some parents

I was at the park with the kids over the weekend, since it was such a sunny day. It was a lot busier there than usual since there was a tournament of sorts with little league baseball teams, which made me more nervous. It's hard to keep an eye on everything and everyone at once, so I had to use discretion and trust. But I digres….that's not the point of this post!

There was this little boy on the swings; he had to be about 3 years old, very cute. His father was beside him trying to teach him how to pump his legs so he could swing on his own. It was quite neat to watch. He'd tell him when to tuck his legs under and when to lean back and outstretch them. He sounded just like a coach out there! It was going all so well.

At first.

Then I saw the boy was off the swing and the Father was on it, showing the boy what to do. And that's when it got a *bit* much. The father was starting to get touchy and angry with the boy. He wouldn't let the poor child back on the swing because he couldn't learn how to swing, despite the father's teaching. So the boy starts towards the slides, head hanging down. He looked so downheartened. My heart ached for him.

Then his father starts to get upset with him because he's crying, and tells him that if he doesn't stop crying and start playing again, they are going home. To which he tells his older son (about a 5 year old) that the younger boy is being "a baby". My blood is starting to boil by then. Especially when I saw that the boy, with his head still hanging down, starts to repeat, "It's all my fault, it's all my fault."

Excuse me??? What three-year-old says THAT???? My heart is aching just remembering. I wanted to pull that boy into my lap, wrap my arms around him, and tell him that he did great on the swings and that I knew that he would one day learn to do it himself, but I was proud of him because he was getting so big.

I had to bite my tongue from saying anything to the father, though. I was going to approach him. I really was. But I decided not to. Maybe out of fear. I kept visualizing him getting angry at me and starting a scene and calling me names. Although, that would make HIM look worse, I still didn't want to have to put up with that. *sigh* I'm so weak. Instead, I said a prayer for the little boy.

What is wrong with some parents? Why do they have to be so hard on their children? I know that I am not perfect (*snort* FAR from it!!!!) and that I have said things I shouldn't have and acted less-than-nice, so I know that it is easy to do, but sheesh! Getting angry at him because he couldn't figure out how to swing yet??? The kid is THREE!!!!

Poor boy. The thing that got me the most was his "it's all my fault" bit…it shows that he's used to feeling like crap, and placing blame on himself. I wonder what else the father has done or said to him? It's sad. I feel ill to think of how he will grow up.