Friday, January 6, 2012

Dear Unengaged Parent

Dear Unengaged Parent at an Unnamed Fast Food Restaurant,

I sincerely hope that you enjoyed your lunch today while I unwillingly baby-sat your child in the restaurant play area.  However, I feel it is necessary that I share with you a few pieces of wisdom common sense that might be useful to you in the future.

First of all, dropping your child(ren) in a play area and "watching" him through a SOUNDPROOF plate glass window while eating your lunch and talking on your cell phone is NOT proper parental supervision.  (Lucky for you, a highly qualified, former teacher was available today to pick up the proverbial ball you dropped.)

Also, you should be made aware that tapping on the glass and signaling to your child with non-descript hand gestures and/or mouthing words to him, does NOT count as discipline.  Just in case you were actually speaking to him, consider this a friendly reminder -  the glass is SOUNDPROOF, and HE CAN'T HEAR YOU!!!

Finally - and this is very important - you really should consider teaching your child some basic manners.  For example, your approximately 7 year old son jumped in my 4 year old daughter's face and growled at her like a monster.  While I'm certain he was only attempting to play a harmless game of "Scare the Pants Off Little Girls I Don't Know," it scared my daughter (and me) just a little.  Since I was the only adult supervising your child (and the other 7 children in the play area who also did not to belong to me), I very politely, yet firmly, asked him to please not do that again because my daughter didn't like it.  Now listen carefully - here's your part.  Growling at an adult who is making a simple and polite request is NOT an appropriate response from your son!!  It's YOUR job to teach him that!!!!  (I'm sure that phone call is very important, but so is raising your child.)

In closing, I would just like to add that it has NOT been "my pleasure" serving you today and I truly hope that your family and mine do not dine together again in the near future (or ever).  Having said that, good luck to you and your son (along with the other 7 children I supervised and their parents).

Sincerely,

A Rather Highly Annoyed Parent/Former Teacher/Unwilling Baby-sitter    

3 comments:

Martha said...

Mercy maud! What a day you've had! I have composed this same letter in my head more times than I care to admit. What is it about public play areas that bring out the worst in parents?

Sweet Carolina Grace said...

This cracks me up, because I know exactly how you feel! Oh, and about saying hello (and I guess, good-bye) to the squirrel your dog caught. We've had to do that with a baby squirrel and a little field mouse. Poor things.

Unknown said...

I have to bite my tongue to keep from saying it out loud to their face. and don't get me started on parents at Chuck-E-Cheese!

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