Killing the Joy - Another Parenting Mistake
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
For the past week I have been here at Disney World - The Magic Kingdom, the land where children's dream are supposed to come true. Although it is just my husband and I it has been great fun - for the most part.
But both my husband and I have found ourselves distressed upon seeing out-of-control parents destroying their child's happiness at what is supposed to be The Happiest Place on Earth.
Not a day has passed that we haven't seen one or two parents yelling at, threatening or even swatting their child. It has caused me to wonder about the unhappy life these children might be suffering everyday.
Just the fact that the parents were willing to bring the child to Disney World and pay the exorbitant entrance fees causes me to believe that these parents are indeed trying to create happy family memories. But something in them, perhaps mental instability or memories of their own unhappy childhood has caused them to lash out at their innocent child instead of relishing this opportunity to let the small things slide - at least for the day.
For instance, While standing in line waiting to be let into the park a Disney character offered a young girl a balloon. This made her smile with pride and glee. For the next ten minutes or so the mother continually chastised the girl for allowing the balloon to move about. Now you must understand that there was a breeze that morning, and I watched as the girl tried pointlessly to keep the balloon stable, but still the mother swatted her arm, threatened her with a guttural, monstrous voice as she clinched her teeth together, crouched down to the child's face and pinched her shoulder with her large, muscular hands. The mother's nostrils and cheeks flared as she growled at her daughter. It was as if she assumed that her theatrics could not be seen or heard by the crowed crammed tightly around them.
I nearly cried as I watched the child's expression of specialness and glee fall into one of fear and confusion. It was clear that the girl didn't know how to "be." And it appeared to me that she was terrified to emote any further happiness. I wondered what her day would be like and what memories she would take home with her.
What a difference a parent can make in the lives of their children - for better or for worse.
But both my husband and I have found ourselves distressed upon seeing out-of-control parents destroying their child's happiness at what is supposed to be The Happiest Place on Earth.
Not a day has passed that we haven't seen one or two parents yelling at, threatening or even swatting their child. It has caused me to wonder about the unhappy life these children might be suffering everyday.
Just the fact that the parents were willing to bring the child to Disney World and pay the exorbitant entrance fees causes me to believe that these parents are indeed trying to create happy family memories. But something in them, perhaps mental instability or memories of their own unhappy childhood has caused them to lash out at their innocent child instead of relishing this opportunity to let the small things slide - at least for the day.
For instance, While standing in line waiting to be let into the park a Disney character offered a young girl a balloon. This made her smile with pride and glee. For the next ten minutes or so the mother continually chastised the girl for allowing the balloon to move about. Now you must understand that there was a breeze that morning, and I watched as the girl tried pointlessly to keep the balloon stable, but still the mother swatted her arm, threatened her with a guttural, monstrous voice as she clinched her teeth together, crouched down to the child's face and pinched her shoulder with her large, muscular hands. The mother's nostrils and cheeks flared as she growled at her daughter. It was as if she assumed that her theatrics could not be seen or heard by the crowed crammed tightly around them.
I nearly cried as I watched the child's expression of specialness and glee fall into one of fear and confusion. It was clear that the girl didn't know how to "be." And it appeared to me that she was terrified to emote any further happiness. I wondered what her day would be like and what memories she would take home with her.
What a difference a parent can make in the lives of their children - for better or for worse.
Labels: anger, happiness, parenting, self control