Is your kid behaving appropriately within social norms?

Is that not the most ridiculous tag line you have ever read? How the heck would I know!?  I don't.


Today while waiting in the lobby of the preschool for my daughter to get out of her class, this was one mom's discussion on the phone.  It's hilarious to me how people are waiting in this small lobby and discussing things in such a loud manner that they don't even have a care in the world that anyone is even listening to them.  And it's impossible not to hear them.  It's like standing in an elevator with 10 other people while someone is talking and thinking they are having a private conversation.  The things people talk about are quite interesting at times, too.  I've heard conversations anywhere from, two ladies in their 80's talking about their sex lives, to mom's not putting their kids in car seats because they can't figure out the complex laws and regulations around them.  The one with the two ladies talking sex was the funniest by far!


So, as I'm sitting waiting for my daughter, a mother is on the phone quite angrily speaking to someone about her children behaving in an appropriate manner.


She said, "Well, I believed my children were behaving appropriately to my standards, but that doesn't mean they were behaving appropriately towards her standards."


Wow, that really struck me.  That is so true! How many times as parents do we think our kids are behaving appropriately, but others do not?  We usually always hear if people think our kids are behaving well.  When they are behaving badly, we most likely don't hear anything, but usually can see the heavy evil eye staring at us in the back.  Or maybe we are just thinking people are thinking that.  What are they thinking?  Who knows?  But, after listening to this woman's conversation she obviously didn't either.


This reminded me so much of a luncheon I was having with my grandmother one day.  We were all sitting around the table and the kids are small and of course they were getting up from the table to walk around.  We had asked for a secluded room off the dining area, because I knew this might be the case.  They kids weren't yelling, they weren't being bad, they weren't even running.  They were just getting in and out of their chairs as I had predicted they would.  Next thing I know, my grandmother looks at me and tells me maybe I should call the Super Nanny!


Are you kidding me?  I thought they were being so good.  Were they really looking that bad that someone would think Super Nanny needed to be called?  I thought she was just overreacting, but after listening to this lady's conversation today, I realized she was just reacting to what she thought was appropriate social norms for HER.  It had nothing to do with my social norms.


Isn't that weird how people in the same country even the same family don't even agree on what social norms are appropriate for children to behave like?


What are these?  Where's the list?  This wasn't in the handbook either for raising a kid.  (Oh ya, there is no handbook).


Well, at least we can all agree to disagree.  And if someone wants to call Super Nanny on my kids, so be it.  It might be a good break for me on trying to figure this all out on my own.  Maybe then I can take a nap.  Maybe she'll make dinner, too!