Wednesday, August 5, 2015

I've Become One Of These Moms

What would you do if you saw a kid that's not yours grossly misbehave in public?

I was walking through town with Violet on her little bike and Calvin in his stroller today to run some errands when a little twerp, maybe around 13 years old, came towards me on a skateboard, unwrapping some ice cream and throwing the wrapper right there on the side walk. EXCUSE ME! Spontaneously, I blocked his way with the stroller, telling him to please turn around and pick up the wrapper. He blankly looked at me, so I repeated my stern request. I somehow expected him to ignore me, or to mutter some insults, but he seemed to realize I meant business, turned around and picked up the wrapper. After he had retrieved the wrapper, I directed him to a nearby trash can and watched him toss the wrapper before we all went our way.

I know he wasn't my kid, but I bet his parents would have approved. If he had been my kid, I know I would have. Our little kids know not to toss their trash on the ground, bur somehow once they are teenagers, some simply seem to forget. I hope once our kids are older, they remember that our earth is valuable. That it is unique, and once it is destroyed, we are lost as well. I hope they remember that a wrapper tossed away thoughtlessly is not just a wrapper, but one of many millions every day, and that only one wrapper makes a difference. And teach your children that their personal decisions on how to treat the earth do matter.

Think about the earth today, and see what you can do for it everyday. Reduce trash, re-use, recycle, and if you are of the handy, creative kind, upcycle.

10 comments:

  1. I'm glad you spoke up. That is how "the village" is supposed to work!

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    1. I actually never thought of the "village", but this is so true. Thanks a lot for the perspective, Christine!

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  2. Good for you and you know I totally was that mom when I was at Kohl's with another kid who did wrong with taking my daughter's doll away from her. So, hats off to you, Stephanie!

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    1. You absolutely did right in telling that kid not to take toys away from others, that's common courtesy. Interesting to know would be where the other kids' mom was.. I never let our kids run rampant in a store, let alone a toy store/aisle..

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  3. I would have done the same thing! good for you!

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    1. It somehow still feels weird adulting around.. And it feels even weirder being taken serious by teenagers ;-)

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  4. Hahaha. I'm totally that person too!

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    1. I just couldn't let that go.. Heck, my little girls know better. I sometimes toss a paper tissue in the bushes, and they give me the talk for that until I tell them that it's paper and after the next rain, it's going to be gone. But a foil wrapper right on the side walk only a few yards away from a trash can?? Nope, my friend :-)

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  5. Yup, Christine's got it - that's how the Village raises its children. How I wish it were more common that this sort of thing happened - like in the "old days" right? (And now I'm laughing at myself because I'm so "old"!) :D

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    1. I never thought about the "village", until Christine mentioned it, but it's definitely true. It was just such a thoughtless action on the kid's side, I hope he'll use his brain a little better next time!

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