Saturday, October 29, 2011

Disturbing Parenting

At the library the other day, there was a dad who had brought his daughter to story time (we also brought Theo and took some good pictures which will go up on his blog). The girl did not want to go to story time and just wanted to play on the toy computers there for the kids instead. The dad, who apparently thought it was vital that his daughter go to story time, threatened her with really horrific acts of violence if she didn't go back. No joke, no sarcasm. It was super disturbing. I wont quote him, but it was graphic and bloody. Listening to it made me and everyone else around uncomfortable, although it didn't seem to phase the girl.

What do you do in those situations? Cait wanted to go to a librarian, but by the time she found an  opportunity, the guy was gone. I wanted to confront him, but I'm always hesitant with confrontation and I wasn't sure it would do any good, probably just make him madder. Has anyone been in a similar situation and what did/would you do?

2 comments:

  1. We attend an "open gym" time at our local rec center once a week and there is a little boy there named Connor (I know this because his mother yells at him constantly) and every week he is pushing kids and taking their stuff, etc. Well, last week he took my son's pacifier and then pushed him over (all the moms were standing right there) and she proceeded to tell him "Look Connor! Everyone is looking at you! You are so embarassing! No one likes you, they don't want to play with you! We're going to have to leave because you are so mean and no one wants to be around you! What is wrong with you??" And on and on and on... Anyway, I'm pretty sure she expected me to just go along with her and say something rude to her child, but all I could think was NO WONDER he is so mean to the other kids, he doesn't know the difference!! Anyway, I just gave him a sympathetic look while I held my own crying child and told him it would be alright. Poor kids. All he wants is a hug, i'm sure.

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  2. I have. I was at an out door winter carnival last year, and saw a father get angry at his 9ish y.o. son.

    The boy didn't want to go into the over crowded, extremely hot (which is why I didn't go in with my husband and kids) 'blacksmith' building.

    The dad yelled repeatedly for the boy to stand up (he'd sat in the snow), then when the boy didn't comply instantly, he yanked the kid up, and smacked him back down- hard.

    I was so angry- but I was also leery of becoming involved (I was 8 mo pregnant) and my husband wasn't in earshot.

    By the time my husband was back, the slap happy dad was gone. It was very unnerving and upsetting.

    That being said, I've had days when my 3 kids make me absolutely batsh*t crazy. To the point where I'm not sure I'm even using words, I'm just shrieking- so I'm sure I've come off as nutso to someone else. But it's contextual right? If the person judging hasn't been watching long enough to see that I've had it with their incessant and constant fighting, screaming, lying and tattling- I probably seem a bit unstable too.

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