Some Peoples Kids

We've all heard that or said it.  I thought it on our monthly trip to Costco.  I was in a pretty relaxed and good mood that day, so I don't think I was looking at it from a less patient perspective.  It was Friday and the last day of the month.  Not sure why we went that day, we usually won't go in to town on a Friday.  It is just crazy on the roads anywhere you go not to mention the crowds that go with a city with 1.4 million.  And it was pay day.  Crazy right?  

Costco was crowded, about like you would expect for the above mentioned reason.  There are always, always the oblivious shoppers that have no consideration for anyone else.  The ones that think there is no one else in the store and everything revolves around them.  That's true just about any where you go it seems.  There were the usual this day also, but it never is too bad there, since they have really wide aisles, it makes it easier to avoid those types.  That is one of my pet peeves, rude and inconsiderate behavior.  Just like Capt. Woodrow Call of Lonesome Dove.

That day there was one Mom that just didn't care one way or the other how her kids were behaving.   This Mom had 4 kids with the oldest maybe 11, a 9 year old, a 7 and a 6.  Two girls, two boys.  The youngest (boy) was riding in her cart, not the seat, the actual basket, he was too big.  The kids were a little rowdy as kids will get, but they got my attention as they were running around and hollerin' and chasin' each other around us and other customers.  Not a big deal, did I mention Costco was crowded?  Well, Mom was also on her Iphone the whole time.  Once in a while she would say something to the kids that got totally ignored.  We seemed to run in to them more than I cared to.  They also were checking out about the same time.  Since Mom wasn't paying more attention to them than the phone they got even more rowdy.  They were now running around the checkout stands chasing each other, in and out between customers etc.   Mom?  Her phone was permanently attached to her head, it must have been long distance as she was rather loud also. 

My good relaxed mood was changing.  Grumpy old guy was back.  We stopped at the hot dog stand in Costco.  Guess who else came over.  Yup, and still on her phone.  That's when she let the one jailed in the cart out and he acted like he had never been out before.  He proceeds to lay on the floor in front of me just as I was heading over to fill our drinks.  I semi snarled, 'get off the floor.'  Right in front of Mom, she heard me, as that was my intention.  The kid moved, what did Mom do?  Continued with the phone.  Maybe she was smarter than I gave her credit for.  She sure didn't want to speak to me in the frame of mind I was in.  I would have been polite but she would not have liked what I would have said most likely.

So why did this affect me so?  It didn't as much as it might sound here.  But it got me to thinking about how her kids are being raised and what has been going on with our culture.  It seems with very little guidance or teaching from parents is what is more and more prevalent.  It was pretty obvious the kids and no regard or respect for her as a parent.  They knew there would be no consequences.  You only learn that through experience, even at their ages.  

They were old enough to know better, but had either never been taught or they knew no one cared how they acted.  Yes, kids will be kids as they say, but that doesn't excuse rude behavior or ignoring your parents or disobedience.  The parents are to blame solely.  No one else, not the kids and certainly not 'the village.'  I could keep going but I'm sure you get the idea.

No I don't subscribe to the 'it takes a village' concept.  But that would be a whole 'nother post.

And yes, my boys were perfect angels.

Happy Trails