The Insanity

[douloijohanna]

I didn't want to disturb them.  My boys were sound asleep in the backseats, strapped peacefully into their car seats.  I only needed to run in and return my old cable modem.  I'd only be a minute, or so I thought.

I left the car running with the A/C on, grabbed my purse and the modem, and locked the doors.  I didn't feel totally comfortable leaving

Comments

[barbarakelley]

I've been in situations where I've wondered if I should "put my oar in"... for a passerby, there's no way to know the bigger picture, and you start thinking things like "What if the mother was kidnapped or something...what if I walk on past, doing nothing and then this baby is found dead tomorrow..." Granted it seems extreme when you know everything was fine, but a concientious person can't walk away from a situation when they aren't sure if a child is safe or not.

At least she didn't have time to call the police! ;)

[douloijohanna]

I didn't really mind when she told me my baby was crying, or even when she gave me her first piece of advice. I was perhaps a bit annoyed at the unkind tone of voice she had, but you never know why she felt so strongly about it. Perhaps she's known kids who suffocated to death inside locked cars. It's a serious thing, and something anyone in their right mind would guard against.

But I did take offense when I realized she was waiting around to see what I would do. And I certainly took offense that she assumed I was leaving them a SECOND TIME when I turned off the engine and got out of the driver's seat to walk around to the kids' door. You know, once she saw that their mother was coming to them, it seems like she would have breathed a sigh of relief and moved on. But instead, she had to hover over that mother (me) and make sure the mom did the "right" thing, all the while yelling and gesticulating in a very angry manner. That's the part that really got to me.

[barbarakelley]

yeah, once she saw everything was fine, she should have backed off.

Careful

[barbarakelley]

I've so been there! Once James didn't sleep well all night, and missed his nap, then fell asleep right before I *needed* to pick up my grandma's medicine. I knew that I couldn't leave him. (It's a class C misdemeanor now.) So I saw another parent pull up, and asked him to watch the car for two minutes. (I could tell from the school sticker on his car.) I gave him my keys, with all the windows rolled down, and he did. People are really nice, well, some of them are.

I think that lady may have had a bad experience, and been stewing there for several minutes, and also hormonal. (I can say that, b/c I've been there, but thought about it afterwards on a cooler day.) I do have problems with people judging people by looks, though. I won't get into that now.
Ruby

[anonymous]

lover, you are a wonderful mother!