Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Do gypsies still buy children?

When I get overly frustrated with my girls, I give the dead-ass-serious empty threat of "I swear girls, I'm going to sell you to the gypsies". Sadly, I have no idea where to find a gypsy.

It's funny when I say it in public and someone overhears me - they look at me like I'm the most terrible mother in the world. Yet other mothers call their kids names, pull on their arms, push them and hit them in public. But ~I~ am the bad one for threatening some gypsy selling.

My kids are actually quite well behaved. I am a disciplinarian and they know there are consequences. Sure, they are kids and they act up now and again, but you'll never have to roll your eyes at us in some public place. I've had to walk out of two places so far due to the kids' behavior, but two times in almost 5 years? Not too shabby.

It AMAZES me how some parents let their kids go wild in stores/restaurants. It's not the ones who just allow it to happen and turn a blind eye, they simply are letting their kids act that way. It's the ones who actually seem to ~try~ to get them to behave and the kids refuse - those are the families that blow my mind.

I was at pottery barn kids yesterday and a little boy around 3 (with a pacifier in his mouth) just took off from her. She called for him to stop but he just kept going. She took off after him and after catching him at the back of the store, she picked him up and said in a sweet sing-song voice "say sorry to mommy!". Whoa. My kid takes off running? All I would have to do is say their name ~one~ time and they'll stop.

~Shrug~. To each their own I guess. I'll raise my kids how I raise them and other parents have the right to do the same. It just sucks that the "bad" parents (in the area of constructive discipline) ends up annoying everyone around them because they don't put the energy into teaching their children the right and wrong way to act in public.

16 comments:

areyoukiddingme said...

Got any suggestions on how to get that child to stop when you say their name? Of course, my daughter is still only 2 and stays with me because she's not too fond of strangers, but I know the day will come...

Anyway, you can find lots o' gypsies in Italy, so make your husband take you there so you can find out if they still buy children! My mom always threatened us with the audie home (somewhere between the orphanage and juvenile hall).

Catie said...

That's two of my biggest pet peeves, pacifier in the mouth of a child over 15 months and a wishy washy mom when it comes to discipline. Cripes Lex listens when I call his name (most often when he's running down the hall in the clinic in his diaper), admittedly he doesn't always come back but he's 14 months can't expect too much yet.

Ali said...

Your headline - I just asked Lauren's preschool teacher that question this morning! Great minds think alike.

Jenera said...

I have had the urge to sell mine off a time or two. I tend to get serious flak from my mom about how I'm too 'strict' with him. Uhm, no. I make him behave. I can take him in public and not worry. When we see kids acting like fools when we are out, I kid you not, Aidan gets this look on his face like "WTH is their problem?" It's too funny.

jenn said...

I really am part hungarian gypsy. Not saying I would buy your children... but maybe for the right price! ;o)

I hear you on the discipline- My mom raised us the same exact way- we knew to never act out in public & the only time I ran away from her is when we were walking past the firehouse & the alarm went off & scared me. Other than that- she had the look down. And she never spanked us either. It was all consequences & the right tone of voice.

Hollie said...

LOL about selling your kids to the gypsies. I also get annoyed with bad kids in public. Anytime I tell someone that, they tell me that I shouldn't say that because my kid could be like that too... Umm... NO. Of course no kid is perfect, but I won't be the mom asking my kid to apologize for running off in the store.

Meredith said...

I am just going to play devils advocate here for a second. In no means am I trying to say you disciplining your kids is wrong - I just wanted to give you an insight on the other side.

Like you my children are very well behaved in public. They know the rules and know what I says means business. However it wasn't always that way. Tyler has sensory processing disorder. He can't process everything going around him like a normal person can. To "feel" senses and to calm himself down he will run around and crash into things - and yes he also did this in public, in he would feel the most overwhelmed. I would try to stop him and calm him down the way I knew how (leaving the store, time outs, etc), but it didn't usually work. Once Tyler was diagnosed with SPD I found ways that actually worked to calm him down (pressure hugs, having him jump up and down, etc.) He no longer starts running around in public, because I can see it coming and calm him down in the proper way. They believe 1 in 20 kids has SPD, many undiagnosed. So those parents who kids are acting out and they try to stop them and can't it could be something more there (now of course there are just parents that don't discipline their kids, I just wanted to show you that sometimes even the parents who are "bad" in the contructive discipline area very well could be doing there best, but their child is dealing with bigger things.

Oh and the pacifier thing I also agree that they shouldn't use it past a certain age. Tyler however needs something in his mouth at all times. He had a chewy tube (looked like a dog toy) that he chewed on. This helped calm him down when he was overwhelmed. The only reason he had that instead of a pacifer was because I had already taken him off of the pacifer and wasn't going to go back to it. Just a thought from the other side.

Anonymous said...

I tell the baby(7 mo) that I'm going to leave her outside for the wolves if she doesn't start sleeping better at night...absolutely tongue-in-cheek, of course(except in the middle of the night when she's up for the 5th time ;)). I totally agree with you, and my son(3) is the same way. He knows Mommy is the boss and he listens. I refuse to raise a bratty child, PERIOD. It's so funny to see him around my nieces and nephews when they have fits, he kinda looks at them like they're crazy LOL He has his moments, yes, but he's 3, I try not to expect *too* much out of him. And yes, it bothers me to see an older child with a pacifier, but having two kids who aren't paci babies, I *try* not to pass judgment since I've not been there...but it's hard LOL I once saw a woman and her daughter at Target picking out new pacis, and this girl(I think she was around 3!) was pretty much having a debate with mommy over which ones to get. Um, that's old enough and verbal enough to understand that you're TOO OLD for one!

Christina said...

You can find gypsies in Spain. My parents lived there before me and gypsies stole their dog, twice. The second time they realized that the dog was happier with them and they just let him stay.

Meredith said...

Oh I did want to add my husband tell the boys he will sell them to the Korean lady next door if they don't behave. He also tells this to our dog.

Charlotte said...

Yeah...I get looks for some of the crazy crap I say to my kids when they act up. I have done the whole rush thru the store thing with a crying tantrum-throwing toddler in the cart. I would have left if they were mad and wanting something, but usually it's because, well, with 3 of them, one never wnats to do whatever it is we have to do. Or the 2 closest in age want the same seat in the cart. I just ignore and go about my business, though I'm sure there are people who look at me as if I'm allowing appauling behavior. Oh well!

Petrucia said...

you go Nancy! I love that you are such a disciplinarian. I agree that many parents should be tougher on setting limits to kids. My personal experience is mostly with young cousins, and a baby brother (18 years my junior) but they learned soon enough that I won't take any crappy behavior.

~*JaYmE*~ said...

I think its hilarious that you tell the girls you will sell them to the gypsies. Too funny!

chicklet said...

If I ever get to parent, I think I'd be like you - there's discipline and consequences, and I mean it. I had a healthy fear of my parents because there were always consequences to shit we pulled, and I personally think that little fear is a good thing. It wasn't ever fear they'd hurt me - ever - but it was fear of how I'd be punished, and that was always there for me.

Anonymous said...

It AMAZES me how some parents let their kids go wild in stores/restaurants. It's not the ones who just allow it to happen and turn a blind eye, they simply are letting their kids act that way. It's the ones who actually seem to ~try~ to get them to behave and the kids refuse - those are the families that blow my mind.


Have fun with your little BOY. I was just like you and thought the same way you did(horrible parents = bad children). When things happen it isn't always the parents' fault. We have tried several things with our son and very few of them have worked. My daughter has always listened well and responded to my parenting with no issue. Sometimes it IS just the child.

Jennie said...

Oh this one had me laughing. I'm the mother of the year that is constantly threatening my children with, "I will suck out your soul!".

The best was when we were helping my friend Coin pack to move and my little Nuby was trying to run away and I yelled out to come back right now before I suck out your soul. He whipped his pudgy little body around and took a stance with hands on hips to yell back, "NO MAH NO SUCK OUT ME SOUL".

All we could do was stand there and laugh thinking about the neighbors hearing all this.