[email protected]

I had to share this because it really bothered me and my DS (6).

Yesterday we were walking into a grocery store. I was driving the cart and
my son was walking along with me. Well, it is very busy in front of this
store, no curb, just flat with the road and only a few feet from it. We stopped
for a car and then the next let us go. Coming out of the automatic doors was a
young woman with 2 kids, about 3 years and 6 months. She was carrying the
baby and driving the cart, while the 3 year old walked with. All the while,
hollering at him to keep moving, get out of the way, etc., etc. Something catches
his eye and he turns to run back into the store, she kicks at him to prevent
it, it doesn't work. She then puts the baby on the floor, next to the cart,
almost all the way out the door. The baby starts crawling towards the street
while she goes after the other. Somebody yells the baby is going toward the
street, she grabs the 3 year old up by the arm and drags him over and swats his
behind and then grabs the baby by the arm, yelling at them the whole time. My
son and I both were walking with our mouths wide open. I know I was giving
her a horrible look, disgust and pity. Then she screams at me, "Hey, lady you
can take them with you!!!". If she wasn't moving so fast, and I wasn't so
shocked, I might have said something. There were a couple other people but no
one got involved.

Anyway, Andrew was horrified and when we got home he was so worried that
those kids would not be safe. He asked if she was really gonna give her kids away
to a stranger and that we need to find them so we could really take them
before she gives them to someone bad. And on it went. And then again tonite he
asked if they were okay. So it's still bugging him. What should I do or say
to help comfort him?

Pamela


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

J. Stauffer

<<<<< If she wasn't moving so fast, and I wasn't so
> shocked, I might have said something. There were a couple other people
but no
> one got involved.>>>>>

What if you had gotten involved?

What if you had said to her "Let me help you. I'll watch the cart while you
catch the kids and catch your breath. It can be so overwhelming sometimes."

What a different lesson your son would have learned.

Julie S.

----- Original Message -----
From: <b229d655@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, May 04, 2004 9:27 PM
Subject: [UnschoolingDiscussion] A Disturbing Moment


> I had to share this because it really bothered me and my DS (6).
>
> Yesterday we were walking into a grocery store. I was driving the cart
and
> my son was walking along with me. Well, it is very busy in front of this
> store, no curb, just flat with the road and only a few feet from it. We
stopped
> for a car and then the next let us go. Coming out of the automatic doors
was a
> young woman with 2 kids, about 3 years and 6 months. She was carrying the
> baby and driving the cart, while the 3 year old walked with. All the
while,
> hollering at him to keep moving, get out of the way, etc., etc. Something
catches
> his eye and he turns to run back into the store, she kicks at him to
prevent
> it, it doesn't work. She then puts the baby on the floor, next to the
cart,
> almost all the way out the door. The baby starts crawling towards the
street
> while she goes after the other. Somebody yells the baby is going toward
the
> street, she grabs the 3 year old up by the arm and drags him over and
swats his
> behind and then grabs the baby by the arm, yelling at them the whole time.
My
> son and I both were walking with our mouths wide open. I know I was
giving
> her a horrible look, disgust and pity. Then she screams at me, "Hey, lady
you
> can take them with you!!!". If she wasn't moving so fast, and I wasn't so
> shocked, I might have said something. There were a couple other people
but no
> one got involved.
>
> Anyway, Andrew was horrified and when we got home he was so worried that
> those kids would not be safe. He asked if she was really gonna give her
kids away
> to a stranger and that we need to find them so we could really take them
> before she gives them to someone bad. And on it went. And then again
tonite he
> asked if they were okay. So it's still bugging him. What should I do or
say
> to help comfort him?
>
> Pamela
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
> "List Posting Policies" are provided in the files area of this group.
>
> Visit the Unschooling website and message boards:
http://www.unschooling.com
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

[email protected]

In a message dated 5/4/2004 10:29:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
b229d655@... writes:

> Anyway, Andrew was horrified and when we got home he was so worried that
> those kids would not be safe. He asked if she was really gonna give her
> kids away
> to a stranger and that we need to find them so we could really take them
> before she gives them to someone bad. And on it went. And then again
> tonite he
> asked if they were okay. So it's still bugging him. What should I do or
> say
> to help comfort him?
>

What a good, sweet, sensitive boy! The only thing I can think of is to tell
him how exasperated and aggrivated she might have felt and that a lot of people
say things they shouldn't and/or they don't mean when they are upset. Then
maybe talk about what you both or either of you might be able to do next time so
that neither one of you is worrying or thinking about it days later.
Sorry-wish I could be of more help! :~)

Síocháin ar domhan,
Sang


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

In a message dated 5/5/2004 6:15:19 PM Eastern Standard Time,
Sanguinegirl83@... writes:
> What a good, sweet, sensitive boy! The only thing I can think of is to tell
>
> him how exasperated and aggrivated she might have felt and that a lot of
> people
> say things they shouldn't and/or they don't mean when they are upset.
We discussed that today and that I wish I had been quicker to help her too.
He seems satisfied with that now. Thanks :0I

Pamela


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Lisa H

Pamela,
consider the possibility that the next time you witness an overwhelmed mother you offer to help her. perhaps she would be so relieved by your compassion and assistance, she could relax and let go of her tension and stress and express gratitude instead of rage at being *watched* by others around her. perhaps not...she may still respond to you with rage. but talking to you son about solutions may help the next time you encounter a similar situation. It is sad to see children being treated badly.

Lisa H.
----- Original Message -----
From: b229d655@...
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, May 04, 2004 10:27 PM
Subject: [UnschoolingDiscussion] A Disturbing Moment


I had to share this because it really bothered me and my DS (6).

Yesterday we were walking into a grocery store. I was driving the cart and
my son was walking along with me. Well, it is very busy in front of this
store, no curb, just flat with the road and only a few feet from it. We stopped
for a car and then the next let us go. Coming out of the automatic doors was a
young woman with 2 kids, about 3 years and 6 months. She was carrying the
baby and driving the cart, while the 3 year old walked with. All the while,
hollering at him to keep moving, get out of the way, etc., etc. Something catches
his eye and he turns to run back into the store, she kicks at him to prevent
it, it doesn't work. She then puts the baby on the floor, next to the cart,
almost all the way out the door. The baby starts crawling towards the street
while she goes after the other. Somebody yells the baby is going toward the
street, she grabs the 3 year old up by the arm and drags him over and swats his
behind and then grabs the baby by the arm, yelling at them the whole time. My
son and I both were walking with our mouths wide open. I know I was giving
her a horrible look, disgust and pity. Then she screams at me, "Hey, lady you
can take them with you!!!". If she wasn't moving so fast, and I wasn't so
shocked, I might have said something. There were a couple other people but no
one got involved.

Anyway, Andrew was horrified and when we got home he was so worried that
those kids would not be safe. He asked if she was really gonna give her kids away
to a stranger and that we need to find them so we could really take them
before she gives them to someone bad. And on it went. And then again tonite he
asked if they were okay. So it's still bugging him. What should I do or say
to help comfort him?

Pamela


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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