My writing spot of choice is unfortunately limited to a not-so-local Starbucks, so I overhear a lot of things I'd rather not. A few moments ago, I overheard a "preppy" mom telling her son over the phone that if she ever hears him cuss again, she'll punch him in the face, because he is a CHILD, and therefore he doesn't get to cuss.
So...what can I say to a mom who bullies her kid over the phone that will make things better for everyone?
Should I tell her how I felt when my mother spoke to me that way, how my mother died when I was 12, and 18 years later all I remember are the mean things that she said?
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| It feels great to be talked to as if your feelings don't matter, don't ya think? |
Is it my place to pull a seat up to her table and ask her and her friends, who were laughing encouragingly as they listened to her side of the conversation, to really think about what they are teaching their kids when they threaten their children with violence, how they create either bullies or victims rather than healthy, happy young people who become happy, healthy adults?
It's a tempting thought, but I'm afraid I would just burst into tears out of empathy for their poor kids, for the poor kid that I was.
What can you say to someone you don't even know that might open their mind just a little bit, maybe inspire them to treat their children with love and respect?
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