Is this mean?!

@mommyboo (13174)
United States
September 25, 2008 8:51pm CST
I put this under relationships because although it is clearly a parenting question, it also has to do with the PARENTS. Say you are heading out to walk down the block to pick up your 6 year old son from the bus stop after school. He is in first grade. Even though your house is about a block away from the stop, the bus stops on the opposite side of the street so it's important you meet him so he doesn't have to cross a street alone. You have already walked down your driveway and onto the side of the road. Your spouse is inside the house with your other kids. Suddenly your three year old comes barreling out the front door WITHOUT HIS SHOES and is chasing you, running down the driveway and into the street! First of all, the parent in the house should not have allowed them to run out the front door, right?? Second of all, your response is to yell out of fear that he is going to hurt his bare feet AND you don't want him running in the street. When you try calling for your spouse to come get him, he calls YOU *MEAN*. So... is it mean to expect the other parent to prevent a kid from running out without shoes? Is it mean to yell at your small child and tell them they need to get shoes on before coming outside?? Remember at this point you are already out of the driveway! I don't get it. I don't see anything MEAN about expecting the other parent to keep the other kids in the house. I also don't see anything mean about asking your kid to have shoes on or go back in the house! It would be meaner to let them get injured or run over!
1 person likes this
4 responses
@checapricorn (16060)
• United States
26 Sep 08
[i]Hi mommyboo, I guess he sounds so defensive and deep in him, he knows that it was his fault and so that the focus will not into him, he called you mean! There is nothing wrong and mean in what you have done, that is always the first and immediate reaction of any Parents when they will see their kids running out without a shoes! ANyway, I hope he will realize and admit his fault![/i]
1 person likes this
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
29 Sep 08
Thanks! It wasn't me it happened to but it did irk me all the same lol.
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
26 Sep 08
I don't see anything mean in that scenario. Very parental, not mean. Next time though I would stay in the house with the kids and make the other parent get off their butt and go get the six year old
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
29 Sep 08
Yeah but is that fair to the one parent to always be taking up slack for the one who wants to be lazy? I guess this is kinda hypothetical and also kind of perception depending on which parent people identify more closely with lol.
• Australia
4 Oct 08
You have to be talking about a male here!!! It seems that the men folk just don't get what supervising or watching the kids is really about! That is the reason why they were not meant to give birth and why women have the 'mothering instinct'!! I don't think it is unreasonable to expect your partner to actually watch the kids and keep them safe when you are going to pick up other children from school. Even my partner, who is usually pretty good, still slips up and I have to 'save the day' again! Usually this happens with our girls fighting, and always when feeding our new baby so I know how frustrating it is. Mean! He needs a lesson in what mean is. He can get his own food, do his own washing and be on nappy duty for a month! Well, that's what would happen here any ways.
• United States
26 Sep 08
Well in this situation i would ahve to say that the other half thats in the house should ahve stoped him front comming out the door to begin with knowing you was already out the driveway going to get the other son. I must sad thats a very sad parent if hes willing to let the child run around like that.
1 person likes this
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
29 Sep 08
That's how I feel too. If someone called ME mean because I yelled at my kid to get back in the house because she was barefoot AND my husband did not stop her from running outside in the first place, I would be irritated. There's a responsibility to being a parent and it doesn't mean you place it squarely on the other parent when you don't feel like intervening and you're the one who should.