Tonight was the girls’ last swimming lesson for the winter session, and it was my turn to take them. Darren and I alternate taking them each week, but I think I get ripped off, simply because I have to go in the girl’s change room, and he doesn’t.
The swimming lessons themselves are great. The girls are so enthusiastic and work hard in their respective classes, and they’ve both improved by leaps and bounds since they started in September. Emma was in the deep end tonight without a life jacket on because it was the only way she was allowed to go down the slide, and she was determined to go down the slide! She went down three times, and each time she swam over to the side without using the floaty thing her teacher had for her. Lauren is awesome. She has such a long reach with her front crawl and she just glides through the water, leaving the boy in her class way behind every time.
So yeah, the lesson part is good. We leave the pool area with lots of warm and fuzzy feelings. And then we hit the girl’s change room, where all hell breaks lose every week, without fail. There is a little girl who comes to swimming lessons every week with her hair in ponytails, and every week when she finishes her lessons, her mom takes her ponytails out and apparently the world comes to an end. You have never heard such shrieking. And crying. And wailing. There are no words.
Tonight the big demonstration had nothing to do with the ponytails. “Micole”* was just being a brat. The mom told her that she was going to give her 3 chances, and if she got 3 strikes, there would be no Tim Horton’s treat. Surprise, surprise, Micole blew her 3 chances in about a minute, and therefore forfeited her treat. Can you even imagine what ensued? HUGE temper tantrum. Screaming. Fake crying. Hurled epithets at mom, who was sitting calmly on the bench, nonplussed.
This is the part I don’t understand. What is with these Stepford moms who think that no matter how their child is behaving, the right thing is simply to talk to them in a soothing, lullaby-ish tone? I get the feeling that those of us who are unwilling witnesses to all this drama are supposed to be impressed with how calm and unruffled she is. I’m not impressed. I want to say to her “You do realize that your daughter is making a fool out of you, right? She’s being rude and disrespectful and out of control. Who’s in charge here?”
It’s obvious who’s in charge. After much whining and boo-hooing and dramatic posturing, I hear mom tell Micole that maybe if she gets dressed nicely, they could go to Tim Horton’s tomorrow. Not good enough. More whining and posturing. So then mom offers to give her a special cookie at home. No dice. Micole HATES! those cookies. Mom tells her that she can have a timbit at home, since they have some there already. Micole considers this. Not bad, but what else have you got? So mom sweetens the deal with a promise of some Playdoh. To which Micole replies “I don’t WANT Playdoh!!! I WANT PLASTICINE!!”.
Fortunately, I can’t tell you how it ended. At that point, we were finally ready to go, as I had feverishly been throwing clothes at my girls and hustling them, wet hair and all, into their coats and out the door. I did hear one of the other moms say “Oh dear, I think somebody’s tired”, to which Micole replied “NO I’M NOT TIRED!!!”. I think it was at that point that her head spun around.
Now, my kids aren't perfect, and I am NOT a perfect parent, by any stretch of the imagination. We all have our less than stellar parenting moments. But I think that ultimately, you have to do what's best for your kids, even if it doesn't make you their favourite person at times. If we love our kids, we have to discipline them. The Bible says so.
Here's to three weeks without swimming lessons! I'll come back refreshed and energized after the break, able to face anything! (I will, right?) Unless they're going to quickly throw together a family change room in the next few weeks (so that Darren could go with the girls), I guess I better pray that God will change my heart and attitude (and maybe the swim schedule, too).
*not her real name
2 comments:
Kudos to you for being able to hold your tongue; I couldn't have done it. I would have either muttered something slightly louder than "under my breath" or given them a dirty look... or many dirty looks.
haha!!! that was VERY well put!!
It really is true about some parents. They just don't take a long-term view about their kids. They let their kids have their way too often. There is going to be a rude awakening when as they grow up and find out you can't just do and get whatever you want. *shrug*
btw, I laughed IRL. Thanks for the giggles.
Post a Comment