THE 300 POUND MOTHER/DRILL SERGEANT
She had 4 children under 5 in a small grocery store in the middle of nowhere. It was hard to miss her at over 300 pounds, and a voice carried out into the parking lot.
She was either a young grandmother or an older mother, and she commanded those small children like a drill Sargeant. Her behavior enabled her to make it through the day. I always thought having one child was a handful, and I'm confident two under three years old are too much. I don't have to worry about that anymore, as I'm free of directing employees or children. Thank God.
I observed her from a distance while expecting any moment that she would physically abuse one of them and I would have to intervene. Her version of parenting was to repeatedly shame and threaten each one with a beating.
She never hit one of them, but you could see the terror in their eyes every time she directed her vitriol at one of the unfortunate victims. One could only imagine what happened in her house when no one was around.
I hurriedly checked out and realized that I was parked just past her car as she was loading the children and groceries. I expected more yelling and threatening, but there was none.
One of the toddlers, about age 2, was leaning out the window and laughing while calling for the woman.
I walked by and felt a sense of relief that perhaps this woman was behaving in the store the way she was to get attention and that the children weren't in some way physically abused.
However, those children will likely have to endure mental abuse and shaming as long as they are under the control of this woman. She was probably treated in the same manner.
I'm saying a prayer today for those 4 tiny children. The woman may learn that parenting consists of giving your children loving guidance and teaching them boundaries rather than barking orders and threatening to beat them. Maybe one day, she'll feel good about herself and no longer have the need to exercise control over minor children.
She was either a young grandmother or an older mother, and she commanded those small children like a drill Sargeant. Her behavior enabled her to make it through the day. I always thought having one child was a handful, and I'm confident two under three years old are too much. I don't have to worry about that anymore, as I'm free of directing employees or children. Thank God.
I observed her from a distance while expecting any moment that she would physically abuse one of them and I would have to intervene. Her version of parenting was to repeatedly shame and threaten each one with a beating.
She never hit one of them, but you could see the terror in their eyes every time she directed her vitriol at one of the unfortunate victims. One could only imagine what happened in her house when no one was around.
I hurriedly checked out and realized that I was parked just past her car as she was loading the children and groceries. I expected more yelling and threatening, but there was none.
One of the toddlers, about age 2, was leaning out the window and laughing while calling for the woman.
I walked by and felt a sense of relief that perhaps this woman was behaving in the store the way she was to get attention and that the children weren't in some way physically abused.
However, those children will likely have to endure mental abuse and shaming as long as they are under the control of this woman. She was probably treated in the same manner.
I'm saying a prayer today for those 4 tiny children. The woman may learn that parenting consists of giving your children loving guidance and teaching them boundaries rather than barking orders and threatening to beat them. Maybe one day, she'll feel good about herself and no longer have the need to exercise control over minor children.
You are so right about feeling better about herself and treating her children lovingly rather than the way she did. ... thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences with us once again.
ReplyDelete