The bit about the kids being on leashes... spot on. I will never understand why people harness up their kid like he/she is a freaking labrador. That's so... demeaning. If you can't keep your kid under control at the mall, either you're doing something wrong, or you need to get a babysitter. I was an extremely hyperactive kid and not once did my mother ever have to put me on a leash. Know why? Because I knew I'd get into big trouble if I acted up in public like that. Parents are so indulgent to their kids' whims these days, no wonder you've got middle schoolers dropping f-bombs and childhood obesity is through the roof.
I don't like talking on the phone in the first place, so I try to keep any public conversations brief. Luckily when I worked at Bath & Body Works, cell reception died right in front of the register (we had this weird dead zone, haha), so I never had to deal with customers yakking on their phones while I was trying to cash them out.
And I know that my stance on harnesses is polarizing for some folks, but I'm just of the mindset that if you have an uncontrollable child (it happens) then they shouldn't go. I have a sister that has autism, is non-verbal, and was self-harming. Taking her anywhere was a nightmare. So my step-mom just didn't go places until she could be free to leave her with me, my dad, etc. Does that suck? Yes. Does it add a major layer of inconvenience to life? Absolutely. But parenthood is all about the inconvenience. I just do not agree with the concept, not one ounce. If that makes me a jackass, so be it.
Oooh, dead zone at the store? What a great idea for stores to do!
Cell phones! There is a time and place to weep and break up with your boyfriend and it is not on your cell phone in the dairy aisle at my local supermarket. Please pajama pant wearing college student, take this back to your dorm room! Civilization is getting less and less civil every day.
Cell phones! There is a time and place to weep and break up with your boyfriend and it is not on your cell phone in the dairy aisle at my local supermarket. Please pajama pant wearing college student, take this back to your dorm room!
LMAO! XD
The use of child harnesses has never bothered me, but I never had the need for one because by some miracle my little nieces and nephews were never bad about running off. Quite the opposite, in fact; they liked holding my hand! At one point there were four of them all at toddler age, and I only had two hands, which presented a problem when they all wanted an Auntie hand to hold simultaneously. I solved it by sticking out my thumbs and pinky fingers, and they could each hang on to a digit
( ... )
That woman (19 year old, weeping, pajama pant wearing thing) had me in knots all afternoon. All I wanted was some cottage cheese! Please, don't drag me into drama, I am too busy building dramas in my head.
BTW Stoney is obviously loving the harness discussion and your story of the nieces and nephews is charming, it should be replied to her original post.
I was a leashed child. It allowed me some freedom of movement without me running into traffic or up trees. I'm pretty sure neither of my siblings required leashing, but then, neither of them would be halfway up the nearest shelf in the blink of an eye. Apparently, I was perfectly happy with it, the alternative being having to hold someone's hand (HUMAN CONTACT! ACK!). Places where I was unlikely to wind up in the ER, I went unleashed. There are pictures.
I often wish Lillian had been leashable. My anxiety and constant fear that I'd lose her when my brain got stuck in a hyperfocus loop would've been eased. But she wasn't, so it wasn't. And I've only managed to misplace her once in 5.5 years, and that was because I thought Paul was following her when she ran off in the store.
(I've THOUGHT I've misplaced her dozens of times. I kind of hate when my brain goes hyperfocus, because wow, I lose awareness of my surroundings.)
I've left comments above about my thoughts on leashing, so I'll just leave them there and not constantly rehash my (jerky) stance on it. IDK, I had to miss out on a lot as a new mother because of how my kids energy levels were (one with ADHD, in fact.) I get that some mothers - such as yourself - are not leashing (or wishing to) their kids so they can talk freely with a half-cap frap, but I see that particular scenario every time I'm at the mall. I mean, every time.
But then, I'm the one that sides with Erma Bombeck on the "Eh, rub some dirt in it," which I know is completely out of touch in today's anti-bacteria germaphobic world. I AM OLD SCHOOL. Well, minus switches, I don't believe in the belt. :)
FRENCH MANICURES. Gah, I just do not like those. It just looks fake and plasticine to me.
I can't judge the leashing children thing anymore. I'm going to try not to do it myself, but I can understand why people do. Hoo boy can I understand it.
But MORE IMPORTANTLY: why do they read that book to us at such a young age?! I can vividly remember my fifth grade teacher reading it aloud in class and pretty much everyone crying at the end.
THE RED FERN BLOOMS EVERY YEAR, STONEY. TO SHOW THEIR LOVE. *bawls*
DON'T DO IT. Leave them home. If anything, there's your moment's peace, which every mother needs at some point.
THANK YOU FOR CATCHING THAT BOOK REFERENCE. Oh my god, I sobbed to the point of being excused to go to the nurse's office. GAH. Also on my list of "whyyyy?!?!" is Old Yeller, Sounder, and The Red Pony. CRY. CRYING FOR EVER, WAAAHHHH!
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I don't like talking on the phone in the first place, so I try to keep any public conversations brief. Luckily when I worked at Bath & Body Works, cell reception died right in front of the register (we had this weird dead zone, haha), so I never had to deal with customers yakking on their phones while I was trying to cash them out.
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Oooh, dead zone at the store? What a great idea for stores to do!
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LMAO! XD
The use of child harnesses has never bothered me, but I never had the need for one because by some miracle my little nieces and nephews were never bad about running off. Quite the opposite, in fact; they liked holding my hand! At one point there were four of them all at toddler age, and I only had two hands, which presented a problem when they all wanted an Auntie hand to hold simultaneously. I solved it by sticking out my thumbs and pinky fingers, and they could each hang on to a digit ( ... )
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BTW Stoney is obviously loving the harness discussion and your story of the nieces and nephews is charming, it should be replied to her original post.
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I often wish Lillian had been leashable. My anxiety and constant fear that I'd lose her when my brain got stuck in a hyperfocus loop would've been eased. But she wasn't, so it wasn't. And I've only managed to misplace her once in 5.5 years, and that was because I thought Paul was following her when she ran off in the store.
(I've THOUGHT I've misplaced her dozens of times. I kind of hate when my brain goes hyperfocus, because wow, I lose awareness of my surroundings.)
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But then, I'm the one that sides with Erma Bombeck on the "Eh, rub some dirt in it," which I know is completely out of touch in today's anti-bacteria germaphobic world. I AM OLD SCHOOL. Well, minus switches, I don't believe in the belt. :)
FRENCH MANICURES. Gah, I just do not like those. It just looks fake and plasticine to me.
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Also he's learning how to be ~one of them~ so someday he can replace The Dog Whiiiisperer and make Mama some money.
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And to be honest, I don't even really like french manicures on fingers, either. But on toes? GROSS!
The soup looks yummy, though!
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The soup is fantastic, I'll be completely honest with you on that, ahahaha.
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But MORE IMPORTANTLY: why do they read that book to us at such a young age?! I can vividly remember my fifth grade teacher reading it aloud in class and pretty much everyone crying at the end.
THE RED FERN BLOOMS EVERY YEAR, STONEY. TO SHOW THEIR LOVE. *bawls*
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THANK YOU FOR CATCHING THAT BOOK REFERENCE. Oh my god, I sobbed to the point of being excused to go to the nurse's office. GAH. Also on my list of "whyyyy?!?!" is Old Yeller, Sounder, and The Red Pony. CRY. CRYING FOR EVER, WAAAHHHH!
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