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I just went to the grocery store and there was a woman who was standing directly in front of the sliding glass door at the entrance. She was on a cell phone and screaming at the top of her lungs at whoever was on the other end. She told the person that she was going to kill them and every other word was an obscenity. I had the feeling that it was her husband or boyfriend. What really upset me was the fact that she had a little boy who appeared to be about five or six years old and he was standing beside her and he looked terrified. I had the feeling that this was her young son.
I don't know if this is worthy of starting a thread but I just felt like I needed to vent my frustrations. Children who are subjected to this sort of behavior by a parent often become troubled and have serious problems in life. I've witnessed other events over the years when a parent appeared to be acting completely irresponsibly but this was one of the worst I've seen in awhile. I did tell someone in the store about it but she had left by then. My basic feeling is that there should be an intervention of something like this by law enforcement with help from social workers or someone with the authority to remove a child from this environment if they feel it is warranted. I realize that this is drastic action but I think we need to accept the fact that there are certain people who are not fit to be parents and society should consider the well being of the child to be more important than the rights of a parent. Any thoughts?
I would guess that most parents are frustrated by parenthood at some point. Many of those frustrated parents say things that are hurtful to their kids. I don't think that every time something like that happens the parents are unfit.
I once told my husband that I was going to velcro his kids to the wall.
I think calling social services to intervene because someone is yelling and swearing in front of their kid is over-kill.
I agree with you on this RKB0305. Just because the woman on the phone was yelling at someone else saying vile and disgusting things in front of a child doesn't mean that the child is being abused or neglected. Yes she should have not done it in front of the child but sometimes, as another poster stated people as parents do things that don't win them the "good parent award". Calling the police too is a bit overkill. She wasn't threatening her child and if I was in your position I would have approached the lady politely and told her "I understand that you are very angry right now, but for the sake of your child and the public, please tone it down. Its not right."I once had someone do this to me as I was getting into a very loud nasty vile arguement with a member of Jetblue. A woman was standing nearby with her children and her husband approached me with the same sort of response. I quickly apologised and toned it down. And he told me afterwards he too would never fly Jetblue again because he too wanted to say all the nasty things I did regarding our luggage but couldn't because his children were there.
This past summer I was voluteering at this church and I witnessed a very sad scene. The mom was talking on the phone, being 5 feet AHEAD of a 5-6 year old boy while he's trailing BEHIND her. He looked very bored and lonely (like he's walking and swinging his arms back and forth). She just didn't care about him. I'm thinking, what's her problem? Did he disobey her? Made her mad? Idk... But it was not cool.
Honestly, I have to say that as a young mother, seeing OTHER people behave not-so-great around their kids was the best lesson against it I ever had. When my first ones were little, I'd get worked up around them, on the phone...talking to someone....AFTER talking to someone on the phone....at THEM for things. It was only when I was around other people who did the same thing, watching those little ones' faces, watching their reactions while they were watching them, etc., that I was truly aware of how it affected them. Sometimes, seeing the way others behave is like looking at yourself in a mirror and sometimes it's not pretty....but it can be a real eye opener. LOL
All of this is further proof that cell phones are an evil conspiracy to turn the human race over to the dark side.
I was convinced when they came out with the first portable phone, that let people step away from the desk and talk to someone while sitting on the toilet. I didn't get one of those either.
If I want to talk on the phone, I do it at my desk or in the kitchen near the counter, where the phone is attached to the wall by a spring-cord. People yelling into cell phones makes ME angry. It makes everyone angry. It upsets the kids, it upsets employees, it upsets customers, it upsets bosses, it upsets pets. Just toss them all in the trash.
All of this is further proof that cell phones are an evil conspiracy to turn the human race over to the dark side.
I was convinced when they came out with the first portable phone, that let people step away from the desk and talk to someone while sitting on the toilet. I didn't get one of those either.
If I want to talk on the phone, I do it at my desk or in the kitchen near the counter, where the phone is attached to the wall by a spring-cord. People yelling into cell phones makes ME angry. It makes everyone angry. It upsets the kids, it upsets employees, it upsets customers, it upsets bosses, it upsets pets. Just toss them all in the trash.
ROTFLOL!! OMG!! Not the cell phones! You can't mean that! What would people do without cell phones! To not be able to be on the phone anywhere, anytime, with anyone you please, whenever you please. Do you realize how many BFFs would be lost without thier umbilical cords!? Dear God, what would some folks DO if they couldn't be reach their friends IMMEDIATELY...just to tell them that someone looked at them funny!!
I think calling social services to intervene because someone is yelling and swearing in front of their kid is over-kill.
I would agree with that in the great majority of situations but this woman was screaming "I'm gonna kill you motherf****" into that phone and people who were walking into the store were keeping their distance from her. It's something you would have to have seen for yourself because she really appeared threatening and she was standing right in front of the store entrance so that a few people went into the exit door just to avoid walking by her. And as I mentioned the little boy looked like he was really afraid. It's true that I don't know what was being said on the other end of the line but it's possible that this boy has two parents who are both nut jobs. If a police officer had been there and witnessed this event I believe he would have questioned her about the situation and why she was threatening to kill someone.
My grand daughter and her husband were out for dinner the other night and saw a 7 month pregnant woman down 2 beers in a matter of a few minutes, then take her other child and get in the car and drive off..
Some people have no business being parents..AT ALL!
I get that there are irresponsible and selfish people out there who have become parents... but calling social services or the police on this instance is definitely over-kill IMO as one poster said. You never know what provoked that woman to respond like that. Granted, I would NEVER say it's ok to yell like that in front of the kids... And before anyone says anything, I'm not a shouter or cusser.
Instead, I might talk to the mom or try to talk to the kids (distract them) not sure... but calling authorities...naaahhh.
I will say that we all grow up with things that aren't right from our parents. Some of us have happier and more stable families while others don't. It doesn't mean we won't grow up "normal" and to be ok people. I wouldn't want another 5-6 yr old introducing a bunch of swear words to my child in school because he/she heard them at home... but eventually it will all happen.
I start to think we're overreacting sometimes to the bad parent blips of today... when I think about what I endured growing up... jeesh, someone would have called social services numerous times then... but I turned out fine, and am raising my kids in a calm and responsible and respectable manner.
Last edited by liloulou; 11-08-2010 at 08:10 AM..
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OMG!! Not the cell phones! You can't mean that! What would people do without cell phones! To not be able to be on the phone anywhere, anytime, with anyone you please, whenever you please. Do you realize how many BFFs would be lost without thier umbilical cords!? Dear God, what would some folks DO if they couldn't be reach their friends IMMEDIATELY...just to tell them that someone looked at them funny!! 
