Coffee cheers, awesome readers?
The last time we met, I promised to tell you the story about what happened recently when my someone and I were out shopping. It’s a parenting story so if you’re a young (or new) mom, you should probably read it.
It was an exceptionally windy Saturday afternoon. Winter, although not yet fully arrived, had already squashed the living heat rays out of summer. It was cold. And do you want to know what else was unforgetable about that day? Read on.
As we were walking through the store, a toddler was having a meltdown. We couldn’t see the child but that shrieking voice was ricocheting off the walls and could be heard from everywhere within the store. Winners, in case you’re wondering which store.
Every once in a while, we’d hear an exasperated voice. “THAT’S ENOUGH!”
When we got in line to pay, that’s when we saw them: a young mother and her screaming toddler. They were about seven people ahead of us and when it got to the young mother’s turn to pay for her items, she was juggling. More than once, she dropped her wallet as she tried to control her convulsing child … trying to save her daughter from giving herself a concussion as she threw her body down, swinging her head back on the floor. Agitated was the word of the moment.
The young adult behind the cash register held her face tight and her lips straight. Her silent patience screamed volumes of an inability to understand why this woman couldn’t control her child. Clearly, the cashier had no children of her own. The rest of us stole glances as we pretended to be involved in conversations. Knowing smiles were passed down the line.
I think it’s safe to say that as parents, we’ve all been there.
Watching that mother brought me to the exact same situation. A different time with a different child. Mine. I remember how I felt while my daughter screamed and squirmed in my arms as I struggled to carry her back to our apartment. With each step, I read the thought bubbles floating over everyone’s head that we passed on the street.
What a terrible mother …
That poor child …
Probably abused …
Someone should call child services …
When we’re young mothers, we feel judged. We feel that we’re doing something wrong. We accuse ourselves of failing at parenting.
The truth is that ALL children – especially toddlers – have meltdowns. Uncontrollable, inexplainable meltdowns. What sets them off is one of life’s mysteries. Tired … Hungry … Discovering their own voice … Whatever the cause, it’s “normal” and just another part of parenting bliss. So go easy on yourself. No one’s judging you. We’ve all been there.
Now if you’re wondering about the difference between men and women, I have the answer to that. You can read it in my latest column over at Inspades.News where I write about Everything I Know About the Difference Between Men and Women, I Learned from Country Songs.
Happy reading!
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I feel for that young mother. As you said, we have all been there.