It's great to say what you'd do before you're in that situation. I'm guilty of it too. When I was PG with Brady I said SO many things, "I'm going to have a natural birth", "I'll never co-sleep", "He'll never get a nuk" etc. And within the first week of his like, I went back on all those thing.
It's really easy to judge other parents out in public. Being a parent is the HARDEST job you'll ever have. It's hard to say what you'll do or won't do in certain situations.
Just saying.
Re: let me say this - really not a flame
This is why my response to everyone's questions is "We'll see....."
Who knows what the heck DH and I are going to do when baby arrives!!!!
I agree. Are some kids monsters? Yes. Are some parents to blame? Yes. Watch Supernanny! BUT, DH and I used to laugh at Supernanny until our DD got to be a "tricky toddler"...now we watch and feel really bad for some of the families instead of saying "ohh wow they suck at being parents!". We now know how easy it is to lose control of your child and...and just the opposite..how children can lose control and not know how to deal with frustration.
All I have to say is Thank You! Thank you for such a refreshing post!
I am not a mother yet, and even though I am totally guilty of raising an eyebrow here and there at children out in public. I believe that motherhood is going to be the hardest job that I will ever have. My mother tells me this all of the time.
I find it very interesting that the women friends of mine that do not have children are always the first to make nasty comments when out about the so-called mis-behaving children around us. But it is the friends of mine that have children that just seem to stop and smile at the other mothers, as if to say, "It is going to be alright! I completely understand."
You said it exactly right!!!
Everyone makes the choices they do when they are in the moment and none of us has a right to say that the others are doing it wrong. We have to just respect their choices.
My best friend and I have very opposite oppinions on how our children should be raised but when I watched her son I did it her way and when she watched my daughter she did it my way.
I too love the we'll see response. I already have a child but have no idea what my actual plan is for dd #2. We played it by ear with the first because we had no idea what kind of child she was going to be. I plan on doing the same with this one. You have to figure out what works for you and your family.
I do get frustrated with people who let their children wander aimlessly through stores and don't keep them in arms reach but I do have sympathy for those who just have the cranky child in the cart. I don't mind listening to the temper tantrum because I can totally relate, when the parent gives in just to get the child to stop is when it gets irritating.