There are so many aspects of being a parent to contemplate. For example, the concept of being a “mom in the world.” How will you, as a mother, act in the world? How will you treat other people’s children? I had to face these big questions when we completed Rookie Moms challenge #32: Patronize your bookstore’s events for kids.
Weston and I are big fans of Book Revue in Huntington, so I was thrilled when a day off from school coincided with toddler music time.
Will the circle be unbroken?
I underestimated how popular a free music class would be, because when we showed up five minutes early, it was already jam-packed. Everyone was sitting in a circle. I parked my stroller, and didn’t love the fact that I’d have to leave it and go sit somewhere else. I pulled Weston out and stood there, a little nervous and flabbergasted. There was simply no where to sit! I looked around and around the circle, yet no one made eye contact, or offered to move over a little so we could sit down.
If I had seen a mom, holding a flailing little boy, I would have motioned for her to come sit near us! We broke through the circle and ended up right next to the guitarist, which Weston loved.
When everyone got up to dance, I saw a little girl dance away from her mom to the middle of the circle, “Wow, brave!” I said, smiling, to the mom. She was nice, and agreed, but said she was sort of sad to see her dance away. When the music time was over, the kids were all mingling about, I grabbed Weston, made sure our valuables were still in our stroller, and started to head out.
I noticed that the little dancing girl was also heading out. On her own. She toddled past us, and into the regular part of the book store. With Weston in my arms, I grabbed her hand, and looked for her mother…who was on her phone. She didn’t even notice her daughter was gone.
Child on the loose!
I tried to lead the girl back to her mother, but she kept letting go. She started crying, and threw herself on the ground; at this point, another mom came by, and stood behind the girl, so I could go find the little girl’s mom. I could see that, by now, she was looking for her daughter, so I motioned that she was by us. The mother ran over and said, “Why is she on the floor!?” I calmly said, “Because she was trying to get away, so we were stopping her…she threw herself down.” She looked at us and exclaimed, “And you just left her there?” I smiled, and said, “She was getting pretty far…”
The mother, obviously shaken up, explained that she didn’t realize how fast her daughter could walk. She didn’t say thank you, she picked up her daughter and bolted. I’m sure she was embarrassed, I get that.
Bittersweet symphony
I left the music time feeling bittersweet: I’m so happy Weston had fun, but I felt upset that these other moms weren’t so friendly. I realized, I’m a friendly mom! I like to talk, I like to make friends. I get that not all people are the same as me, however, once you become a mom, you’re in the club, and it is our job as moms to lift each other up, and help each other out.
You don’t have to be the friendliest mom on the block, but realize that we’re all tired, confused, and figuring it out. At least smile, because it may just make another mom’s day.
{gratuitous cute picture of Weston!}
[All photos by me, Olivia, all rights reserved]
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