The other weekend, my favourite Mum (Krabes) came down to visit. She is a great mother... very calm, relaxed and positive towards her children. And they do what they are told (well most of the time). They are in bed by 7pm, don't get up before sunrise and generally are delightful little bundles of joy.
After about 15 beers, Krabes and began to discuss parenting. I'd like to think I would be an encouraging Mother. Praising good behavior... like I do with Billy. Not raising my voice unless really necessary. Reality could differ vastly... I'm under no false pretenses.
At Bellingen Markets, we stumbled across the following scenario. A young boy, probably around 4-5, a Mum with a youngster in a stoller and a useless as tits on a bull husband. As they near the street to cross the following one way conversation unfolds... calmy, very calmly:
'Sterling. Slow down.
Sterling. There's a road coming up... please slow down.
Sterling. Slow down now.
Sterling... what do we do when we near a road? We slow down... remember.
Okay Sterling slow down.
Sterling. Slow down.
Okay Sterling... Stop please.
Sterling. Stop now please.
Sterling. Did you hear me? I said stop now Sterling.
Come on Sterling, stop now please.
Sterling, please stop.
Please Sterling, stop here.
Yes, Sterling, we're stopping here now.
Stop Sterling.
Sterling stop!'
Sterling. There's a road coming up... please slow down.
Sterling. Slow down now.
Sterling... what do we do when we near a road? We slow down... remember.
Okay Sterling slow down.
Sterling. Slow down.
Okay Sterling... Stop please.
Sterling. Stop now please.
Sterling. Did you hear me? I said stop now Sterling.
Come on Sterling, stop now please.
Sterling, please stop.
Please Sterling, stop here.
Yes, Sterling, we're stopping here now.
Stop Sterling.
Sterling stop!'
Finally the kid stops...
the Mum says, 'Good listening skills Sterling!'. Me and Micko look at each other in bewilderment.
Firstly: What the fuck was the lazy arse husband doing all this time?
Secondly: Good listening skills? If they were 'good listening skills' I'd hate to see bad ones!
Disclaimer: I know! I know! It's easy to pass judgement when you're not in their situation. I'm not a parent, therefore I have no idea how I would react in this situation.
Although, I do know how Micko would react. He would stop standing there like a lazy good for nothing dumb fuck and grab the little shits hand. Then he'd probably say something along the lines of :
'Sterling you little fucker! Did you hear your mother?'
Okay, okay... so he probably wouldn't say 'Sterling you little fucker'....
Mainly cause we would never call our child Sterling.
Disclaimer: I know! I know! It's easy to pass judgement when you're not in their situation. I'm not a parent, therefore I have no idea how I would react in this situation.
Although, I do know how Micko would react. He would stop standing there like a lazy good for nothing dumb fuck and grab the little shits hand. Then he'd probably say something along the lines of :
'Sterling you little fucker! Did you hear your mother?'
Okay, okay... so he probably wouldn't say 'Sterling you little fucker'....
Mainly cause we would never call our child Sterling.