I recently tripped across Puget Sound with an interesting assortment of travel companions. Such is the joy of public conveyance. I shared my voyage with about 35 pre-teens and their chaperons, and an assortment of other travelers that included a mother with two toddlers under the age of five. The preteens scattered. Individually and in small groups, they dashed from port to starboard and fore and aft, in order to see all of the shining sea they could see.
The mother sat her two toddlers down in a padded booth and told them to stay. They immediately slithered down and tried to run with the other kids. Mom deftly caught them and returned them to their seats, “You may not get down,” she said. So the one promptly climbed over the back of the booth onto the other seat, slid under the table and darted for freedom. Mom snatched her and turned to find the other child standing on the bench-seat back while reaching for an empty coat hook. I can only assume the kid planned to swing on on the hook. I have no clue because mommy interrupted. However, the other child was once again free and running.
Mom hooked her arm around the waist of the smallest child and carried her over to where the bigger one was pounding the buttons on the vending machine. She brought them both back to their booth and put them down. “Don’t move!” She snapped the order so loudly that half the kids on deck froze, her own included. “I don’t know why you two can’t just sit still!” She wailed.
I completely understand the young mother wanting her children to mind even when all of the other kids were running wild. However, I think she’d have had a much easier time getting them to sit and stay had she not given each of them their own 16 ounce can of Red Bull. I’m just sayin’ …..
See, I have no problem throwing children overboard. Moms either. I don’t drink or serve Red Bull, though. I have scruples.
.-= Doug´s last blog ..The Reformation of Wolfshausen =-.
Doug — so nice to know you’re willing to take a stand.
that is one dum mum…
Tilden — I thought so, too.
Surely you jest!
.-= Mocha with Linda´s last blog ..TSMSS – Symphony of Praise =-.
Linda — I only wish I had made this up.
A mom who would do such a thing is asking for trouble.
We always brought snacks, little books or toys, etc. when the kids needed to stay seated for a long time.
.-= Barbara H.´s last blog ..Friday’s Fave Five =-.
Barbara — preparing to keep them entertained is wisdom this mom could have used.
No way….really???
Nuts I tell ya.
.-= shelly´s last blog ..Tile Time =-.
Shelly, really.
Red Bull scares me and I’m addicted to caffine.
.-= Silverneurotic´s last blog ..Confused Much? =-.
SN — ditto.
When my kids were toddlers, I made cloth leashes and tied them around their waists. Really helped keep them within a certain range.
.-= gigi-hawaii´s last blog ..Letting work consume you… =-.
Gigi — that isn’t a bad strategy.
Don’t just say it Quilly Scream it! When kids act like that odds are they do it all the time and know they can get away with it and parents feed their kids the worst things and cannot figure out why their kids act the way they do. My girls gave up acting like that because if they tried we left….. didn’t matter where we were and the lost out. It changed their attitudes thank goodness!
.-= amanda´s last blog ..Macro Monday =-.
Amanda, leaving is usually a good strategy but leaving a ship at sea is a bit difficult, although if they came on in a vehicle they could have returned to the car deck and sat there. I totally agree that too many parents need remedial child-rearing classes.
Never tried Red Bull. Can’t say I would give it to my kids either. What was this Mom thinking?
.-= church Lady´s last blog ..Possum Pie Anyone? =-.
Thinking? CL, you give her too much credit.
I am flabbergasted that a mom would even give her young kids Red Bull… but to then expect them to sit still? Ha!
Prior to your final reveal of why the youngsters were so squirrel-y, I was busy giggling over the preteens reaction to the mom shouting, “Don’t Move!!” Yep, they know an angry mom voice –one who has HAD IT– quite well!
.-= kcinnova´s last blog ..Reflection =-.
Karen — I loved the pre-teens freezing, too. It only lasted a few seconds, but it was a startlingly quiet few seconds.
What an idiot – *I* can’t even drink Red Bull – my god, I’d never sleep again. The horror even the name conjures is enough to ban it from my house.
That mom deserves everything that day had coming to her.
.-= Jenn@ You know… that blog?´s last blog ..Sensational Haiku Wednesday =-.
Jenn — I don’t know what happened to her because I took myself off to the rest room, then choose to sit a bit further from the core of the pre-teens. I think mom probably had a really long and trying day. I hope she figured out what caused it.
Amoeba did say he wondered of the mom had read about caffeine actually working as an inhibitor in kids and she was hiping the Red Bull would slow them down.
Even I´m too scared to try Red Bull, because of all the caffeine. I can only imagine what it did to the kids! That´s one stupid mom… !
Betty — at the very least she was totally clueless!
Ohhhhhhh good GRIEF! Well, yeeeeaaaa….
.-= Melli´s last blog ..Random Dozen… PLINK! =-.
Melli — that was my take on it, too.
ROFL!!
I’m always amazed to get on a train or plane and see parents feed their kids Chocolate Covered Sugar Bombs and offer *no* colouring books or things to do. Then holy cow, what a surprise half an hour later when the kid’s in total meltdown.
Uh, duh??
I’ve never tried Red Bull — I have enough stress!
.-= Susan at Stony River´s last blog ..Microfiction Monday #21 =-.
Susan — it kind of makes one wonder if those parents were ever kids!
stupid woman! she deserved everything that came her way. i can’t but feel sorry for the kids, though…
i have always admired the way you can spin a fun story out of the things others might not even notice or would annoy them. more please
.-= polona´s last blog ..oh no, not snow again! =-.
Polona — more will require me leaving the house more often.
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Tell you tomorrow.
I am glad you are sticking up for Thom today. He acts as if nothing bad happens. That is one other reason you can like him.
Nobody sticks up for me. I just bowed meekly today when I was being abused.
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.-= Jim´s last blog ..Infestation ~ Haiku Bones =-.
Jim — you are an intelligent and articulate man who can give as good as you get. Thom is intelligent and articulate, too — unless he is angry. When he is angry he is mean and nasty. I was protecting Karen, not Thom.
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You’re a nice lady.
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.-= Jim´s last blog ..Infestation ~ Haiku Bones =-.