Time for something light and fun!
I'd still love to hear your comments on the last three posts, but I figured it was time for something light and fun.
So, so ahead and use this forum to share some classic "Drive By Jewish Mothering" moments you have had.
Here is mine: I'm at the pool with my little one and after he is done splashing around in the pool, he steps out. He is cold, so he covers himself with a towel to warm up, and sits down nicely on a sun chair to warm up. I figure that as soon as he warms up and dries off, I will put him into new, dry clothes and a new diaper. He is sitting calmly and chatting away, when suddenly he decides he would rather run around with nothing on. So, he undresses completely.
As soon as I notice this, I grab him and start, literally, wrestling with him, as I struggle to diaper him. Meanwhile, an older lady starts lecturing me how I should be more discrete with him, how it is so inappropriate that he is running around naked, etc, etc, etc.
If a mother, chol v'chomer a grandmother of probably 75 years old, tells me that she has never had a child de-robe, I believe that she is a liar or is suffering from amnesia. If not the latter, than I can only assume that her child had no motor skills or was dressed in a straight jacket.
I agree that my kids should not run around naked. . that was probably why I was attempting to get him dressed (!). But, at least cut me some slack when I am doing just what I should be doing right in front of your face. I know you aren't blind because you were offended by the sight of a little tushie. So, why couldn't you see that I was try to get this one dressed?
9 comments:
I had a similar situation in the park a few weeks ago, but I didn't even attempt to get her dressed. Rather, when I did, she just removed her clothes again. I wouldn't let her play and she stayed near me on the bench. When we saw a neighbor she decided to cooperate. She's 2.5. Fortunately nobody said anything to me. A common method of toilet training in Israel is to let kids go around outside without pants. And there aren't public bathrooms in parks here, either, as a rule. So naked kids are no big deal.
Anyway, you were at the pool, not the park. Who cares if a toddler is naked at the pool? Criticism like that always gets to me, though, even when I know it's not justified.
P.S. Thanks for adding me to your blogroll!
I got the chance to do the opposite today. I am one of two women who pump in the nurse's office at work, and today was the first time I met the other mom. So of course we made conversation and I asked how old her baby was. She said that she was actually two years old but still enjoyed nursing. I can imagine how many remarks this woman has gotten about that. So instead I told her how wonderful I thought it was that she was so commited to doing what was right for her baby. I have to admit that I may find it a bit odd (especially the pumping twice a day) but who cares? It's not my business and obviously it works for her. So I hope I was able to make this woman feel good by being positive about her choices.
Don't worry, I'll come back later and post actual Drive by Mothering stories too. =-)
MominIsrael-You deserve to be on the blogroll, especially with the last few posts that were absolutely fantastic!
Esther-Looking forward.
Reminds me of this cartoon
:-D
...but cutting you some slack would ruin all of her fun
that is the whole point of being a jewish mother, and kal v'chomer a jewish grandmother. Ever been on a bus in Jerusalem with a child in hand? 40 women know better than you. I am convinced 25 of them are simply riding the bus for the sheer entertainment and pleasure of piping in with self evident comments and criticism
And you cannot begin to comprehend the pleasure and sheer schaudenfraude they get from seeing a child with a MAN !!! Isn't there a law that no child should ever be in public unless escorted by a woman? Doesn't matter if she is a complete stranger and he is the child's father, she is still a woman!
you should be well
Aishel-That was funny.
Why is that Child With a Man??!!-Haven't been on a Jerusalem bus, but feel like I live in one.
Quite a story at the pool. At least once a month, during our Shabbos walk back from the park my daughter will get too tired to talk and start complaining and crying (she's 4) that her feet hurt. I end up carrying her and I'll pass someone who will say something like, "I think it's time for someone to take a Shabbos nap." OK, enough venting, it is Elul. lol
Ugh. As you well know, this is a pet peeve of mine. A friend recently told me that her daughter (who is a tad overweight) was getting fitted for a dress, and the seamstress made a comment to the girl's mother (within earshot of the 10-year-old girl)along the lines of that maybe it was time to cut back on serving desserts. The girl was understandably devastated, but her mother was beyond livid.
No kidding, orthomom. . . Ugh.
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