ms.peachy
03-13-2006, 04:29 PM
I was at the supermarket earlier today and as I was leaving there was another woman also leaving with two children. The boy looked about 6 or 7 and the girl maybe 9 or 10. The mom and the girl were each carrying bags of groceries. The little boy ran up behind the mom and I think he was trying to jump up and throw his arms around her waist, but ended up sort of punching her in the side of the back, and the mom tripped and dropped one of the bags of groceries. Now, I understand she was upset, and the boy clearly needed to be appropriately reprimanded for being careless, but she started absolutely screaming at the little boy and saying things like "What the fuck is wrong you you, you stupid little shit? You are such a little fucking arsehole!"
The poor little boy looked like he wanted to about die, and the girl was clearly embarassed and was saying things to the mother like "Mum stop, you don't need to scream and curse at him like that" and the woman was like "YES I DO HE'S A FUCKING IDIOT" and such.
:eek: :mad: :(
I kind of wanted to do or say something, but I couldn't think wha, you know? I mean, I didn't want to make the situation worse, create more of a scene, etc. Because I felt that the woman was not exactly going to listen to anything I'd have to say rationally, if you see what I mean - it would just escalate and maybe be even harder for the poor kids to take. Because you know how kids are - on the one hand they obviously knew Mum was acting atrociously; but yet, they're still likely feel loyal to her and have mixed feelings about this stranger jumping in and criticising her.
I dunno. Mostly I just wanted to give the poor little boy a hug, and tell him he's not an idiot and he's not stupid and he's not an arsehole, and that his mum was wrong to say those things to him. And I felt proud of the little girl for standing up to her mum, and trying to protect her little brother. But overall, the whole situation made me feel sad, and powerless to really do anything.
I just can't forget the look on tha poor little boy's face, though, with his shoulders all hunched up and blinking from the tears and looking so small and scared and ashamed. It's just not right.(n)
The poor little boy looked like he wanted to about die, and the girl was clearly embarassed and was saying things to the mother like "Mum stop, you don't need to scream and curse at him like that" and the woman was like "YES I DO HE'S A FUCKING IDIOT" and such.
:eek: :mad: :(
I kind of wanted to do or say something, but I couldn't think wha, you know? I mean, I didn't want to make the situation worse, create more of a scene, etc. Because I felt that the woman was not exactly going to listen to anything I'd have to say rationally, if you see what I mean - it would just escalate and maybe be even harder for the poor kids to take. Because you know how kids are - on the one hand they obviously knew Mum was acting atrociously; but yet, they're still likely feel loyal to her and have mixed feelings about this stranger jumping in and criticising her.
I dunno. Mostly I just wanted to give the poor little boy a hug, and tell him he's not an idiot and he's not stupid and he's not an arsehole, and that his mum was wrong to say those things to him. And I felt proud of the little girl for standing up to her mum, and trying to protect her little brother. But overall, the whole situation made me feel sad, and powerless to really do anything.
I just can't forget the look on tha poor little boy's face, though, with his shoulders all hunched up and blinking from the tears and looking so small and scared and ashamed. It's just not right.(n)