Mad Mothers At McDonalds
Friday is my day with Skylar, my two-year-old granddaughter and the joy of my life. Fridays are always good. We went to the computer store where she helped me select some Bible Study software. Afterwards, we went to the McDonald's PlayLand. It is a great deal- I buy a Happy Meal, and she gets to play in this amazing kid's labyrinth for an hour. The place was packed with children. And I've a question: Why do these mothers see the need to climb into the playpen with their kids? It seems it would be embarrassing, but the giant kid-of-a-mother that I typically observe seems not to care. She's too busy shielding her child from any possibility of a fraction of a second of possible free air outside of her stifling shadow.
Usually I can pick her out a long time before she climbs into the pen. Skylar and I will be munching on fries and an apple pie. She and her kids will sit down across the way, but not before she wipes the seats with a germicide. The she will pull carrots and apples from her purse, to feed her starving kids who dutifully nibble as they look hungrily at our unhealthy, fat-filled meals. If she looks my way I might try to smile and say hi. This will often implant a tad of fear into her busom, as she will hug her brood closer and refuse to return the smile. And I will feel like a lecherous old man as I wolf down my empty-caloried fries and make uncomfortable eye contact a half dozen more times.
What is really disconcerting is to see two moms inside the playhouse at the same time. The other is a Korean, who has abandoned her meal long ago to climb into the tube and breathe on her two otherwise darling little girls. She is uncouthly chattering her incomprehensible language toward her girls as the other mom tends to cower as far away as possible. As much as it seems a scene from an old Outer Limits episode, I find the situation entertaining.
Truly I am saddened that a potty diaper forces an early exit. For a fleeting second, I'm tempted to change the diaper within full view. That would engender a mad dash for germicide and emergency trips to the Pediatrician. But it would sure be fun to watch.
10.11.08 (10:31 pm) [
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posted by:
auntconi (
reply)
post date:
10.11.08 (11:18 pm)
hmm ~ me tends to think you could be a bit of a rascal with the thought of "diaper changing" at the booth! hehehe ~ ;D
Love it!!!
Just wait until I get to Georgia for lunch with the two of you again this winter ~ it should be fun! But I do not go into the play area at McDonald's ~ now Burger King, that is different! ;)
posted by:
Ladyg (
reply)
post date:
10.12.08 (12:02 am)
You should have changed that diaper, are you saying that the mom with the healthy snacks did't buy the happy meal?
posted by:
surrogate (
reply)
post date:
10.12.08 (4:50 am)
Maybe you could buy a can of some germicide (water in a misting squirt bottle would do) and scowl at the women who do that, then make it obvious that you're spraying right where THEY'VE just been as they move around the play structure. Maybe make some off the cuff remarks to no one in particular -but loud enough for them to hear, of course - about how disgustingly dirty "some" people look.
Now I wouldn't suggest doing this at the McDonalds you go to regularly, but it could be a hoot at one across town!
posted by:
fractalmom (
reply)
post date:
10.12.08 (5:34 am)
ROFLMAO.
posted by:
mimi (
reply)
post date:
10.12.08 (5:58 am)
i didn't realize how many "spiteful" bones you had in your body! now aren't you ashamed of you??? LOLOLOL!!!
xoxo
posted by:
bawdy (
reply)
post date:
10.12.08 (11:45 am)
You probably just wanted the play area for yourself.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
10.13.08 (7:13 am)
Reply to: kurtmaddox
Trying. Just trying. The intentional effort is unconditional love, which is really to be my effort with everybody. I'm doing better with Skaylar than with the rest of the world. But, again I'm trying!
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
10.13.08 (7:18 am)
Reply to: auntconi
Here's the story: McDonald's was abuzz with activity, and Burger King fairly quiet, so I circled McDonalds and went to Burger King first. They have a nice and big play area, with lights on and fans turning. I went inside, placed my order, and Skylar and I walked toward the play area. The door was locked! Everything about the place advertised that the play area was available, but the door was locked. I asked the guy at the counter. He said the place was locked for remodeling. Irritated, I asked why they could not have let me know ahead of time, since this was the sole reason I came to the place. Of course I knew the answer- they did not want me to know until AFTER I had handed over my money. That was irritating. Now, the guy behind the couter who makes $6 per hour is not the culprit, so I said nothing else.
So, that's why I ended up at McDonald's. You know, my life is pretty good if that was the biggest problem of the day!
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
10.13.08 (7:21 am)
Reply to: Ladyg
I don't think so. I have learned that options are available to actually select items to make a fairly healthy Happy Meal. I think she had three kids and ordered one meal, and pulled the rest from her purse. With honesty, my wife used to engage in similar shenanigans. She was worse. Whe would bring the three kids to McDonalds, order one soft drink, and then let them play for an hour.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
10.13.08 (7:28 am)
Reply to: fractalmom
You understand, I'm sure you've seen these mothers, and knowing a bit about your more practical approach to parenting, these people are like just as irritating to yourself.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
10.13.08 (7:29 am)
Reply to: mimi
Spiteful? Now that's a powerful and guilt-inducing word. Yeah, I'll claim it with reservations. Rarely, very rarely, do I apply actions to my temptations in these matters. It's just temptation. That's not the same as "sin", is it?
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
10.13.08 (7:31 am)
Reply to: bawdy
The last time I actually entered a Play Area was at Ocean's Of Fun, a giant water park. My toddler daughter because paralyzed with fear while under a waterfall, and being the brave dad, I came to her rescue. Got rather wet in the process.
posted by:
auntconi (
reply)
post date:
10.13.08 (9:05 am)
Reply to: PastorDave
I am familiar with Burger King and their play area. I take my grandchildren there on occasion ~ they have a grand time ~ me, not so sure. I have a story of our most recent time and I'll post it on my site (hehehe)
((hugs)) to Skylar from me, please!
posted by:
sppok102956 (
reply)
post date:
10.13.08 (3:17 pm)
Your life is good if you can take off work every Friday and take your grandchild to McDonald's. I'm glad you do, but not all of us would have that option. I've had a 30min lunch break, on campus, for 30 yrs. Many times there was no time for lunch or it was gobbled in much less than 30 min. Sorry for the sour grapes, but after 30 yrs... My husband has a job that gets an hr off and on Thursdays he can spend it with our 22 yr old dau. I'm jealous of him too.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
10.13.08 (3:26 pm)
Reply to: sppok102956
I take Fridays off. However, if it makes you feel better, I never get a weekend off! Saturdays are spent in prep, visitation, and last minute details. Sunday is a full day, usually 10-14 hours. It would be nice to have weekends with family and to putter around house, catch up on chores, etc. But such is the nature of the job, and I freely choose the job and really do enjoy it. I think all careers/jobs have their positives and negatives.
posted by:
mimi (
reply)
post date:
10.13.08 (5:32 pm)
Reply to: PastorDave
but, they are in there, now, aren't they! i just love it when you show your "human" side! no insult meant : )
xoxoxo
posted by:
spook102956 (
reply)
post date:
10.14.08 (8:08 pm)
Well, You were nicer with your response than I thought you'd be. I just needed to let off steam. Since July, 2 other nurses and I have been working in our area alone and our pt load has tripled. This is God's truth: we've worked 10-12 hrs every day 5 days a week. At first it was like: well, overtime is nice but now we are just tired and wish we had some help. The hospital is "gathering info--looking at our pt statistics for the past year". That's crazy, b/c the "load" has been going on just since July. If they look at whole yr it probably does look like we don't need help, but look at our overtime! Long story short: we work in a chemotherapy/infusion room and our load has tripled b/c congress has messed with the reimbursement rules for oncology once again. The physicians can't get reimbursed giving the chemo in their office, so they're shuttling almost all their pts to us and yet we have less help than we used to have. Hospital doesn't know if the rules will shift again and all those pts will go back to office, so they don't want to hire extra help and then have to let them go. But we 3 are exhausted! Thank you, I feel better. I'm starting to be worried that I'll make a mistake. A mistake giving chemotherapy is not good. Friday I was so tired I barely made it thru the day. I prayed alot that's all that helped. It was crazy, and one nurse was off. They sent us another nurse, but she doesn't know chemo very well and couldn't start an IV (intravenous line) if her life depended on it. So she needed alot of help. Very stressful and 2 nurses that are already exhausted. Pray for us and that things will turn around soon.
posted by:
FinalyFree (
reply)
post date:
10.15.08 (3:31 pm)
I regret to say that I have, in fact, crawled in a few playlands *heavy sigh* but more often than not it was to remove a very stubborn child who refused to get out! lol
posted by:
fractalmom (
reply)
post date:
10.16.08 (5:48 am)
Reply to: PastorDave
The absolute grossest was a mom who insisted on taking her TODDLER through the climbing tubes, and then stopped to CHANGE A POOPY DIAPER - Yep. IN THE TUBE> Gross.
then there are the parents who just sit and let their kids step on the other children's hands and feet, let them go backwards and head first down the slides...sigh....let them push the little kids off the ladder to the slides,
i hate those playgrounds anymore
Then....well, we have a 'five second rule'. If a piece of fairly dry food has been on the ground less than five seconds, I don't care if the kids eat it.
The pediatrician says "how the heck do you think they build up immunities to germs? NOT by being protected from every germ they come across. By being EXPOSED to them in the natural course of daily life." She actually tells parents, do NOT use antibacterial soap and do NOT use hand sanitizer, unless and until you have a communicable disease present in your home.
She says the kids will be much much sicker all the time if you protect them constantly from germ exposure.
which, makes sense.
:::shaking my head::::
