Patience run out…
Yesterday I was driving down Oleander Street by Beale Park when a car parked alongside the park pulled out in front of me, suddenly stopped, then pulled back alongside the park sidewalk for a moment and then pulled out in front of me again as I slammed on my brakes. “What the heck!”
The car in front of me once again pulled over alongside the park.
Just then I noticed a boy who looked to be about 4 or 5 walking along the sidewalk dragging a coat behind him as if it was Linus’ blanket. I realized then what I was witnessing. The parent in the car in front of me had run out of patience and was trying to coax the boy into behaving by threatening to leave the child behind.
I’ve heard my friends with kids use this tactic from time to time when their children were throwing fits or misbehaving.
“Do you want mommy to leave you here?”
The child, usually crying, shakes their head no.
“Then you better hush up and behave!”
The child keeps crying…
“Ok. I’m leaving!”
Mommy gets up and pretends to leave the child behind.
It’s at this point that the child’s tears turn to real fear of being left behind and the child usually will quit crying and beg their parent not to leave them.
The parent in the car obviously was dealing with a very stubborn child. There were no tears. No fit. The boy just walked dragging his coat as if he was taking an afternoon stroll while the parent whose patience had run out continued to pull their car out in front of me and then pull back over alongside the park trying to get the boy into the car.
I was amused by the boy’s stubbornness. But I was fast becoming annoyed with the parent driver who kept pulling out in front of my car.
My Photos...
as a mommy, i feel for the parent with the hard-headed, stubborn child. i am guilty of using the "mommy will leave you behind" tactic. lol. and it still works... i try not to use it anymore. lol.
but as for causing traffic and possible accident... that parent should be smarter than that especially in public. looks like the kid won that battle.
I'da left him
Yikes... my daughter was famous for her public tantrums. I once left her in a supermarket isle and "kept shopping" (but really I was at the end of the isle keeping an eye on her) until she realized her tantrum wasn't getting her anywhere. Of course, she was like the little boy... stubborn as hell.I ended up having to STOP my shopping, picking her kicking and screaming and taking her home and ummmm.... having a very stern talk with her once we got there.
Thank goodness she grew out of it.
She'd look really weird right now as a 15 year old kicking and screaming at the supermarket. tee hee.
Grab the kid and throw him/her in the car. Enough of that bull.
Chingpea, The kid definitely won that battle! If I was a mommy, I'd probably be guilty of using that tactic from time to time too. :)
JR, You wouldn't really...
Norma, Sounds like your daughter had her 'moments' growing up. :) Fun mommy time!
S.R., I agree!
Yes I would've. I'da Been all Kennedy quit acting like your mother or i'm leaving you here!!!
You can't reason with a stubborn child. They just have to know wh the boss is.