Different Standards, Part 2
Last week I wrote about my son and his friend from school wanting to get together for a playdate. The other boy's mother had told me just to pick him up from school and take him home with me. Mind you, she had never met me. I was aghast. I told her that we should at least meet at the school since she comes there to pick up her daughter, who is in kindergarten. That was fine with her. Last Monday I'm waiting as usual outside my son's first grade classroom. The mother is nowhere in sight. The boys come out, ready to go. No mother. I call her home and there's no answer. At this point I'm not about to just load this boy into my car without at least meeting one of his parents!
Finally, after five more minutes of waiting, she arrived on the scene. She appeared to be a normal, average mother-type, driving an expensive SUV and wearing fashionable clothes. She was obviously in a hurry to move me along so she could get to wherever she was going. And I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt on her parenting skills.
The boys had a great time at my house. My son was so excited about showing off his swing set, bouncer, Star Wars figures, and other toys, that I had to pull him aside at first to calm him down. His friend was very polite, friendly, and careful with my son's things. I was feeling a little bit better about his mother and how she was raising her son.
But then, at the designated pick-up time of 5 o'clock, no mother. No phone call. Thirty minutes later, we're in the front room and see her pull into the driveway. The first thing I noticed is that her five-year-old daughter was sitting in the front seat, with no car seat and no seat belt. And the last thing I noticed was her son getting into the back seat without buckling his seat belt. I didn't even think there were still people who let their kids ride around unbuckled. Again, the different standards of other parents is troubling to me.
She'd better not be surprised when my kids NEVER go to her house. I can just imagine the games she would have them play: "Pin the Tail in the Electrical Outlet," "Hide and Seek in the Old Fridge," and "Tag the Angry Neighbor Dog."
Finally, after five more minutes of waiting, she arrived on the scene. She appeared to be a normal, average mother-type, driving an expensive SUV and wearing fashionable clothes. She was obviously in a hurry to move me along so she could get to wherever she was going. And I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt on her parenting skills.
The boys had a great time at my house. My son was so excited about showing off his swing set, bouncer, Star Wars figures, and other toys, that I had to pull him aside at first to calm him down. His friend was very polite, friendly, and careful with my son's things. I was feeling a little bit better about his mother and how she was raising her son.
But then, at the designated pick-up time of 5 o'clock, no mother. No phone call. Thirty minutes later, we're in the front room and see her pull into the driveway. The first thing I noticed is that her five-year-old daughter was sitting in the front seat, with no car seat and no seat belt. And the last thing I noticed was her son getting into the back seat without buckling his seat belt. I didn't even think there were still people who let their kids ride around unbuckled. Again, the different standards of other parents is troubling to me.
She'd better not be surprised when my kids NEVER go to her house. I can just imagine the games she would have them play: "Pin the Tail in the Electrical Outlet," "Hide and Seek in the Old Fridge," and "Tag the Angry Neighbor Dog."
Permalink posted by Phil at 11:04 AM
1 Comments:
It is amazing isn't it how materialistic people have become. My step kids have every thing under the son, except their mother's attention.
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