I went to the laundromat today so that I could actually have some clean clothes to wear, and was plagued by one of my biggest pet peeves. Children, largely ignored, in the laundromat.
I realize that you may need to take your children with you to the laundromat. It happens. The laundry has to be done, you don’t really have another time you can do it, and frankly, there is no one around to watch the kids. However, that does not mean you get to bring them to the laundromat and allow them to annoy all the other patrons there.
Today we had a woman bring in three kids, all of them 5 or under. Two boys and a girl. The girl was the youngest. The mom started putting the clothes in the washing machines and just saying “so and so come back here” or “get over here.” No stopping what she was doing and getting the kids and bringing them back. Oh no, just holler at them and if they don’t do it, holler again a couple minutes later. The only time she did go get one of the kids was when the little girl attempted to go through the door that connects the laundromat to the gas station next door’s kitchen area.
Then she finishes loading the machines and sends the boys to use the change machine to get quarters. That’s great. Gives them something to do. Except they’re not tall enough to reach the machine. So the laundromat attendant had to come over and help them because the mom wouldn’t do it.
So finally the loads are washing and she takes the three kids next door to the gas station to get chicken, potato wedges, and a 32 oz soda. They bring it back to the laundromat and start eating while the clothes wash. No problem right? Wrong. First the boys wouldn’t let the girl have any of the soda. The mom finally made them give her the soda, but then the mom would only let the girl have potato wedges to eat, she wouldn’t let the girl have chicken. Now of course, there could have been some underlying medical condition that made her not let the girl have the chicken, but still. There was no reason not to feed that child something even if she had to go back to the gas station to get something for the girl.
So after all that is through, the boys put a couple quarters in the pool table and play an interesting version of pool (without cue sticks). However, the little girl isn’t allowed to play, so she’s bored. So she starts trying to play with the boys (what would you expect) and they keep shoving her down. The mom did nothing about the boys shoving her (the girl was like 2 yrs old), just told them not to let the little girl play. Then when the little girl was screaming and crying, the mom told her that if she didn’t shut up, she’d have to sit in the car – in the 90 degree heat. She didn’t follow through with that, and it’s a good thing, because if she had, I’d have gone to the pay phone and called the police right then and there.
Even the laundromat attendant was not happy at all with the way that mom was acting and handling the kids. I frankly told the attendant when the mom took the kids outside with her while she smoked that they should be asked to leave since she wasn’t interested in controlling her children. There are signs all over the laundromat stating that you must control your kids. The attendant agreed and said that if the kids weren’t better behaved when they came back in, she’d inform the mom that they had to leave.
Well, the kids weren’t any better controlled when they came back in, but fortunately, all the mom had left was to fold a couple of items and haul the stuff to the car.
What angered me the most was probably the way that the mom refused to let the little girl have the chicken and wouldn’t get her anything else to eat and the fact that she did nothing to discipline the boys for shoving the little girl down. Do I have kids? No, but frankly, I don’t believe in letting the older kids bully the younger ones, I don’t believe in not feeding a 2 yr old just because they don’t want what was put in front of them (especially when there are other items available), and I don’t believe in taking kids to a laundromat without bringing something for them to do.
What is wrong with parents these days?
Oh and don’t get me started on the boy with his grandfather, who let this kid eat 3 pieces of fried chicken, heaven only knows how many potato wedges, at least 6 corn dogs, and drink a 1L Mtn Dew AND 2 cans of RedBull – and the kid wasn’t more than 10 (and HUGE).
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Singer7
July 24th, 2009
I can understand where ur coming from!! Some parents just get fed up and tired of their acting up…so, they may ignore it!!! That just may be my pet peeve as well. on the flipside…I love ur blog!! It’s very intriquing and interesting!!! Check out my blog and see what u think!! THANX!!!
Joana
July 28th, 2009
For the most part, children at laundromats are a major pet peeve period. I can say, with complete honesty, that I was never that bad as a child. If I couldn’t stay with my grandfather on Saturdays then I went to help at the laundromat. I was expected to sit in a chair and read or play quietly when the clothes were in the machine and not bother the other people. When the clothes came out I helped load them in the dryer and helped fold. If I was good I’d get a soda and a bag of chips, maybe, while we were there. If I misbehaved my mother made certain I knew she had no qualms putting me in my place and there would be a reckoning when we got home. My grandmother? Hell, you just did not embarrass that woman in public period.
To me, if your kids misbehave and act out like that then that’s a sign that as their parent, their disciplinarian, you’ve failed. They may be young, but they should know the basics of good and bad behavior and understand that there is a price to pay for bad behavior. Frankly, I think parents are too afraid now to lay down the law lest it be “child abuse”. As a result, the kids constantly push the envelope because they know there will be no real punishment.
That’s not even taking into consideration the folks who just should not be parents. If you’re a parent you are responsible for another life, you raise them and show them how it’s done so to speak. If the parent lacks the maturity then how can they properly raise kids?
Just my 2 cents. I shall now step off of my soapbox.
.-= Joana´s last blog ..Of Moldy Towels and Towel Thieves =-.