Amusing incident in the supermarket

[unpardoned1]

Perhaps the child had special needs? You can't always tell by looking at them.

Taking my 8 year old son shopping can be a nightmare. (He has Asperger's Syndrome which is an autism spectrum disorder. ) We get in and out as quickly as possible, but sometimes there are still plenty of dirty looks and nasty comments from annoyed shoppers.

I agree, it could have been. My 5 year old was sooo sick today, he was screaming with an earache and we had no tylenol. I had to take him in the store in a crying screaming state so that I could get him his medicine quick. I opened the bottle right there in the isle and gave him the three disolve quick pills and he felt better within 10 minutes, but waiting in the checkout was hard. He was crying for someone to make the pain go away. The people in front of me were the only pain I had since they couldn't of just let me go. I only had 2 items. lol.

 

[unpardoned1]

Maybe. It's still rattling on the nerves though, and I (and the cashier too, apparently) know I wouldn't be able to handle it if I were in that mother's shoes. Which is what this thread is about. It's not a judgment of the mother, it's about us and our inability to handle such things. Which is why we are childfree. And which is why I posted this thread in the Childfree Forum.

No one is judging you, I know I just visit out of curiousity and maybe a little envy of those that may have a bit more free time. lol. I think its a good choice not to have kids when you know you wouldn't want to deal with those things.

 

[Amélie Unbound]

I think its a good choice not to have kids when you know you wouldn't want to deal with those things.

It's more than just not wanting to. It's truly not being able to handle it. I could be considered "special needs" myself, as I am a highly sensitive person in the clinical sense (and at the highest end of the scale, too), meaning that my nervous system is more sensitive to stimulus and to subtleties than the average person's. Things that are only mildly annoying to other people are almost devastating to me. In a situation like the one previously described, I would likely be unable to function.

 

[unpardoned1]

It's more than just not wanting to. It's truly not being able to handle it. I could be considered "special needs" myself, as I am a highly sensitive person in the clinical sense (and at the highest end of the scale, too), meaning that my nervous system is more sensitive to stimulus and to subtleties than the average person's. Things that are only mildly annoying to other people are almost devastating to me. In a situation like the one previously described, I would likely be unable to function.

I understand. Thanks for explaining that.

My first and my second are almost 7 years apart. My first was so tough I didn't think I would ever want another. My second came along and he was so easy. My third has presented me with challenges that have left me baffled. He's 3 and he screams, kicks, bites, and he acts like he hates me. I'm having a tough time lately. I have to get help to learn how to deal with his behavior. I know that I made the choice to have a third and I honestly thought he would be much like my second, but now I firmly believe personality is partly set at birth. The kid came out frowning. lol. He can be loving, but most of the times, he acts like the typical terrible twos. Sorry, I just needed to vent a little.

 

[fuzzymel]

I was told I was the ultimate brat when I was a child.

DH was hyperactive and very hard to control (he would run off every chance he got).

I just know if we had a child it would be a mix of the two and be such a nightmare.

 

[Amélie Unbound]

I was told I was the ultimate brat when I was a child.

DH was hyperactive and very hard to control (he would run off every chance he got).

I just know if we had a child it would be a mix of the two and be such a nightmare.

In my and my husband's case, I actually think that if our child turned out like us, things would be pretty good. We were both quiet, introverted, bookish, well-behaved kids. But my fear is that personality might skip a generation. In which case, we'd be screwed.

 

[snoochface]

In my and my husband's case, I actually think that if our child turned out like us, things would be pretty good. We were both quiet, introverted, bookish, well-behaved kids. But my fear is that personality might skip a generation. In which case, we'd be screwed.

For some reason, that made me literally laugh out loud.

 

[HeyHomie]

In my and my husband's case, I actually think that if our child turned out like us, things would be pretty good. We were both quiet, introverted, bookish, well-behaved kids. But my fear is that personality might skip a generation. In which case, we'd be screwed.

I always figured that God would get even with me and Mrs. Homie for getting exasperated at other peoples' little monsters by giving us ill-behaved little heathens. Fortunately, it didn't happen that way.

 

[lin1235]

What she said. This forum is meant for the childfree. Parents are welcome to fellowship here, but we don't post with a parent's view in mind - we don't know what it's like to be a parent, and parents don't know what it's like to be childfree - as I noticed in this thread. If I wanted to share things with parents, I would post it in the parenting forum.

I appreciate the posts of parents in this forum, but if parents suspect that they might get offended by posts here, they can always choose not to visit this forum. We all know that some parents can't understand why anyone would be childfree, and that they can be offended by our views on parenting or children. We all know that as we experience it in our daily lives. And then we write about it in this forum, our only place to share these experiences - most of us don't have childfree friends in our immediate circle of real-life friends.

Parents, or people who want to be parents, are a majority. They can share their experiences with the majority of people in their surroundings, as well as online. Most people will understand, or have had similar experiences. It's hard to find other childfree people.

The only reason why I joined CF is this forum, the childfree section. And actually it's the only forum I'm staying for, after the recent changes. When I write posts in this forum, I have the childfree in mind as my audience. I agree with snoochface, if I offend parents with my posts - quite unintentionally, as I never mean to hurt anyone, and all I do write is my own experiences, they are not meant to be generalizations, so don't assume that I view all kids or all parents the same way as that is not true at all - then so be it. They are written for the childfree, to share my feelings, to get understanding, or to tell a funny story, or whatnot.

The OP amused me because my experiences with supermarket employees is the opposite, they always give me the "awwww... don't you just love kids?" look or speech. It's nice to see the other side for a change.

I know this thread has moved on from the controversy, but wanted to respond to this quickly.

As some here knows, I have absolutely no problem with the child-free mindset even though I love my daughter madly. Part of the reason why I visit this forum is that I understand the way of thinking (I've posted before about the fact that my dh and I would probably have been happy childfree), and partly because I think it will make me a better parent if I can understand the impact of my children on others. So a thread like this, while it may offend me on a certain level, is also immensely valuable from a learning perspective. And even if it wasn't, nobody forced me to read it so I have no excuse for responding in an offended tone.

This forum was created so that the child-free here can have a safe place. I'm sorry, on behalf of parents, that you get invaded every now and then. Every parent who posts something insulting or insulted here deserves the responses they get.

 

[Epoh99]

...
partly because I think it will make me a better parent if I can understand the impact of my children on others. So a thread like this, while it may offend me on a certain level, is also immensely valuable from a learning perspective. And even if it wasn't, nobody forced me to read it so I have no excuse for responding in an offended tone.

This forum was created so that the child-free here can have a safe place. I'm sorry, on behalf of parents, that you get invaded every now and then. Every parent who posts something insulting or insulted here deserves the responses they get.

What a great post! Thanks for the support and Christian kindness you always extend when you post on here.

I almost didn't post my little story on here because of the controversy I saw as I was reading through this thread this morning but after your nice post I decided to share.

Yesterday I had the day off of work so I met my husband at Subway by his work for lunch. This lady and her adorable little girl, around 2 1/2 years old, were meeting another lady for lunch. At first I thought this little girl was going to be well-behaved. HA! Her mother was too busy socializing with the other woman to pay any attention to the little girl so the daughter was running around and screaming/screeching. My husband and I actually cut our lunch short and some people left because of this little girl. I was so mad at the mom it was all I could do to not go up to them (I am not a confrontational person, lucky for her ). From watching them the daughter was screaming/screeching because she couldn't get the mom's attention. For example, she patted her mom on the arm and said, "I gotta pee." Her mom completely ignores her so the girl starts the AWFUL screeching. I shouldn't have it allowed it to but I did let it ruin my nice lunch with my husband.

 

[Rebekka]

I know this thread has moved on from the controversy, but wanted to respond to this quickly.

As some here knows, I have absolutely no problem with the child-free mindset even though I love my daughter madly. Part of the reason why I visit this forum is that I understand the way of thinking (I've posted before about the fact that my dh and I would probably have been happy childfree), and partly because I think it will make me a better parent if I can understand the impact of my children on others. So a thread like this, while it may offend me on a certain level, is also immensely valuable from a learning perspective. And even if it wasn't, nobody forced me to read it so I have no excuse for responding in an offended tone.

This forum was created so that the child-free here can have a safe place. I'm sorry, on behalf of parents, that you get invaded every now and then. Every parent who posts something insulting or insulted here deserves the responses they get.

Thank you!

Yesterday I had the day off of work so I met my husband at Subway by his work for lunch. This lady and her adorable little girl, around 2 1/2 years old, were meeting another lady for lunch. At first I thought this little girl was going to be well-behaved. HA! Her mother was too busy socializing with the other woman to pay any attention to the little girl so the daughter was running around and screaming/screeching. My husband and I actually cut our lunch short and some people left because of this little girl. I was so mad at the mom it was all I could do to not go up to them (I am not a confrontational person, lucky for her ). From watching them the daughter was screaming/screeching because she couldn't get the mom's attention. For example, she patted her mom on the arm and said, "I gotta pee." Her mom completely ignores her so the girl starts the AWFUL screeching. I shouldn't have it allowed it to but I did let it ruin my nice lunch with my husband.

Aww.. I feel sorry for the girl. It's awful when parents completely ignore their kids (especially when the kid has to go to the toilet!) - no wonder they start screaming, if normal speech doesn't work!

 

[Epoh99]

Aww.. I feel sorry for the girl...

I know, so did I...especially after hearing her say she had to go to the bathroom. Poor thing.