Call my cynical but I just don't think people, on the whole, are honest and certainly not in public. I recently witnessed a discussion over a child being left alone in the car. Everyone came out with their 2c worth, about how they NEVER leave their kids in the car, its illegal, what about the children, waah waaaaaaah waaaaaaaaaaaaaah!! Bullshit!! Liars the lot of em! Ok well maybe not all of them. I refuse to believe that no one ever leaves their kids in the car. Someone tried to say they don't even leave their kids in the car when they stop at a friends place to drop something off. They get their kids out while they stand on the door step and chat for 5 mins? Come on! Pull the other one. The main cause of contention was petrol stations. What do you do with the kids when you have to pay? For me personally, with three under three it is not practical (for anyone involved) to take my kids into a petrol station to pay. I avoid filling the car up when I'm on my own with the kids, and only do it when absolutely necessary. Of course I don't want to leave them alone in the car if I don't have to. Yes I worry some psycho will choose my car to steal, though I reckon as soon as they got in the car they'd get back out and run in fear. Yes I worry my car will be crashed into. But mostly I worry about how I will cope while they all scream at me while I'm filling the car. It's all about me you know? The thought of getting them out of the car, yelling at Monkey Man to stay by me, at Missy Moo telling her to stop pulling at the petrol bowser, trying to get them both to walk with me without getting run over, trying to pay without buying 55 chocolates and lollies, trying to stop them both from pulling everything off the shelves, climbing into freezers and fridges, and don't even start me on how I would deal with 2x throw down tantys with a baby in arms?? Getting back to the car would no doubt be more eventful and stressful, and then I'd have to deal with death stares from other drivers waiting for my petrol bowser. No, no way in hell I would take them into a petrol station. Ever.
Today I saw another dicussion about how a bill from a restaurant was wrong, they'd been undercharged so should they own up or run for it? Soooooo many people were all high and mighty about how of course you should own up, its the right thing to do, tell the truth, blah blah blah! Do these people go back and tell a check out chick 'oh sorry, you undercharged me for that chicken, you didn't charge me for the three bottles of milk I bought'? No I can guarantee they do not.
And while I'm at it... what is up with the parenting comments? Someone posts a pic of their kid eating a donut or having a milkshake or a chicken nugget and they pre-empt the negative feedback by pointing out that its a really rare, once off, occasional treat. It just screams 'don't judge me'... A picture of their child having medicine or in a seemingly dangerous situation and everyone has an opinion. Why!! Lighten up already!
Is everyone really that honest, that perfect? I think not. If they were there would be alot less crimes in the world. We all make mistakes and surely this whole parenting gig is a series of mistakes? We learn as we go.
Why not just tell the truth? Why does everyone feel they need to be all 'do the right thing' in public? Would the answer they give be different if it was a one on one discussion? Would they say the opposite, a more truthful answer if their friends, family, parents even, couldn't see/hear their response? Meh, man up people! Tell it how it is, and if people don't like it than I dare say its probably closer to their own version of the truth, not that they'd ever admit it. And if a picture of a kid eating a chicken nugget is so offensive, perhaps reconsider who's on your friend list.
xx
Ok, I am going to tell some truths:
ReplyDelete1. The only time I ever get Eliza out of the car to pay is when we are either in a really busy area, or it is blistering hot. Even then I have filled up, moved my car to the carpark in the shade and still ran in (with all the windows down enough so there is a decent amount of air flow, but not enough you could reach the door handle.
2. I don't give her a lot of sugar products (she is 1, so its easy to avoid) but if she did, meh, my child my business. I know that she gets 3 proper meals a day, all of which are considered healthy. If I wish to give her a biscuit its not biggie. I'd feel deprived if I didn't get a biscuit during the day.
3. Medicine. My child has had her fair share of panadol and nurofen. I'm not concerned, and I would rather she feel better than be miserable.
Truth is Eliza, people are judgemental, whether they mean it or not. I judge people from what I see them doing, thing is, I am willing to admit I judge people. Most people won't.