I should have stood up for my daughter yesterday. I should have had her back and I didn't. And I'm feeling pretty lousy about it. The reasons that I stood there and did nothing like an idiot are long and wide, but they're all pretty LAME excuses.
Without going into too much detail, she was yelled at by a complete Adult stranger for something that really amounts to nothing. (She rode her scooter on his driveway.) He was just being an old grump and she did nothing wrong. Besides, what happened to "if you have a problem with my child, come and talk to me about it." Especially when she's 6! You don't go around yelling at little kids you've never even met.
But, it turns out that I'm the big jerk because I sat there and did nothing because of my own stupid issues. Sure I held my daughter and consoled her, but I should have put Mr. Grumps in his place. How dare you yell at my daughter, scare her and make her cry.. right in front of me?
I do have rock-the-boat issues and I really don't like it when people have an in-your-face type of attitude about everything. While Momma Bear definitely needs to come out from time to time, we can't protect our kids from everything. I get it that sometimes other kids won't want to play with mine and sometimes they may not be nice to each other. I get it that there are consequences for our actions and that my kids need to learn them too. But we're talking about a full-grown adult and a father, at that. I promise myself, my husband and my children that I won't just sit there any more. Next time I'll speak up: "Dude, that's not cool. She's 6. She doesn't know that your driveway is some sort of sacred ground. Lay off."
Comments?
I think I'd still go over and talk to him. He needs to know his behavior is out of line. Unless of course he doesn't live around here and it really won't matter in the long run.
ReplyDeleteyeah i agree.. he yells at kids cause they cant do anything, go over there and tell him ,to take a chill pill..
ReplyDeletewhat a jerk! not you Michelle, him! I think you should go & say something to him. I know you're not a confrontational person but you can do it in a nice "Michelle" type of way. just tell him that if your kids are doing something he doesn't like to come & tell you about it & you will take care of it but it wasn't OK to take it out on a child. I HATE BULLIES!
ReplyDeletep.s. I'm more than willing to do it for you if you'd like. hehehehe
Let's all gather up our kids and go ride bikes and scooters on his drive way!! Who's with me??
ReplyDeleteHe does need to tell you about it, maybe ask her nicely, "please don't go on my drive way." Instead it sounds like he just started yelling at her. How sad, what a jerky guy! Sorry it happened to her! So sad!
Thanks for all of your encouragement and support. Just wanted to let you know that it's all taken care of and we (my husband and I) did the right thing.
ReplyDeleteI think more importantly than yelling at him then would be to talk to your girly after and make sure she knew that he was at fault, not her. Your reassurances there will make all the difference.
ReplyDelete(And thanks for the visit on my blog!)
I know exactly how you feel!(it's a long story) but I feel like I failed my child! but, I think if I had acted how I wanted to, I might have done something I would regret...I will not stay quiet next time, though!
ReplyDelete