Comments on: The Swimming Pool

By: Shannon

Shannon — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:04:57 +0000

I hope you got your normal voice back. I mean, we LooooooVe us some Darth vader around our house these days, but I bet your voice is much sweeter

I used to live on a communal garden, and you would not believe (well, you probably would) some of the parents who just let their kids run wild over all the smaller kids. We took our ball and went home many times. Frankly, if it’s no longer fun… why stay?

By: Lexi

Lexi — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:23:44 +0000

Oh, I cannot tell you the times I've literally choked down the impulse to sucker-punch another 5-year-old. I live in an apartment complex with a large grassy common area, and I am always always the only parent outside (and with Jordan's autism, and thus, lack of both social skills and the knowledge/ability to "tattle", we have quite our share of little conflicts). These people just let their 4, 5, and 6 year olds free outside ALL DAY. I've gotten to the point that I do correct the other kids if whatever they're doing is a)dangerous, or b)affects me or my son. I'm just waiting for another parent to confront me about it. But, of course, that would require them to leave their caves.

By: Joanna

Joanna — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:29:42 +0000

Good for you! Someone needs to tell the little twerp NO!

By: Marmee

Marmee — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 22:50:40 +0000

AM, That little boy at the pool may have won the battle, but he didn’t win the war! Sean is so far ahead of that kid, and it’s because of your gracious parenting!!! I wonder what this momma bear would have done in that situation. You have taught your child to turn the other cheek, even when you don’t or shouldn’t have to. My hat is off to you. Thanks for the reminder.

By: france59

france59 — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:20:29 +0000

I think you have a great moral! Spend time with your children and they will grow up to be conscientious, non-aggressive citizens of the world! (That, and not threatening children – even those who deserve it – will keep you out of jail!) I love your blog and always have a great time reading about your Sean adventures. Too bad the mother of that little monster doesn’t pay as much attention to her child.

By: Kat

Kat — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:02:02 +0000

A friendly reminder…you can’t blog from jail. LOL So glad you refrained.

Hugs!
Kat

By: RefreshMom

RefreshMom — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 07:24:26 +0000

I love reading your blog because I so often see myself in it. (I’m not as narcissistic as that sounds–I’m just glad to be in good company!)

I have taught my little guys to start with telling other kids to “keep your hands to yourself” or (loudly) “Don’t Touch Me!” If they need backup though, I am definitely not averse to correcting someone else’s child–especially when the someone else is not available (or not interested enough) to do it themselves.

And when it comes to something that’s a genuine issue of safety like unwanted rough-housing in the water, after my child was safe, the mom would have gotten a heads up too. And maybe the management of the pool…and then I’d have had to leave before I got thrown out.

By: Thea

Thea — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 07:04:10 +0000

Oh! I read back up, and didn’t realize they were only 4! Everytime you talk about Sean he sounds much older. Yes, 4 yr olds should never play unattended at the pool together. I would have stepped in from the start, and try to guide them to play together nicely. You can’t hold a 4 year old responsible for his own behavior, that’s the age when they are starting to figure out peer and group relationships. If parents aren’t around, I would set the same rules as for your own child, three verbal warnings, and back to your Mom you go! (If you take him back often enough, the Mom would have to be involved, or leave).

By: Thea

Thea — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 06:45:12 +0000

When I was a nanny, it seemed like parents not minding their own children was the norm. The park, the playscapes, the children’s museum, the pool, the sand box, everywhere. Usually they were nowhere near and chatting with other parents. Unbelievable. I always gave verbal warnings to other children if their parents did not step in, even if parents were close, in any situation we were involved in or were close to. If their behavior was bad enough to require discipline like a time-out I would even walk them back to their parents. On the flip side, if they did nice things I would compliment them too and later on tell their parents that they did a good job so they could encourage them as well. My only concern was with the child that I was responsible for, and part of that was to make sure they were treated with equality and respect. (These kids were all under 8 yrs, they were still learning right behavior by copying others. Maybe if they were older, I would let them work out some conflicts on their own.) The closest adult to a child is always responsible, no matter where the parents are, especially when they start hurting each other.

By: Lori

Lori — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 22:06:10 +0000

AM, you are FAAARRRR nicer than I would have been. I would have, oh, maybe DROP-KICKED the little buzzard back over to his mother.

Ok, no I wouldn’t have. I guess I should not be surprised at the lack of supervision from the mom. It really makes me sad. Kids are dying for their parents to interact with them. That kiddo sure needed some attention (maybe a hand on his hiney attention…). Ok, here I go again…