A mom is running down a sidewalk that lies adjacent to a quiet parking lot. She carries a purse and a small backpack in her hands, flouncing at the ends of her arms. She looks like she was sheveled at some point, but that point is not dis one.
She is trailing behind a small boy who glances back at her every few strides. He is having the time of his life.
"Evan STOP!" she shouts. "Stop. You stop right now."
She finally catches up to him and snags a trailing limb. His joy turns to sorrow in her grip. Shame follows.
"When mommy tells you to stop you need to stop!" mom growls, teeth grit and jaw clamped as though to keep her from barking madly into his face.
She looks ridiculous and over-cautious and too emotional and more than a little terrified. Too scared, given that he was only two steps away on a sidewalk next to a quiet parking lot.
But.
Been there.
22 comments:
I can see her point. If he doesn't listen to her while there's no danger, the chances that he'll listen and stop while on a crowded street (or wherever) are slim to none.
I've been there too.
Sometimes it's no fun.
Been there, too.
I once grabbed my daughter by her ponytail to keep her from running out into traffic on a busy street. I hate to think how that must have looked to passersby, but she was far enough ahead of me that I knew I only had one shot to stop her. The ponytail was the only part of her that I KNEW I could reach, so... (I got her just in the nick of time, too.)
"She looks like she was sheveled at some point, but that point is not dis one." Haha! You're a clever writer.
There are some mornings I send my 11 year old off on his morning walk to school when I want to chase him down the sidewalk and say the same thing.
That was the look of NON-COMPLIANCE in motion. Which is best nipped in it's first little bud.
ugh. that was probably me. ;)
That was me on Tuesday. And I had this out-of-body moment during the whole thing where I thought, "I have become an INSANE person." It was probably just the sense that you were watching. Gah.
I don't carry a purse. And I live half a continent away from you. But that could well have been me you saw smothering my child's exuberance and, um, keeping him alive.
I'm going through this now with my grand-daughter. And let me tell you....I can't run as fast as I did when my own kids were little!
Definitely been there, and surely will be again.
Ditto McDittorton.
I have grabbed ponytails, shirt collars, hats, arms..whatever I can get my hands on.
And why do small children all of the sudden have burst of speed at the most inopportune times? There is nothing more shaming than being outrun by a four year old.
My word verification is grotch. That's just striking me funny today.
i've never been there. my kids never ran ahead and always stopped when i called them. i always looked sheveled...always.
um...never and always...
ha...
I guess they eventually learn to listen to Mom and Dad?
I am not looking forward to panic attacks when our girl is of age.
We live off a busy road and I am sure (with the genes our little one inherited) she will be a runner.
rockabyedad.com
I have SO been there. And then Gabriel told me, "Mommy I don't like it when you use your scary voice." Ouch.
Yup. Me too. I think it's part of the parenting gene...
Yeah. You know, I wish I was always cool, laid back mom, but truthfully, I so rarely am.
What parent hasn't been there at times? Even with a child like Pumpkinpie who was compliant as a young thing (tense becoming ever more past as she grows) and who generally gets these things, there were times of just not being sure enough.
I have seen my TEENAGER run out into traffic in front of our house without looking. Baby I'm STILL there.......
hope the baby came out smoothly and everyone is healthy.
luv from Winchester
Been there too...worse than smoking three packs of Camel in a minute. Never any fun...especially when afterward I had to change MY diaper.
15 years and 4 kids later, I still find my self feeling "sheveled" dissed and all :(
I was there too. 9 1/2 months pregnant chasing a 3 year old through a very busy parking lot. She was laughing and playing peek-a-boo. I was blubbering like the soon to come out of me baby.
She never did it again when she saw me cry.
I tucked that memory away - and use the 'look , you made mommy cry' method to get my point across even to this day.
You didn't eat your brocolli? Look you made mommy cry.
You dumped all the Lego's on the floor? Look, you made mommy cry.
It works like a charm.
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