Public Service Announcement...

While spending some time at the park yesterday I ran into one of my biggest pet peeves.  As I sat in the hot sun and watched and listened I became more and more frustrated.  And suddenly I realized that I have a mommy blog and I could rant in rave in print!  So, my big pet peeve is bratty kids.  Yes, I said it.  Bratty kids are the worst.  And let me preface this by saying that my kids have tantrums, act selfishly, and can push my buttons all day long.  So, I am not referring to the typical kid behavior.  I get it, I know that's part of childhood.  What I am talking about are the kids who are out and out rude, mean, and just general pests.

I should also preface all of this by saying that I fully understand that kids are a product of their environment.  They mirror what they see and their behavior most often reflects what is going on in their little lives.  I know that ultimately the kid is not to blame...it is their parents.  Yesterday we ran into Bratty Brat McBratterson.  He was intent on pushing my son's buttons.  Luckily my son is too young still to really get what was going on but I was fully aware.  Should I also mention fully hot and fully hormonal??  It started on the swings.  While I pushed Sullivan (my youngest) Oliver waited on another swing for me to come push him.  He has not mastered the whole pumping your legs thing so he just sat there still.  Next to him this kid was just dying for attention so he just repeatedly said things like, "Wheee I sure am swinging high!"  "I am glad I know how to swing by myself!"  "Swinging so soo easy!"  

You know how to spot a brat?  They are the ones who aren't intimidated at all by adults.  When I walked over to push Oliver this kid just kept up his commentary.  Staring at both of us just daring, WISHING, we would say something to him.  Oh, it was tempting but I didn't want to give him the satisfaction.  I just tried to remind myself that he was in need of attention.  I tried to feel bad for him.  Tried.

So cut to the slide....guess whose there??!  Oh yeah, Mr. Brat and he was on a mission to make enemies.  This time just sitting at the end of the slide staring off into space so no one else could go down.  Then it was off to the monkey bars where he could swing wildly into other people.  And then finally a round of following some poor kid staying 2 inches from his face.  He went around just sucking all the fun out of the playground.  And best of all, is that I never saw a parent.  No grandmother, babysitter, teacher, no one!  I envisioned his mom on some bench texting or maybe sitting in her car reading a book.  Sure he was annoying but the real problem is that he had no adult around correcting him or reigning him in.

So maybe my rant should not be about brats but more specifically brats' parents.  Where are you people that let your kid run wild??  Where are you when they are being nasty to other kids??  Why is it everyone else's problem??  Man up and watch your kid!  If they have gotten too out of control, don't bring them to a park and set them free for God's sake.  Give them some extra love and attention.  Take them to a specialists if it is out of your control.  At the very least, don't let them ruin the playground for every other kid (and hormonal mom)!