Confessions of a new dad, vol. 12: Other children's parents

Being a parent, one can't help but observe (and okay, maybe judge a little) the acts and practices of other parents. As a fellow parent, there is a level of sympathy and understanding when it comes to dealing with someone else's unruly or noisy child in a public situation- but there are limits. When I'm out in public trying to feed my little girl, or trying to calm her so as to avoid a melt down I'm not unrealistic in my desires. I understand that silence or even reasonable quiet is not going to happen, but when some reasonable facsimile of it is spoiled by the actions of another child- I have no patience. And while it's easy to find yourself annoyed at the offending party, the ire shouldn't directed at the child- who, let's face it, is only acting like a child- but at the parent, who can tend to be either encouraging the calamity or allowing it to take place by indifference.

I'm not talking about the parent with the crying baby. Or with the toddler who wants something and isn't getting his way. Those are situations where can be more or less out of the parents control and everyone around needs to just ride wave. No I'm talking about the parents oblivious to polite society- or at the very least oblivious to the presence of others in the world.

Like the parent who permits their child to ride around the store in perhaps the squeakiest- no, piercing-est sounding tricycle in the history of squeaky tricycles. Like really loud. And I'm across the store thinking- how is that not bothering you? How is is it you can continue to talk amongst yourselves as your child makes my ears bleed and disturbs my daughter's peacefulness. And maybe that's the only thing keeping their child from melting down, but you know what? It's not working for me. Don't "fix" your problem by potentially causing one for me. Not cool.

Same goes for the guy who's keeping his kid entertained to the point where it's annoying. He's either making too much noise himself, or getting his kid so riled up that the squeals and giggles start to resemble that tricycle.  I mean, I applaud your attentiveness to your child- but remember you are in a public place, and not everyone in the world needs to be reminded of just what sound a piggy makes over and over again.

But worst of all is the parent whose child can do no wrong. Who celebrates their child's behavior when there's no cause for it. Like the older brother of one of my little girl's day-care mates. Old enough to know better (I'm guessing 8 or 9), this kid was constantly sticking his face right up to my little one's face, and tossing her stuffed bunny into her stroller at her as if she was expected to catch it. "Oh let's not do that," I'm saying trying to sound as playful and non-threatening possible, all the while hoping for a little assistance from his mother. And although she was talking to the day-care lady, she she was not far away and could plainly see what was happening. All I got though was a smile, as if we were all playing some fun game. And when her kid proceeded to stick his dirty hands (no exaggeration, there was dirt caked under his nails) into my daughters my mouth I said much louder and sterner, "All right no hands in the mouth please," when what I really wanted to do was smack the kid into next week. All the while I am trying to make my way by the kid in the narrow hallway so I can get to the elevator and home. But to my dismay I am delayed long enough so we all have to share the elevator ride together. Me, my little girl, her day-care mate and his oblivious mom, and Dirty McFilthyhands the older brother. In the elevator he continues to lean over and stick his face into my daughter's stroller thereby encouraging his little brother to do the same. Keeping one eye on them and trying to fend them off, I look to the mom for some sort of reprieve but all she says is "Oh, he loves little babies- he's such a good big brother!" I want to scream. Are we riding the same elevator?!! Are we on the same planet??!!

Now I am certainly not telling anyone how to parent their own children- just as it pertains to and affects my little one. Do whatever you want in your home and your lives, as long as I don't have to compensate for your seeming lack of social perception. I just hope that I can impart to my daughter that a little respect of your surroundings goes along way.