Some People's Children

As I have mentioned before, I work above a pediatric office, which can often times provide some excitement while I'm doing paperwork.

Today is such a day. As I'm creating a flyer this morning, I hear the hustle and bustle of a mom trying to herd her 3-4 children onto the elevator. Then I see another mom, clearly on her first visit to this particular doctor's office, lost. After trying to open a locked closet door, she realizes that she should probably follow this other mom in hopes to be led to the doctor's office. So she hurriedly hops on the elevator with her child.

*this is when I really start to pay attention*

The loud mom ,who finally got all of her somewhat loud children onto the elevator, quickly herds her confused children off of the elevator. Then she proceeds to tell lost mom how rude it is to bring her sick child onto an elevator with other kids and how she would never think to do such a thing. **I don't know how loud mom knew that this particular child was sick, or how she expected lost mom to know that her kids were perfectly healthy.** Lost mom follows her out of the elevator and says No, I'll take the stairs... I just didn't know where to go, while loud mom is already half way down the stairs... still reprimanding lost mom for her rude thoughtlessness. Lost mom starts to defend herself and tells loud mom it is also rude the way she is treating her and that her child is just as important as loud mom's children. Finally, lost mom retreats to the elevator and while waiting for it to open, simply states Jerk!

I sympathize with lost mom, for I feel I would react the same way. I would be so incredibly taken back by the harshness of a complete stranger, that I wouldn't know how to react in the heat of the situation. Then as my wits came about me I would stumble on my words and nothing I could say would feel like an appropriate backlash for the scolding I had undeservingly received. I felt bad for lost mom, she has a sick child and if she is anything like me, she will probably let loud mom's voice ring in her head for the rest of the day.

This three minute situation led me to ponder a few things:

1. Is this what swine-flu has done to humanity?

2. Am I naive enough (since I am without child) to not comprehend how severe it is when sick and healthy children ride on elevators together?

3. Even if I was in loud mom's situation, I'd like to think I would take a less aggressive approach and maybe give my perfectly healthy children some hand sanitizer when we got off the elevator.

4. I will probably end up being a better mother (someday) than my feelings of inadequacy and fear have led me to believe.

5. Some people's children should not have children.

6. It also brought a smile to my face... and I hope it does the same for you!