Today at work, a woman and her little daughter came into my store. The first thing this little girl did was swing the door open as hard as she could and it made a loud crashing sound. The mom was FURIOUS! She yelled at her daughter. I immediately started laughing, not at the mother yelling, but at the fact that this little girl didn't realize her own strength. It made me think of Elder Wirthlin's talk about laughing in times of stress. I giggled and winked at her, hoping it would keep her from crying. Of course, it didn't faze this little girl too much. She obviously got yelled at frequently. About 2 minutes later I looked over at her and she was staring at these pottery snowmen that my boss makes in amazement. As any curious little girl would do, she reached out to touch. Her mother yelled at her again. "Do NOT touch ANYTHING! You hear me!?" I don't know how the little girl wouldn't have been able to hear her screeching mother. I'm pretty sure all the little kids in Chucke Cheese two stores down from us heard her. The mother asked where some supplements were and I showed her the products she was looking for. We looked over and the little girl was on the floor just carelessly touching any and every supplement close. Her mother yelled at her again and this time the little girl bowed her head and started wimpering. The mother even used the phrase "This lady doesn't like when you touch things!" I of course didn't really care and was a little taken a back that the mother would turn it on me and make it seem like I was the one upset. The little girl looked up at me sadly like she had disappointed me. I just silently smiled, hoping she would know that it was alright. So, the mother started walking near the back of the store and I walked to the register. The little girl followed me and asked "Whatcha doin'?" Her mother immediately followed with, "Stop asking her questions. Leave her alone." I ignored the mother and started a conversation with this girl. I could obviously tell after about 15 questions how her mother found it annoying, but to me it was a curious little girl starving for attention. It made me sad to think that parents get so easily annoyed with their children and treat them in such a way. After spending time with my nephews at a grocery store, I know how hard it is to handle children in public places, but if they treat their children like this in public, how do they treat them at home? No wonder depression is the number one "illness" in America. ADHD and other similar problems in children, to me, can be easily avoided. It all starts in the home. I wanted to take this little girl home with me. Cook up a yummy dinner and read her a story. Cut her long bangs back from her beautiful little eyes and answer any question she could come up with. I know that parents do the best they can, but I wish they would take time to sit back and evaluate themselves. Satan is definitely abroad in the land and he is destroying everything. And guess where he starts. In the home.
Can't live without my music...
Monday, December 15, 2008
Joy of Children
Today at work, a woman and her little daughter came into my store. The first thing this little girl did was swing the door open as hard as she could and it made a loud crashing sound. The mom was FURIOUS! She yelled at her daughter. I immediately started laughing, not at the mother yelling, but at the fact that this little girl didn't realize her own strength. It made me think of Elder Wirthlin's talk about laughing in times of stress. I giggled and winked at her, hoping it would keep her from crying. Of course, it didn't faze this little girl too much. She obviously got yelled at frequently. About 2 minutes later I looked over at her and she was staring at these pottery snowmen that my boss makes in amazement. As any curious little girl would do, she reached out to touch. Her mother yelled at her again. "Do NOT touch ANYTHING! You hear me!?" I don't know how the little girl wouldn't have been able to hear her screeching mother. I'm pretty sure all the little kids in Chucke Cheese two stores down from us heard her. The mother asked where some supplements were and I showed her the products she was looking for. We looked over and the little girl was on the floor just carelessly touching any and every supplement close. Her mother yelled at her again and this time the little girl bowed her head and started wimpering. The mother even used the phrase "This lady doesn't like when you touch things!" I of course didn't really care and was a little taken a back that the mother would turn it on me and make it seem like I was the one upset. The little girl looked up at me sadly like she had disappointed me. I just silently smiled, hoping she would know that it was alright. So, the mother started walking near the back of the store and I walked to the register. The little girl followed me and asked "Whatcha doin'?" Her mother immediately followed with, "Stop asking her questions. Leave her alone." I ignored the mother and started a conversation with this girl. I could obviously tell after about 15 questions how her mother found it annoying, but to me it was a curious little girl starving for attention. It made me sad to think that parents get so easily annoyed with their children and treat them in such a way. After spending time with my nephews at a grocery store, I know how hard it is to handle children in public places, but if they treat their children like this in public, how do they treat them at home? No wonder depression is the number one "illness" in America. ADHD and other similar problems in children, to me, can be easily avoided. It all starts in the home. I wanted to take this little girl home with me. Cook up a yummy dinner and read her a story. Cut her long bangs back from her beautiful little eyes and answer any question she could come up with. I know that parents do the best they can, but I wish they would take time to sit back and evaluate themselves. Satan is definitely abroad in the land and he is destroying everything. And guess where he starts. In the home.
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