Today, I decided that I would take my children to Toddler Time at our local library. My baby girl definitely needs to spend time with others her age so I thought this would be great. Whoever told me things really change once you have a second child was right. It is so much harder to do things with two babies. We got to the library about 10 minutes before the class started. Good, things are on the right track, especially since I'm a habitually late person. Danae is holding her little ticket to get in the class in her hand (instead of tearing it up like everything else). Good, maybe this will be a successful trip. The lady on the speaker announces that it's time for the class to start so we enter. We sit down in a cirle with all the other mommies and little ones. I notice that I'm not the only mom with two kids there although my second is the youngest person in the room. (Inner thought - why didn't I bring him in the car seat instead of carry him? I know Danae isn't going to cooperate the entire time and I will need my hands to be free.) Oh well!
Class begins with some cute little kid songs. I've never heard of some of them but we sing along and she enjoys clapping and dancing. Story time begins and my child is trying to take the book out of the teacher's hand. "Um, bring your butt back here." Next, she tries to take off someone's shoe. "Leave her alone and don't touch people's shoes." Next, she accidentally almost knocked down a little Asian girl. "It was an accident but tell her you're sorry." Now they sing songs while playing with a parachute. Sounds silly but they had a lot of fun. Of course, she didn't want to get off the thing when it was time and then decided to try to run from me. Not cute. I quietly threatened her and then she acted right for the last five minutes of the class. Lucky for me, she wasn't the worst acting kid but why were all the white mommies looking at me like they were thinking "she really looks like she's struggling". A black lady tried to help me out by picking up my bag for me and opening the door.
Next, we go to Walmart. I had to return some too small diapers so we stood in the always long line at customer service. White lady behind me decided to tell me about how she was a foster mother to two little black kids and she loved them but didn't know what to do with their hair. I was thinking "why is she telling me this?" As if she was reading my mind, she said "I mentioned that because your daughter's hair looks so cute and I was wondering how you learn to do hair." How? By practicing on your child, duh! I told her that statement minus the duh part. She then told me about how the little black foster child always looked crazy because of the hair issue. I asked her if she ever learned how to comb it. She said no because the biological mother ended up getting her kids back. I think if I were her I probably would have sought out black people to help out or something. Oh well!
Class begins with some cute little kid songs. I've never heard of some of them but we sing along and she enjoys clapping and dancing. Story time begins and my child is trying to take the book out of the teacher's hand. "Um, bring your butt back here." Next, she tries to take off someone's shoe. "Leave her alone and don't touch people's shoes." Next, she accidentally almost knocked down a little Asian girl. "It was an accident but tell her you're sorry." Now they sing songs while playing with a parachute. Sounds silly but they had a lot of fun. Of course, she didn't want to get off the thing when it was time and then decided to try to run from me. Not cute. I quietly threatened her and then she acted right for the last five minutes of the class. Lucky for me, she wasn't the worst acting kid but why were all the white mommies looking at me like they were thinking "she really looks like she's struggling". A black lady tried to help me out by picking up my bag for me and opening the door.
Next, we go to Walmart. I had to return some too small diapers so we stood in the always long line at customer service. White lady behind me decided to tell me about how she was a foster mother to two little black kids and she loved them but didn't know what to do with their hair. I was thinking "why is she telling me this?" As if she was reading my mind, she said "I mentioned that because your daughter's hair looks so cute and I was wondering how you learn to do hair." How? By practicing on your child, duh! I told her that statement minus the duh part. She then told me about how the little black foster child always looked crazy because of the hair issue. I asked her if she ever learned how to comb it. She said no because the biological mother ended up getting her kids back. I think if I were her I probably would have sought out black people to help out or something. Oh well!
Comments
Being a father of 4 or fo if you will,in public parents and family would remark "your kids are so well bahaved". We had this thing when they cut up and I was there we immediately made eye contact and gave them my crazy Dad look and there was instant silence in the room, but of course you have to practice at home first. My consult fee is $150...try it, it works.