Thursday, March 5, 2009

Thanks, But No Thanks for Your Unsolicited Advice.

Have you ever been in public, with your children misbehaving (what else) and someone offers advice, or better yet attempts to correct your child? This has happened to me twice recently and I've had to really restrain myself to keep from going off on the people.

Recently at Costco the sample lady [ yes, the sample lady] was handing out a sample and Clayton was very vocal about wanting whatever it was she was serving.  She actually said to me, "Make him say please."  Now I know my kids can be unruly at times, but I think I'm pretty militant about manners in my house.  I was so incredulous that I wasn't even able to speak.

Today at Safeway, we were in line and at the end of the checkout on every register there is a change canister.  I have no idea what the purpose for the change canister is, but I do know that my child is inextricably drawn to it [much like my older children and the "claw" machine in the front of the store] and Clayton has to grab it every time.  Well today when he grabbed it, I promptly took it away from him and put it out of his reach.  He screamed at me and while in the midst of reprimanding him, the teenage bag clerk said , "You need to use your inside voice."

I couldn't help it.  I unleashed the evil eye on her and said "I've got it handled, thanks."  If she had been paying less attention to my unruly children and more attention to bagging my groceries, then roasted chicken juice wouldn't have leaked all over my produce and my bread wouldn't have been squished by my laundry detergent.

I know it may look like the kids have taken over and I'm not in control, but I am.  Ensconced in the driver's seat.  On second thought, maybe I will just stay out of the public eye for the next four years or so.

5 comments:

forever folding laundry said...

Oh, no she didn't! She deserved any evil eye you had to give her.

This happened recently to me at Costco as well. By the end of my exchange with this woman she KNEW she was out of line.

seriously? said...

What is wrong with people??? Seriously!!! Why do people think this is ok when we mom's so clearly have things under control. She so deserved anything she had coming to her...evil eye, tantrum, goldfish crackers, etc. Whatever!!!

Counselormama said...

Wow, this hasn't happened to me yet, but I'm sure it's coming! Recently at Target my 2yr old son said loudly (of course)"Wow, mom, wook at the man, he is really, really big! Wook at his tummy, it's big!" At that point ANYONE could have stepped in and said something, anything, as I was so mortified I was speechless!

shannon said...

I thought that just heppened in Denmark. Do you remeber how they would stop us anywhere and Tell us what we were doing wrong?

LeAnne said...

I am so glad I am not the only one. Usually just happens with Blake and I really have to hold my tongue. We get it from all the white hairs down here. They are way more experienced than we are you know:)