I am very angry right now. Livid, in fact.
I decided to pop into town this morning as Maidenhead town centre has a whole load of activities for the kids centered around Halloween. The first thing we saw as we reached the main drag of the High Street was a witch giving out sweeties, and shaking a bucket in aid of a local charity (People to Places, excellent charity that gives disabled people lifts to town and hospital, the person rings a number and someone comes to their door. They're all volunteers so more power to them). Chrissy thought it was hilarious to be given a sweetie by someone wearing a costume just like her witch outfit at home. Plus I got a bit of peace whilst queuing in Natwest as she was sucking on a marshmellow.
Next we took a spin round the Shopping Centre, and got accosted by a woman doing free photos. I was a bit dubious as Chrissy was a bit scrufty today, but the photographer asked me to keep her coat on, as with the hood up and the fur framing her face she looked cute as a button. We're in a competition to win a photosession and prints, so fingers crossed. The company are emailling me the photo later.
Last on our list was Sainsburys and then home for lunch.
We'd been having such a nice time in town, a little girls morning so to speak.
Shame it had to be ruined really.
We have to go under a subway as part of the walk home, and as we got to the opening of the tunnel a group of 11 year olds (I'm assuming they were as they were about the same height as my nephews) were coming in the opposite direction. I wasn't really paying attention to them to be honest-its packed outside with kids as it's half term.
One of the boys lent into Chrissy's buggy, and what I heard next shocked me.
He went into my little girl's face, and said "Well, you're a fat ugly baby then".
Yes, really.
Now, as I've said, Mini's quite a tall girl for her age, who looks about 4, but whatever age she is there was no need or excuse for this little vermin thug doing that to my baby girl, or anyone's baby for that matter. She hadn't said or looked at him, she was too concerned with a balloon she had.
To say I let rip would be an understatement. It's lucky it was me on my own, as her Dad would probably have given him a fat lip.
He thought he was hilarious, giving me little smirks. His mates just stood there, not sure what to do.
I kept shouting at him to tell me why he'd said it, and told him he was a fat nasty child. He didn't look bothered at all.
Until his Mum came up behind him.
He'd obviously run ahead in the subway, but her shrill shriek at him was enough to make him visibly shrink.
At first when she shouted what have you done, I thought she was having a go at me!
Not at all. She let the boy have it, told him to apologise, and couldn't stop apologising to me too, when I'd said what he'd done.
And as they walked away, she was belting him round the head repeatedly as she continued to shout at him.
Luckily, Chrissy had no idea what was said to her, and didn't get upset in the slightest, but I could've cried to be honest.
To say I cannot wait until the kids are back at school would be an understatement.
Youth of today, what is your problem?
Right rant over people!
Wow, my first instincts after reading that is that he probably hears that kind of talk at home. Whilst the mother was correct in making the child apologise, the repeatedly belting around head and shouting at him makes me think that there isn't a lot of good parenting going on there, more a case of do as I say and not as I do.
ReplyDeleteSorry, forgot to say I would also be incensed!
ReplyDeleteI would have felt the same as you did, but don't read too much into it or over analyse. The kid probably tried to show off in front of his mates and it is obvious that he has been told off by his mum for his action. Like VBH says the fact that the mum reacted like this too probably proves there is other problems there...
ReplyDeleteTry to forget about it, at least the mum said something. How many parents ignore their child bad actions?!
OMG! It is unbelievable some of the things kids come out with. If we had said something like that in our day...well we just wouldn't have said it! I'd have been horrified and quite rightly had a go at him myself. At least his mother made him apologise, some mothers might have taken his side and had a go at you for having a go at him. Sounds like you were having a great day before all this! Hope it hasn't ruined your day too much, just not worth it!!
ReplyDeleteI think it was the weirdness of an older kid to come out with it to my so much younger daughter, it baffled me to be honest. I know kids get an awful rep these days, but the large majority are good kids. I actually nearly commented on another blog yesterday written by someone who'd seen kids nicking a baby walker from someones garden, as so many had slagged kids in general off. But then this happened today and knocked me for six. I always thought that if you were going to show off to your mates the idea would be to get a reaction, like to make someone cry, but Mini just looked at him and held onto her dolly and balloon.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that his mum probably thinks its OK to belt him one, even though its not helping matters, but at the time I was chuffed cos I wanted to do the same to him myself! She wasn't like a rough looking woman either, quite well to do by the looks of it!
Well, we've gone home and had sweets and nodded off on the sofa (her, not me sadly) and alls well.
I have to say that I don't agree with physical punishment and I don't discipline my child with smacks but OMG if that was my child and spoke like that to a little girl half his age, he would get a belt round the ear from me too!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry you had that experience. It breaks your heart when someone says or does something hurtful to your child whether they notice or not. I just saw the picture of your daughter and she looks like a real sweety xxx
OH MY GOODNESS! This makes me so sad. What are these children being taught! You had every right to be incensed, I would have had to be held back from clipping him round the ear myself hun.
ReplyDeleteSeeing as your kids are two of the cutest around, I am thinking that he was showing off. Hugs though cos it upset you. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad his mum rapped him on the ear. I was worried she would defend him. That's what would happen where I live where the kids are spoiled rotten.
ReplyDelete