So question to all of you parents out there: When is it okay for a non-parent person, me, step in and do some parenting? Let me give you an example: This past Friday night my mother and I were stopping at a store/restaurant to grab some dinner. We were at the end of the line and there was a couple that had three boys I'd say age 7 and younger that were running around getting into everything. The oldest two boys decided to run and jump at a lady, causing her to fall. This woman clearly had a medical diagnosis that limited her mobility. The boys did not say anything to the woman and went to playing in the cold display case. After helping the lady up and making sure she was okay my mother and I looked to see if the parents were handling the situation. They were not, they were choosing to ignore their children's actions, who by this point were playing with glass drink bottles. Needless to say my mother and I had had enough and asked the two oldest boys to leave the drinks alone and to please find their parents. The boys looked at us and we repeated ourselves. The boys left, of course said how mean we were to their parents and then enjoyed a dinner full of glares and finger pointing followed by "that's the lady who was mean to me." Let me also say that the parents nor the children never went to apologize to the lady who got knocked down. Did I over step my boundaries? I don't think I did because that was wrong of the boys. I believe it was wrong of the parents to 1) allow their children to run muck in the store and then 2) not make them apologize for knocking someone down and possibly causing major harm. The staff of the restaurant later thanked us for stepping in. I by chance ran into the lady who got knocked down and her husband two days later and they thanked me for my help and for redirecting the children. But is it so wrong to step in and do parenting when clearly it's not happening in a situation? Did I really deserve the glares and finger pointing? I don't think I did but then again I'm not a parent so I'm not sure.
For new readers and those who don't know me, I'm fat. Medically labeled "morbidly obese." I have always been fat since I can remember. It's a multifaceted part of my reality: it's part my choice, part genetics. I am well aware that I need to work on this. I'm reminded every time I go to the doctor: need a flu shot - you're fat. Have an ear infection - you're fat. Cat bite - discharge instructions start with you're morbidly obese (I'm not kidding). You lost weight and still think something's off - loose more weight. I have been working on addressing my weight and have managed to loose and keep off just under 80 pounds. Do I still have a lot more weight to loose? Yup. I didn't become this size overnight and taking this off won't happen overnight either. A few weeks ago, a friend stopped by to visit me on their journey to vacation. As they were preparing to leave, I get stopped and asked to sit. I was told that they're concerne...
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