Have you ever been in the car with your baby and you get stuck in traffic and the baby starts to scream cause the car isn't moving? or when you get to a red light the baby screams? I have noticed I do the stop and go as I approach red lights (given traffic isn't too bad). You may be asking what this is? Well I don't fully stop the car, I stop by I let it roll forward and then stop again and repeat. I always make sure there is plenty of space between me and the car in front of me. I call this the stop and go so my daughter won't cry when she is having a fussy period. The other day there was a man in the next lane at the red light and he looked at me like I was crazy and then laughed and waved....he understood what I was doing, lol! I was kind of embarrassed but also thinking you have to what you go to do. Then today I was driving home from my parent's house and the baby was cranky and kept screaming. I was reaching my arm into the back seat holding the binky into her mouth (which is usually how I drive, ha ha!) The woman next to me gave me the most insane look. I felt like flicking her off, obviously a woman with no children, LOL. I have discovered that mother's may look like distracted drivers, but we are very skilled and safe.
We have our children in the car so of course we are aware of everything going on while driving. Let's evaluate; we have screaming children while we drive and we still maintain composure, while listening to music to drown out the sound (because nothing can be done). We are holding Binky's in mouths, and trying to remember where we were driving to. Also we have incredibly strong arms, I mean have you carried those child carriers? plus add your child's weight to that. It is so considerate when the mean people in the world slam the door in your face when going into a store while your struggling to carry your child. I now have become pissed off mother. I now comment saying, " Thanks Buddy", or "Oh please go right ahead", and then there is always, " People are such assholes!" It makes the nice people who hold doors and go out of there way to assist you seem like angels. While I am on the motion of complaining, if a baby was crying in line at the post office and they were one behind you and you were next, would you let them go ahead of you? I always did things like that, but I rarely meet similar people. What happen to courteous men and women? Oh yes I forgot we live in America :) Manners are not second nature, they must be taught or they are null and void.
Okay I feel better now....
You have to put yourself in OTHER people's shoes too. People who have to listen to the baby crying and be run into or attacked by children when they are out because some parents don't teach their children how to act in public. Not all parents are so respectful, nor control their kids in public - or even attempt to. And you are not the only person in a hurry - that person in line may be on a break at work (with time restraints) - while you have the whole day to run your errands.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate and sympathize that it's difficult; however, there are other people struggling in their own way that are not helped at all. The supermarkets have started giving you parking spaces up front with the handicapped --- while people with chronic illnesses or other difficulties don't have the same courtesies.
Just keep your head in check, your chin up and a smile even when they snub you -- it'll annoy the hell outta them!
On the parking space thing..you can park there, everyone else does! lol. Plus you could be pregnant, how would anyone know :)I hear you on the kids thing...I love my baby but not everyone elses kids :)
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