Saturday, April 11, 2009

Appalled

Yesterday I met a friend of mine for lunch at Pita Pit. I hadn't been there in forever and had forgotten how much I liked it. That is completely beside the point though.

We sat down at a table next to the door and a few feet away was a family - mom, dad, little boy and little girl (between 2-3). The little girl wasn't happy at all. The dad was trying everything to soothe her, but it wasn't really helping. You could clearly see his frustration. His face didn't hide any of it. The mom, she sat eating ignoring everything that was going on. The dad gave up trying to calm the little girl down and sat her in her chair. This pissed the little girl off. At first her cries were fairly quiet, but they grew increasingly louder until she was close to screaming. As this was happening, neither the mom or dad said anything to her. They just continued eating.

At this point, everyone in the place was looking over at them and you could see the glares they were being given. I was just sitting there wondering what was going on. The mom finally took a break from eating, walked around the table, picked up her daughter who literally started screaming, and went outside.

Now wouldn't you think she would have taken the time to calm down her little girl and bring her in so they could both finish their lunch? NOPE!

Next thing you know, the mom comes in...ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She took her daughter out to their SUV and left her. Left her and came back in for at least another ten minutes while she finished her lunch, just sat there, got some more soda and only then went back out to the car. The whole time the little girl was crying and screaming. She never calmed down. She was left alone while the rest of her family finished their lunch.

I couldn't even believe it. I understand kids throw fits. I understand needing to take them out to calm them down. But you don't leave them in the car, ALONE, while you go back in and finish your meal. There may be some that disagree, but this is something I believe wholeheartedly. I felt awful. My heart broke for that little girl. Yes, her tantrum was out of control, but that was not the right punishment at all. Not only that, she was only 2-3! I would never, ever do that to any one of my kids...EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I couldn't help but look at her and her husband different after that. And I know she saw my looks of disgust. I didn't care though. That was wrong, so very, very WRONG!

21 comments:

Jodi said...

I would have went outside and called the police from my cell phone and said that a little child was left alone unattended in the car. That would have fixed both of their asses.

That is terrible. I can't stand when people leave animals in a car. I can't even begin to tell you how much I can't stand when they leave children alone in a car. Those would be the same people boo-hooing on TV if someone came and stole the car with the kid in it.

Appalled is my emotion too Steph! I'm sorry you had to witness it.

I once was in a Mexican fast food restaurant in our area called Salsaritas which since has closed. It was in a strip mall, one time this woman was outside the doors screaming at her screaming child at the top of her lungs. Then she wails the kid in her ass twice and then in her arm. The whole place was appalled and stood staring through the glass. I was so pissed off. After an internal debate I got up to go outside to see if the child was OK and to say something to the mother. They were no where to be found. I was pissed I had my internal debate which wasted time.

Sorry such a long response, but I get riled up about this stuff too!

Lindz said...

I've always been of the opinion that if your child is behaving that way, then it is your responsibility to TAKE THEM HOME. Do not finish your lunch, do not put your child in the car. I would have done one of two things, GONE HOME or take turns being outside with the child while the other parent eats.

My parents always treated outings as a privilege to me, if I behaved well, I was able to come again. If I misbehaved, I was taken home and not invited back out for quite a while.

Christy said...

That is crazy. Other people suck.

He & Me + 3 said...

Wow...poor baby.

elin said...

I would have called the police as well. Last spring I did just that at Target. No matter what the situation, the weather, whatever you never ever leave kids in the car alone until they are out of car seats, can reach the windows and locks and are mature enough to know right from wrong if someone else approached the car (I'm thinking about 10 yo). WOW!

Sabrina said...

Now, I admit to ignoring tantrums with Eliana. Usually that's the best way to handle it (along with distraction) and if it gets too out of control in a restaurant, we will pack it up and leave. But I would never never never ever leave her alone in the car. I can't even imagine why anyone would think that's ok.

When we were driving back home, we stopped at a rest area. As I was walking to the bathroom, a black SUV pulled up and the woman in the passenger seat was holding a baby (probably 2-3 months tops). I was on the phone at the time or I definitely would have said something. I went to the bathroom and decided if they were still there, I'd get the plates and say something to them. When I got out, they had already pulled out and were too far away for me to make out the plates. They passed us again later on going about 90 (in a 75), and it was too fast for me to read the numbers again. It was really frustrating because I did want to do something about it and was just shocked that anyone would take such a chance with their child's life. I do tend to lean toward over-protection, but these are simple, obvious things to me. Don't leave your child in the car, always use a car seat. I just don't get people sometimes.

Megan said...

OMG - that is horrible!! I would've called the police, too.

Excellent Parent said...

yeah thats illigal! I can understand wanting to do that, i would have wanted to, i have wanted to, but i wouldnt do that. Becuase it is illigal!

melanie said...

I would have called the police. A 2-3 year old child should never, ever be left alone. That is clearly neglect. Some people are unbelievable!

Stephanie said...

I'd of called 911 too! That's insane!

Rachel said...

OMG-alone in the car. Wow-I am shocked.

I have to admit that sometimes I feel overwhelmed and want to shut out all noise and I may for a minute while I give myself a time out but that is all..our kids need us to help me through what they are going through and sometimes that means just being a good role model and she was not being that..

Alicia W. said...

OMG that is awful! I'm the type of person that not only would I have called the cops but after I would walk over and give both of them a piece of my mind. Yes, it would probably make matters worse but when it comes to neglecting your children and doing it in public really pisses me off.

Bless your heart Steph! That would have been SOOOOOOOOO hard for me to have witnessed. That poor child - those parents need a huge reality check.

Just Jiff said...

I would've gone and stood beside the car and called the police. No hesitation whatsoever. No child should ever be left alone unattended like that. It just takes a moment for a car to be stolen, broken into, etc.

That is a really, really tough age, but there are just some things that you DONT do. And that's high up on the list, right behind physical/sexual abuse.

angie said...

That is beyond appalling! I can't believe she would just leave her child in the car. It's like she thought...well there now that's taken care of I can finally finish my lunch! Definitely not ok! She should have packed up her lunch along with her daughter and finished it at home!

Jen said...

Yeah, that is totally illegal. Next time call the cops! Parents can be so stupid sometimes! UGH! It is APPALLING!

Lainey-Paney said...

.......and that's when you call the cops.

Preppy Mama said...

Oh My. I am certainly no mother of the year, but I would never ever leave my kids alone in a car or anywhere for that matter. I can understand being frustrated. I have left many a restaurant with my kid in tears and my lunch uneaten because I didn't want to disturb the other diners, but safety first!!

Mojavi said...

OMG! are you fin serious! yeah i would of confronted them and called the cops in fromt of them! lol poor baby girl!

SimplyBillie said...

Holy crap! I would have called the police! Isn't it illegal to leave children (especially that young) in a car alone anyways? I watched a young woman leave a baby in a car while she ran into a gas station and got some food. The car was out of site from the gas station. I called the cops and they told me it was a felony...

Mrs. F said...

OMG, that is horrible. You can't just leave a small child alone in the car. Craziness. That is against the law!

Cat said...

That is terrible. A parent should know better then to leave a child alone in a vehicle.