So today was a long day of running errands with the boys. It was hot and we had a handful of stops to make. The boys were being great considering the circumstances and I decided to reward them with doughnuts at Safeway.
A glimpse of what led up to the treat...
- went to a bike shop and waited about 45 minutes for a bike tire to be fixed for Maverick
- went to Target for essentials (shampoo, conditioner, diapers...) there about an hour
- arrive at Safeway did some grocery shopping, boys are getting tired and hungry it is almost lunch time and we still have one more stop to make
Now imagine being the boys (or a nine month pregnant lady with 2 boys) and being dragged from place to place, getting in and out of a hot car, and walking in humid 100 degree weather. (They are doing all this with minimal complaining) Now you have the background...
We sit down in a little Starbucks cafe that is inside the Safeway to enjoy some cold water and our doughnuts. A lady (complete stranger) sitting at the table next to us says..."I see you are starting them early on sugar." I just kind of laughed at the comment and continued enjoying my maple long john (which I must add is a pregnant favorite) Anyway, about five minutes later she says... "No, seriously, you are teaching your kids that it is okay to eat stuff like that and they are going to grow up and be fat." I was a little taken back. Trying not to loose control, I replied, "I do not feed my kids doughnuts everytime we come to the store and they are going to be just fine." To this she stood up kind of gave me a grunt or humpf of disapproval and walked off with her cart. Needless to say I have been thinking about it all day and am just wondering how you would handle something like this...
14 comments:
Question: was she fat or skinny herself? Cause if she wasn't all that skinny herself I probably would have been mean and said something like, "Oh your parents must have gotten you hooked on the stuff yourself, huh." If she was skinny I probably would have said, "At least they won't have a complex about food like you obviously do!"
Just kidding...
Maybe I wouldn't have been that mean, but I sure would have been thinking lots of mean things - what a dork! You handled it a lot better than I would have!
You handled it great. I can't believe what some people will say. Don't feel guilty about giving your kids a treat every now and then.
wow, I really hate it when people try to tell me how to parent in public. I never thought it really happened until I moved out here...I had some random person tell me that I shouldn't let my son hold a pen while at the post office. You handled it well, and obviously neither you nor your kids are fat. I probably would've either burst into tears--a typical pregnant reaction of mine, or told her off--or at least thought about telling her off in my mind. Your response was much better.
Kristin
I like the comment from keith and nicci...with the way I have been lately I probably would have told her off...sounds like you handled it well...i can't believe she had the nerve to even say that. I wonder how Ben would have reacted if he were with you (ha ha) anyway sounds like you got some good boys going around with you like that and oh the pile of wood is our old dog house...i have a post to come for that!
I told a lady I work with about it and she knows you are pregnant and she said you should have patted your tummy and been like yep this is 6 months work of eating 3 doughnuts a day. ha ha(I still can't believe that lady had the nerve)
I would have told Ricky to beat her up...jk. People are lame and need to mind their own business. Plus, it was national doughnut day on Friday...should have told her you were celbrating late.
Oh man. It's hard to let those things go. I doubt she has kids.
Punch her right in the throat and tell her that only a donut would make it better. Then tell her she must not have enough to worry about if she's so worked up about your parenting. Then tell her to research how to lower gas prices. That should keep her busy.
the other comments are great, I am glad you held your cool I would have lost it on her!!!
I thought that was a funny story only because I have had people say similar things to me. Not with my kids but when I was a teenager. I was with a friend at a downtown parade. We were starving and saw a place selling doughnuts. We bought some and a man told me I shouldn't eat things like that or I would get fat. Then another time we stopped at a gas station when I was on vacation and I bought a candy bar or something like that and the guy working there told me I should watch what I eat or I would get fat. Who are these people? :)
I don't think you needed all of the background for us readers. I think really all you need to say is these are my boys. I'm pretty sure that everyone has the right to raise their kids however they want even if you only fed them sugar every morning- still your right. I can't even imagine being that lady and walking up to someone and telling her that she is doing a bad job raising her kids. People amaze me more and more every day.
Deanna, you know me well enough to know that I would have probably lost it--yelled at the woman until my voice was horse and gotten kicked out of safeway and invited to never come back-oOH the nerve of hoity toity people--missed you this week:)
You did great! I was 6 months pregnant and at a Kentucky Fried Chicken picking up some dinner--the place was packed and I was next to order. The lady next to me...in a very loud voice...said, "Do you know why people like you and I are so fat? It's because we eat at places like this!" The place went dead silent. I was dumbfounded and soooo embarassed! I quickly ordered, ran home and bawled like a baby. You handled it gracefully!You are amazing!
Love, Mom
My goodness. The nerve. I was at Sam's Club a couple months ago and an older gentelman asked about Aiko's hair. I said she got it from her Daddy, to which he said..."Oh, sure"....and then, as I'm leaving..."Whoever that is, right?"
Um, what? Did you just accuse me of being a you-know-what in front of my daughters??????
SOOOOO many terrible things went through my mind afterwards. I now have an arsenal of comebacks in case that ever happens again (read: highly unlikely!!).
I thought you were brilliant. I think it is always best to try and keep your cool and throw them off that way. Your clever and very mature response was awesome.
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