My kid turned into a monster in public today, and the other women seemed to judge me

Photo byTimothy EberlyonUnsplash

Today, my child had a full-blown meltdown in public. It was a sight to see, complete with hitting, screaming, and biting. However, what made me angrier was the behavior of the adults around me.

First, there were a few young, child-free women who quickly avoided eye contact and left the area as fast as possible. I didn't blame them; they didn't want to be involved, and that was fine.

Then, there was an older woman who kept trying to make eye contact with me so she could give me a sympathetic smile. I didn't want her pity and made every effort to avoid her.

Some people thought they were being helpful by addressing my child directly with a cheerful, "Why are you crying?" Clearly, they didn't understand how a meltdown works.

Others took on the role of authority figures and yelled at my child. Please, just go away; you're not an authority figure to anyone.

And then there were the starers, as well as the panel of judges.

All I wanted was practical assistance to help me control my child. To all those who desperately want to be involved, please be useful and push the cart for me, unload my groceries onto the counter, or pick up items that may have fallen down. I'm not expecting anyone to be involved, but if you want to be, please be helpful.

The women who ran away from us like they were winning the 200m sprint were the most helpful. They understood that they didn't want to be involved, and they acted accordingly. I appreciate that they gave us space to get on with it and get out of there.

If you want to be involved, be involved, and be helpful. Otherwise, please uninvolve yourself so I can get on with shopping and managing my child.