other people's kids...

I took my son to the Children's Museum here today. It's such an awesome place! Today was not a good day to go, they were experiencing a power outage which meant no air conditioning. Since it was a toasty 106F outside we only stayed for half an hour. There's a large mat with a series interconnecting tents and tunnels on the first floor. There were a ton of kids playing and I was walking around watching my son explore. It was amazing to me how many of the Moms were totally engrossed in talking to each other paying no attention to what their kids were doing. While I hobbled around with a cane watching my sons every move. Especially, since we were totally surrounded by strangers!!! So weird. Anyway, one of the little boys decided to lay on the floor and start kicking right when my boy was tottering by. I steered my son in the other direction and told the little boy, "no kicking, kicking is not ok". A few minutes later I saw his Mom drag him and her other kids off the play area. I definitely got the feeling my comments were not appreciated. It was really hard for me to understand because if my son were kicking, hitting, pushing, spitting etc... and I wasn't right there to intervene and appropriately discipline I would actually appreciate someone telling him what he was doing was not ok. ugh. Then this evening I went to Gymboree to spend my "gymbucks". Always fun and exciting to see how much you can get with the 50% discount. I was enjoying being in the mall by myself, drinking a diet coke and actually shopping without a stroller, when a little boy maybe 2 years old came over and started pulling on my cane and saying "MINE". This wouldn't bother me if his mom had been close by. But of course she was off shopping and totally ignoring her little boy. I seriously could have picked him up and walked out the door and she wouldn't have noticed! After the museum experience earlier I just went to another rack and tried to avoid him.
I swear, these are the parents who need to read more People magazine articles about abducted kids!