Recently, while getting a heavenly pedicure with my good friend and neighbor Gean (hello!!), I had to question my parenting techniques. Not wanting to have to corral my 14 month old love of my life while receiving a foot massage, I left Oliver at home with daddy. Well, SILLY ME!! There was a mother and daughter getting a pedicure/manicure at the same time as Gean and I and they brought along their 15 month old granddaughter/daughter. We were there for 2 hours, they were there for longer, and that baby didn't scream, move to launch herself out of the stroller or throw her toys ONCE while we were there. Gean suspected drugging. It was abnormal. Then, about half way through my pedicure, around the time they use that tickly foot scraper thing, I heard it. The reason the baby was so complacent to sit and watch her mom get pampered without complaint, bored out of her damn mind.SMACK! SMACK! Holy crap! She is slapping the baby's hand for wanting to play with the nailpolish bottles!! SMACK SMACK! Again!? Should I say something!? I mean, the baby just wanted to see the pretty colors, she wasn't trying to unscrew the thing and throw it in your face - though I might if you keep hitting your baby. The way I figure it, the baby doesn't understand at 15 months old, that nailpolish is dangerous if you open the top, drink it and then ask for seconds. All she sees is something pretty that is less boring than watching some old ugly broadget their calloused toes whittled down. You aren't teaching the baby anything but "curiousity is bad" at that point.
What we would have done: Taken the display down, put it in front of Oliver and pointed at the different colors, naming each one. Wow! Using something the child is obviously interested in as a teaching tool, imagine! I mean, I know kids are supposed to be like glorified lap dogs now a days who never cry, sleep through the night by force, and who's feedings don't get into the way of having a cocktail or five but it is so sad when a child is hurt by the one person who is supposed to love them and protect them the most because she is too lazy and too selfish to think of some better way.
Now if you will excuse me my baby is crying on the floor because I am ignoring to blog about how I am a better parent.
4 comments:
And while you two were off gallivanting around town, the boy and I were helping Chuck build a trellis and later playing the back yard. All much more interesting than some stinky nail place!
I wonder how those nail fumes compare with second hand smoke...
You both are such a good mommy and daddy! I am blessed to have you as parents for my grandson and grand?
Ninja baby! Uncle B will be so proud that you posted this picture! :)
Pity the kind of issues that poor little kid will have as teen and adult hood is reached,what goes around will come around.
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