Isn't It Ironic?

Yesterday was Barrett's end-of-the-season soccer party. There was a parents v. kids soccer game followed by a BBQ at the park. It was a lot of fun for everyone. Barrett finally scored a goal, two to be exact. She didn't seem to care that her season was technically over. She also didn't care that her father passed the ball to her and handed her two goal shots on a silver platter.

She was ecstatic.

Prior to the BBQ, I was chatting with the other parents and discussing how I have no problem telling other peoples' children what and what not to do.  I'm often seen at the park or the pool club telling random children, "No throwing sand," "Don't spit water in the pool," or "You really should pick up that trash."  I would never actually reprimand or discipline, but I have no problem barking out direct requests.

So imagine my surprise on Sunday [while regaling my tales of ordering around unruly children to the other parents], when a parent not affiliated with the soccer team approached me to let me know Clayton was yelling at her child. I'm fully aware of how ill-mannered my third child can be, however I also know that he inherited my inability to self modulate. I also seriously doubt that he would yell at another child completely unprovoked, but hey whatever.  If that mom only possessed my ability to direct other children, she could've said, "Hey unruly, and obviously unsupervised child, back off. Go peddle your crazy somewhere else."

This is what it looks like when said unruly child is disciplined for an unprovoked yelling [of an obviously overprotected] only child.

[Pssssst! Lady, your kid will be living in your basement one day, mark my words.]