In the homeschooling world there is what people affectionately refer to as "unschooling". I have never had much of an opinion on this method of teaching. That fact should be documented somewhere because I have an opinion on just about everything. I have a new opinion as of last week: Fast food play places are the armpit of dining experiences.We are out with 3 of our boys. We get hungry. We decide to take ourselves to Carl's Jr. The play place is for the 4 year old who never gets to go into places like that because we have turned into germaphobes. We do it anyway.
We sit down and try to eat. The food isn't all that great even in the best of circumstances. Have you ever felt that if there is enough noise you can't actually taste your food? Try tasting it at the Carl's Jr. Play Place of Horror and Noise and Screaming.
Seriously, I can take noise. I have six kids, of course I can take it. I don't even hear most of it anymore. But this was different. This was piercing, echoing, and unrelenting. I am looking around wondering where the parents of this child could be?? I had to leave. I was getting sick.
As I am walking out I look up to see a small girl crying her head off and begging for her mama. That little girl couldn't be heard over the banshee that kept up his scream-roar. Turns out, that little girls mama never did pry her butt off her chair to take care of her daughter. Even after she found out she kept her seat. Maybe she was stuck. Maybe she was in denial. Maybe she was "unparenting". We won't even ponder over what the banshee's mama was doing.
Maybe next time I get hungry I will just go home and continue unparenting my kids in the privacy of my own four walls. Then again, maybe I won't. Maybe I will pry my rear off this chair and practice parenting some more so as not to fall into public unparenting practices. And maybe by some miracle I will learn to not have an opinion on everything under the sun. Except for my opinion of fast food play places. That one stays.
5 comments:
Hate hate hate those fast food play grounds. The center for disease is what I call them.
As for the mother not listening to her banshee daughter.......I think her name was Rachel and she was doing that which she also does at home........deaf.......don't hear a dag blasted thing....shut the heck up, can't you see I'm eating here???
May be that the mom had just had it and the kid was like a few of mine and all she wanted was to sit and eat her dang burger that she didn't have to cook or clean up after....I should feel bad for the kid.....but having a son with special needs........I now realize all is not what it appears and some kids that look naughty and their parents like complete lazy idiots are really doing the best that they can. Then again....it could be she was just a lazy butt of a mom.......regardless, I'm sorry that you who are an exhausted mom trying to have a fun moment with your kids had it shattered by the banshee and her lead butt mom.
Somebody I know had a similar experience at church, in primary - where the kids in question were in the back of the primary room, and the mothers were sitting with their classes, and did not even turn around to see what the brou-ha-ha was about. Because they already knew. Who doesn't know her own kid's voice? But if you don't turn around, I guess you are not actually to be held to be responsible for what you are not seeing.
The strategy of parents like this is a mind set that says: we are not at home - so somebody ELSE can take care of the problem. This also applies when they visit your house. The parent, sitting in your living room, must (somehow) defer to your authority - and thus cannot stir to actually smack her little snotty kid one for breaking your lamp.
And I hate those places, too.
Hey, you are ALLOWED your opinions, no doubt about that!
And next time--seriously, hit up Burger's Supreme. About the same price, WAY better food and no screaming play place.
...and my comment is lame and short compared to Rach and Mums' >_>
I really love you Misty!
Call me crazy but I hate to go out and see and listen to other kids bad behavior. What happens at home is one thing..and I really don't care what you are doing or teaching or how it is done. But...when you are out in public and subjecting others to your madness...that is a different matter all together.
I see the "un" to most subjects since we moved here. "Un-schooling, Un-parenting, Un-reverence at church, ...
Whatever the mother's reasons for her actions...Why oh why did she feel the need to subject everyone around her to her madness?
Everyone has a reason for their actions. Thieves have no money, Adulterers have no self control, etc., but instead of "accepting" and trying to be so darn "understanding" and looking the other way...More people should stand up and say enough.
No one is perfect. If this was the only time this was encountered, I'm sure your nor I would be so passionate about it. But this behavior has become the norm.
Please don't send hate mail my way.
Oh, come on ladies! Play places are fun for the kids!! The obnoxious kids are a great teaching tool! They provide us with a real-life object lesson! What a perfect example to illistrate what Not To Act Like! The kids can compare their behavior to the obnoxious kids' and your behavior with the mom's lack of parenting- they can learn what Not-to-be-like now as kids and for the future of parenting their own!
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