It had been a miserable day weather wise, the Mummy was on maternity leave and thought the five year old needed to get out and spend some of his energy running about. What's more fun that a soft play on a wet day?
The 5 year old was having a lovely time running around. The baby however wasn't. She was fractious and tired. The baby needed to sleep, she was screaming and crying. The Mummy was rocking the buggy but the baby never slept in the buggy, life was far too interesting.
The Mummy rocked, she tried feeding the baby, she checked the baby's nappy. She did everything she could think of. People were staring. People were glaring. And tutting. The baby continued to scream, not a quiet cry. Huge racking screams.
Beneath the glares of other parents, there was no sympathy. Just looks of condemnation. "How can she let that baby cry for so long? Why doesn't she do something?" Not one person who looked over as if to say "hey, we're all parents, we've all been there". No concern apart from one elderly gentleman, possibly a Grandparent who just said "It gets easier".
At the back of the soft play, the Mummy cried, She gathered up her happy 5 year old, the screaming baby and left. She cried all the way home.
Sometimes we all need a gentle word or even a kind look. Just a half smile to acknowledge you recognise what someone else is going through.
A kind word can go a long way.
I LOVE this and how true it is. A kind word DOES go a long way, its something people too often forget in this age of technology.
ReplyDeleteI realise this sounds a bit "ranty" but people are losing social skills because they live in an online world, I've seen it with various children, they spend their lives on the internet, their social circle covers the globe, but within their interactions there are no reality checks - one can say something "mean" to the other with little or no consequence, where as in "real life" you have a reality check, you get the consequence, be it guilt at seeing the hurt you have caused, a punch in the face for being rude, or the disapproval of your peers. Sorry for the rant.
Kind words cost nothing, thank you for the reminder, I will make my goal to say at least one kind thing to someone per day.
I've certainly been there, my friend. I always offer a sympathetic smile to people in that situation but I do worry it comes off the wrong way.
ReplyDeletePeople can be so insensitive! As if you would choose to have your baby scream! I agree that a sympathetic look can go a long way. Certainly better than judging!
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up to #AnythingGoes
Debbie
www.myrandommusings.blogspot.com
Even now when I think about that day it brings tears to my eyes. I felt so alone and there was one particular family who were SO judging. I always try and at least give a sympathetic look to hassled Mums. It's bloody hard work parenting!
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