While we were there, we saw, what had to be, the most clueless dad on the planet.
This guy was with his three children… the oldest of whom, a boy, was about 4 or 5. The next oldest was a very cute girl who was three at the most, and in a stroller, there was an infant of indeterminate sex.
This guy had gotten food, and then ice cream cones for his older kids, which was a spilling disaster. He went and got cups for the ice cream so it wouldn't all end up on the floor. He used his pen knife to cut the cups to the proper size. While he was getting the cups, the daughter squatted on her chair , and a minute or so later, a man from another table told the dad that his daughter's diaper was leaking... there was pee pooling on the chair and floor. The embarrassed dad took his daughter out to their car, to get her changed and cleaned up.
While the hapless dad, took his daughter out to their Jeep Liberty to change her, he had left the older kid to watch the infant (which I think he was too young to do, but maybe that's just me). Once he was finished, he returned and cleaned up the urine that had gotten all over the chair… and floor. While he was doing that, the daughter was playing with the guy's pen knife, which was still opened. I looked around and saw the most interesting (and wonderful) thing; all of the men in the dining area (all three of us) were zeroed in on this kid with the knife! As I was closest, I said: "Hey, sweetie… be REALLLLY careful with that" loud enough to get dad's attention. He looked up and immediately took the knife, and thanked me.
He did a few more dumb/inattentive things before they finally got out the door, including leaving the oldest kid with the youngest in the bloody parking lot, as he took the middle kid to the bathroom, again.
Once they were in their car and on the way, my fellow dads and I all looked at each other and shook our heads. I am certain that the very same word going through each of our heads: Rookie!
18 comments:
Yeesh! After years teaching kids of all ages, it never failed to astound me how devoid of common sense some parents can be.
Thanks for visiting my blog - it took me way too long to get back to it!
No worries, A... and welcome!
GF
All I can do is shake my head at that. I have to assume that mom was mad at him and needed to teach him a lesson for something, so she sent him out with all of the kids...lol.
I hope that guy's wife reads this and realizes her mistake in having him babysit.
"...this and realizes her mistake in having him babysit."
Danger Will Robinson!
Des, when men are with their kids, we aren't babysitting. We are being parents.
I realize that this guy was kind of a dope, but... still.
Sorry, hot button issue for me... maybe I'll tell the story tomorrow.
I bet if it had been a mom instead someone would have said something to her.
I have had a few run ins with parents similar to this one, and it is usually when they are too outnumbered to maintain control.
Being a teacher I have an inexplicable need to correct other people's children, so you can imagine I find it difficult to hold my tongue. :) I have even gone so far as to grab the arm of a child who was making a mad dash to the street. I always try to think of how I would feel if someone else did that to my child. At the time, I decided I would be grateful if someone stopped my child from running into a busy street. I did have a mom save my daughter from falling out of the cart when she was an infant. I was busy doing my "Mother of the Year" too busy shopping to notice my daughter climbing out routine.....yeah, not embarassing AT ALL! (hee-hee)
In other words, keep doing what your doing! We parents have to bond together!
PS: I LOVE Neil Diamond!
Oh oh oh!!! My friends are talking to each other!!! GF, Ambassador is one of my oldest friends (and gives me my hag cred). I'm so glad you two met.
Love the music - any Red Sox fan would.
But seriously - to just leave a knife like that on the table is outrageous. I won't let my kids near a butter knife.
Me like Chick-Fil-A too! :)
Oyyyeee....
*shakes head*
Holy Crap! I think I'd have an issue seeing some guy doing that. I'm not sure I wouldn't blow a gasket or eight if I were in your position, but then again... perhaps I'd be nice enough to just keep enough of an eye out for the kids.
So, I'm a little neurotic... :)
Oh, I feel bad for the poor guy. Three young kids, one with a diaper issue, all with food needs. It's HARD! I bet he left, feeling like the world's biggest idiot, and loving and appreciating his wife more than ever. He was dumb, of course, and lucky that no one got hurt, but he's definitely learned something for next time around.
(Oh, and babysitting is a bad word at my house too. No one DARES to say that a Dad is "babysitting" his own children around me, for fear of the wrath of Brillig. Can't wait to hear your story on the subject.)
Thanks for the comments on my blog today--some funny, some very insightful!
Yah I have nothing to add to your post except to say; love the pickles on the sandwich.
Looks like he needs to spend more time watching the kids. The only way to get better is to practice, but maybe his wife should come along just to supervise.:-)
Welcome Tsiporah!
Maybe this guy should just start being a full parent instead of just "watching" the kids.
Ah, I realize my error now... whereas you were doing all the right things, this guy clearly wasn't.
leads me to believe that his wife does all the caregiving and needed a break and coerced him into it, vs your choice to do it.
It's the choice that makes the difference between parenting and babysitting.
Great post! I actually found this while researching an article I recently published at Associated Content.
Post a Comment