Child Proof

I think children are wonderful. I love my little cousins and my friends' babies. I'm excited to have a child in the future. However, it is completely unacceptable for parents to let their kids run wild and free in stores.

1. It's an easy place to lose a child
2. If you are letting your kids out of the stroller or out of the child leashes (which, FYI, I think are GREAT) then WATCH them. Don't let them pester shoppers.

This past Saturday I went to Target in search of new workout clothes. Arms loaded, I strolled into the changing room extremely happy that it wasn't crowded. Target was having a phenomenal sale and I knew it would take a while for me to try everything on. I was halfway through my pile of clothes when screaming children came running into the changing room. The grandmother was gabbing loudly on the phone, baby on hip, while her daughter (the children's mother) tried clothes on a few doors down from me. OK, so it's not so bad that the kids are running and screaming - I can deal with that for a bit - though it does speak volumes about the parenting style as not one word was uttered from the grandmother's mouth to calm the kids down. But then, I hear a giggle and look down. A 4 year old is peaking under my door. I said "oh, you have the wrong room," and the child ran away.

It happened a second time, and on the third time - as I was putting my clothes back on - I see the child once again through the mirror. Now I'm angry. Watch your kids parents and authority figures! If it were my little cousins peeking at me, that's fine. But to have strangers doing that, I think it's completely inappropriate and parents should be teaching their kids how to behave in stores.

I calmly, yet loudly, said in a sweet voice "You shouldn't be looking under peoples doors" - The kid ran away again and I stepped out of my dressing room. When I glimpsed the state of the grandmother I just knew those children were lost causes. She was a 38-40 year old grandmother watching her daughters 4 kids. Something is wrong with this picture......