The bloody cheek of strangers

YESTERDAY I continued the Christmas-shopping saga with a quick trip down to Target at the Park Centre to pick up a few things.

I am not a fan of shopping with the kidlets but I have no real choice, so after the little one woke from her sleep, I packed them both into the car, shoved biscuits into both of their hands and told them to be good.
As per usual at this time of the year, it was hot, hot hot. Hot in the car, hot out of the car and the car-park was full.

I had already had a row with the boy (sometime I just DONT want to listen to the Wiggles - it is only a one-minute drive but sometimes I like to stamp my authority) so he was a little moody. The girl wasn't long off needing her lunch. I didn't have long to get my chores done.

I finally managed to get a spot and plonked the boy in a shopping trolley and the girl in the little seat bit up the top. Right - lets make this quick. Haha.

Quick stop at Coles was without too much hassle. I was getting a little exasperated at the crowds but the kids were okay. For now.

Target was PACKED. I quickly got what I needed off layby without a hitch but at that point the girl decided she had had enough and started her screamy squeal that she likes to do. AAEEEIIIIIII!!!! she goes at the top of her little 10-month old lungs. Of course, she can't get all the attention, so the boy decided to squeal too. And at nearly three years, his lungs can really pack a punch.

Now he had my attention, he decided to let another one go . So I gave him a mild telling off for good measure (it was really just for show - I knew that nothing I said would stop him screaming, but I wanted to make it look like I was a good, disciplinary type of mother). And tried to get out as fast as I could.

After scream three I was just about to crack up (either that or crack him one which would have been fairly unacceptable) when this WOMAN comes up to me. And she would have been my age - not some young twit or old granny - and she says to me:

"You can hear that all through the shopping centre you know."

Well is that f-ing right? Like I enjoy listening to the sound of my children screaming. Like I didn't know it was sending half the people in Target deaf. Like I needed her to tell me. Perhaps she thought I was deaf.
Of course afterwards I thought of a million witty and sarcastic responses to make to that cow, but all I could come up with at the time was:

"Try living with it."

Not great, but not that bad considering I was so stunned I could barely speak.

And no, she wasn't being nice, she had one of those distasteful looks on her face, like I should have stuck a plastic bag over my son's head or something.

Which leads me to the question - what IS IT with STRANGERS thinking they have some God-given right to make comment on your children? I had this discussion with some friends this morning and I got some more horror stories:

1. My friend's six-month old was tired and cranky at Carousel shopping centre. So she picked up her baby and carried it while her mum (lucky her mum was there) pushed the pram. And this old granny came up to her and said, "look at your baby getting spoiled."

2. Another friend was at the Park Centre (my favourite haunt) waiting in line at Coles. Her daughter was hassling her out so she gave her a chocolate to shut her up. An old lady (hmm I see a trend her) said to her "I wouldn't have given her a lolly if it were my child"

3. This is my personal favourite - a friend's son was having a tanty at Carousel and some man came up and told her that she just needed to give her son a "good hiding". Yeah, I am sure that guy spent a lot of quality time with his kids.... if he had any.

There were more, but I can't remember them right now - but there does seem to be a growing movement out there of people giving complete strangers parenting advice.

Here is some advice of mine. Just DON'T DO IT. Leave us alone. Please. Our kids give us enough grief as it is.