel differently about her tantrum if I told you she’d been battling an ear infection for the past two weeks? That she’s most likely in pain and tired, but too tiny to communicate her needs? Oh I know, I know, “Shame on her for bringing a sick child to a public place”. Well you see, we just moved here. I don’t have a babysitter, or a family member nearby to watch her. In fact I don’t know a single soul in this entire state aside from my husband, who is working long hours at his new job. I figured going to the store after nine days of being cooped up in an extended stay hotel might be a nice change of scenery for her. After all, she’s not contagious. Believe it or not, I am a responsible parent who takes my child to the doctor. When I saw that my child’s cries were clearly bothering you, and I couldn’t calm her down, we left the store without purchasing a thing. I hope this made for a more pleasant shopping experience for you. It took every ounce of my willpower not to have a meltdown of my own as I fled to the sanctuary of my car. As I drove back to my hotel, feeling scorned, a thought occurred to me. Not shame on me. SHAME ON YOU. For your lack of compassion. Your lack of empathy. Your lack of consideration for another human being, a person who was clearly struggling. If there’s anyone who ought to be ashamed of herself here, it’s you. Have a nice day. Sincerely, Me
Posted on: Tue, 05 Aug 2014 16:32:21 +0000
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