Watch your F*&*ing Kid(s)

I’ve had it.

I’ve freaking had it.

When you have a baby, you are responsible for them, all the time. You don’t get to watch them sometimes or circumstantially or when you feel like it or when you feel up to it. They are your responsiblity.

Nope, you can’t just take them to the park, get on your damn phone, and turn your back to allow someone else to watch them. I mean they could get completely kidnapped and you wouldn’t even know because you are so deep in convo with your girlfriend. Hello? Pay attention.

You don’t get to let your kids loose and then disappear at a bench, miles away from your kids. You actually have to watch your kids. I’m not there babysitter or their nanny. I’m a complete stranger. It’s not my job to watch YOUR kids. Get it together.

Today, we went to the park with James’ dump truck and 5 cars. We strolled up so excited to play together. We started playing in the shade and a swarm of children immediately came over and start playing with our toys, mind you…  without even asking, without any parents in sight. I’m sorry, but that is freaking rude.

I remember, as a child, I wasn’t allowed to just go up and start playing with others toys, I had to ask permission, first. & only then was I allowed to play with others toys.

This lady, clearly a nanny, was right there, right freaking in plain sight with a baby attached to her chest, on the damn phone, while her monster 2 blond boys  were continuing to throw damn sand that was getting in my James’ eyes. I told them, nicely, several times to stop. I was unsuccessful.  Ya think she go off the phone after seeing what was going on? Nope. Why would she, she’s getting free childcare?

Then, the boys began fighting over my boy’s dump truck, ripping one another’s hair out,  hitting, punching, pulling, and kicking. Ya think she got off the phone and spoke to the boys? Nope. She just scolded them, while on the phone, with a baby attached to her chest and pulled one by his arm and threatened to leave, loudly. I’m convinced that when we are pulled away from our screens, it makes us act in very unkind ways. Why is it so important for us to continue using our screens when, clearly, our children need us? There is nothing more important than our children. Nothing. But when we put screens in front of our children’s faces, we are sending the wrong message, that they do not matter as much as our devices.

Folks, our children will do any and everything under the damn moon to get our attention. They will bite, hit, pull, kick, spit, throw sand, & anything else, for that matter, to be seen. Ask yourself what you could do differently to allow your children to be seen. They just want our undivided attention, that’s all.

One of the boys had snot running down his nose and started sneezing on my boy’s dump truck. I handed him copious amounts of wipes in hopes that his snot would not end up on my son’s beloved truck. He tried to hand it back, but  I shooed him off to his mom.

Then, he began complaining of sand throwing.

I looked at him and asked, “Where is your mom?”

“Over there!!!!”

“Go tell her what is going on, I’m not your mom.”

She was all the way across the park talking to her friend, completely unaware of the snottiness and sneeziness of her son’s ways.

A little girl stood right in front of me, as if  deliberately  blocking the view of my son. She just wanted to be seen, wanted some attention, and was determined to do whatever needed to be done to get the attention she so desperately craved.

“I need a tissue.”

“Where is your mom?”

“Over there!!!”

“I’m not your mom, go tell her what you need!”

She walks all the way across the park to let her know what she needs and then the mom comes over to our klan.

“Are my kids bothering you?”

“No, but sand is being thrown and it’s unsafe.”

“I had a girlfriend & her son  got sand in his eyes and he had to go to the E.R.”

Really, lady? So, if you know this, why are you relying on me, a complete  damn stranger, to watch your kids for you?  Am I responsible for the safety of your children? No. Am I getting an hourly wage here? No. Did I spend 4 hours pushing your kids out? No. They are not my burden, my worry, or my responsibility. Do your job and watch your own freaking kids or don’t have them at all. We don’t get to pick the times when we want to be responsible and watch our children. We have to do it when it’s hard and when it’s easy, when it’s uncomfortable and when it’s comfortable. You signed up to be a mom. Being a mom isn’t delivering a child, being a mom is action. It’s teaching our children, watching over them,  guiding them, modeling right from wrong, and supporting them along the way.

If you need a break, if you need to socialize, get a babysitter, get a nanny, but don’t just set them free to strangers and hope for the best. Thankfully, I was a nice stranger. Next time, you may not be as lucky.

This happens a lot at our park and I’ve just had it. From now on, we will not be bringing toys, they get man handled, broken, and treated terribly. It’s not worth it. The park used to be fun, exciting, and something we used to look forward to, but now, it’s become a big phat burden.

Over it.