I'm not judging ....
I hope I'm not,
I try not to,
and if I slip then I correct myself
because I honestly don't want to be judging anyone; especially not other parents, and definitely not other parents struggling in restaurants.
But it's hard, really hard; and not because I think I'm some great mum, I don't; but because I'm not used to toddlers anymore, especially not at meal times. Sad but true.
Rachel was a blessing but a challenge; she hated daytime sleep until she was 3, she was constantly overtired and irritable, and by toddler age she was opinionated and demanding. I loved her, but she was not easy. Luckily she tended to pull out all the stops when we were out and she'd mostly behave, but I know that was more luck than judgement or management.
So I've been there, I've done that; and yet my tolerance is reducing back to pre-motherhood levels when we are out in restaurants.
I still coo at babies, chat to new mums, smile at most toddlers and commiserate with stressed parents. But then there are the screamers, the temper tantrumers, the answerers back; I can't help but be shocked.
I don't frown (I hope), I don't tut (ever) and I don't make any comments; but inside there's s little bit of all of that going on.
I admit it, I'm judging; I'm sorry, I don't mean to, I will try better, I understand if I engage brain and so I will engage more brain when eating out, I promise.
1 comment:
It's a difficult one isn't it? We got round it by letting our children know we would not take them to a restaurant to eat out until they had perfected manners at the table at home. It meant they had a while before eating out, but when they did get to go it was a great treat and they knew exactly how to behave. Sadly, some parents don't teach their kids manners at home and it unfortunately spills out into public life. I'm kinda with you on this one.
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