Yesterday, early afternoon, I took Paul for a walk down to the park. We live near a great park with all neat things for the kids and a great place for grown ups to walk! Anyways, we make our way over to the little play area for the kids. It's got the things kids crawl up and go down the regular slides or down thru the tube slides, monkey bars, yadda yadda yadda...... Well this little play area is situated off to the side of where everyone walks. The walking area is all paved and in the center is a baseball field and soccer field......it's all grass. The walking path, so it's called, goes around the entire park......
Ok so anyways, back to my story.......
I usually park my stroller over in the grass and we cross the walking path over to the play area. I park it there because Paul likes to push it randomly while were suppose to be in the "play area" and I would rather him push on the grass (in case he falls) then on the payment.
So he's running around playing and I see this girl pushing a stoller up the walk way and this little boy is running in front of her crying his eyes out. Well as she get's closer, I realize that I know her (but haven't seen her in like forever) So the conversation goes......
Me: Sandy!! (Her name is the same as mine so easy to remember)
Her: Sandy!!
Me: How are you?!?!
Her: I'm ok, how are you?
Me: Good
Her: (Talking to her little boy) NO! Now stop it! I said STOP IT! (Wacks him three times on the butt and wisks him up.)
Her: Sorry about that...
Me: (Smiling cause I'm alittle shocked by what she just did) That's ok.......How old is he?
Her: He's 2.....well almost 2.......he's ummm 22 months or something like that
Me: Awww, he's small.......Look at my guy, he's only 16 months and look at the size of him
Her: Well he was born premature........he was only 2 lbs (some odd ounces).....I went into labor when I was 17 weeks and they had to stop it, and then again at 22 weeks and again at 26 weeks and he was born at 30 weeks.
Me: Oh wow.....
(Now keep in mind, the entire time we are talking this little boy is crying his eyes out)
Her: Yea he's in therapy now (I forget why she said) he's got 2 more to go. He has lots of medical problems (kinda rolling her eyes)
Me: Awwww
Her: This is my first and last one, I'm to old for this!
Me: Now you know why they say to have children early, so you can keep up with them!
Her: Yea and when your younger you have more patience!
Now the little boy proceeds to run over to my stroller and grabs it. She runs after him, wacks him on the butt a few more times while saying THAT IS NOT OURS NOT STOP IT!
Her: Is that your stroller?
Me: Yes
Her: We have one just like it and he thought it was his
Me: Oh that's ok........
Her: I don't live around here anymore did you know that?
Me: No....where are you at now?
Her: I'm in Lancaster.....
Me: Oh, are you here visiting?
Her: No, my mother just died and I'm here for the viewing and funeral
Me: Oh I'm so sorry.......
Her: Thanks....... I had to get him out of the house because his whining is driving my father nuts. He's been like this for 2 days and I dont' know what to do with him.
(Now child is still crying off and on)
Her: HE BETTER GET IT ALL OUT NOW BEFORE WE GET BACK HOME I'LL TELL YA!
Her: Well I better get going, sorry for all his crying, good to see you again
Me: That's ok, take care.......
Now.......This woman was obviously under stress but my god, you can't keep wacking a 2 year old and expect him to stop crying! In one breath she telling me how many medical problems he has and then she's hitting him. Maybe something was bothering this little boy that he was crying like that! I would never think of hitting my child like that, let alone while I'm carrying on a conversation with someone! Should I have said something? Maybe, but who am I? I didn't know her THAT well to say, hey take it easy on him or do you need a break?
I don't know, as I think about it, I think I was more in shock at the entire situation than anything. If I could go back and have the chance to say something I probably would, what? I don't know....... Maybe she would have started yelling at ME than telling me to mind my own business! Well it's done and over with but it still bothers me, obviously if I'm writing about it....
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