Judge Not

Before I had Leon I remember sitting on a plane in front of a woman with a crying baby. I played hide and seek with the baby and she was content. When I was tired and stopped, she started crying again. I remember thinking, "Why doesn't the mom have toys and snacks for the baby? Gosh, I'll never be that unprepared." Another time I saw a couple changing their child's diaper in the middle of a public space. I thought, "Why don't they go to the bathroom, that's disgusting." Lastly, I remember several times shaking my head with a little disdain at the parents who bought their kids on the metro during rush hour. I mean, how hard is it to plan your day so that you get on and off the metro before 5pm?

Of course all those types of thoughts have changed. I get it. Sometimes no matter what toy or snack you have the child will cry and cry. Sometimes, there are no family bathrooms and it's hard to change a toddler's diaper alone and other times there are no changing tables in either bathroom. And time is not always on your side; the best laid plans....

Today this woman got under my skin. I walked out of church with Leon (who was crying because I scoped him up before he could run down the aisle spilling raisins and dates everywhere) and the dialogue went as such:

Woman: Do you speak English?

Me: holding wiggling, screaming Leon, "Yeah" thinking don't you see I'm busy and didn't we both just walk out of an English speaking service

Woman: You shouldn't keep that baby out in the sun. He is fair skin so he will burn.

Me: I don't keep him in the sun.

Woman: You have him in the sun right now. (She points up to the sun as if, again, I don't speak English)

Me: I just walked out of church. I'm headed over there (shady area).

Woman: Follows me, as if she is bad-parent patrol woman. "He is hungry." "You don't have a cookie or anything."

Me: Thinking what the fudge, woman, I have food in my hands..."He's not hungry. He is tried. This is his usual nap time"

Woman: Still hovering and Lord I'm sorry...she is lucky I had Leon in arms. LOL! "He is hungry." Then she says to a man nearby, "she doesn't have any food and he is hungry."

Me: "I have plenty of food. Don't worry. I take of my son." By this point...Leon has his hat on and I am offering him water and snacks.

Man returns and offers Leon crackers (that are in a bright shiny wrapper.) He of course, plays the part of a starving child and quickly grabs for the crackers and starts to eat them.

The lady ended up being a friend of the person who gave me a ride to church. So we all rode home together. I had a "church, Sunday, she was trying to help" mantra in my head. And said, "Nice meeting you before I got out the car."

Judge Not! The majority of the parents out there in the world, really and truly do want what is best for their children and try hard to obtain it for them.

Next time...I hope she hears a voice that says, "Instead of criticizing, ask how you can help?"

I know I will!