Why do Mums get given such a tough time? You might expect it from your own children but do you expect it from members of the public.
Recently I drove into a car park space at my local supermarket. Before I even exited my car and had a chance to grab my purse I was accosted by the car park attendant.
‘Have you got a child in your car?’ he enquired, poking his head around to try and check my back seat.
‘I wouldn’t have parked in the child and parent bay otherwise,’ I replied politely amused by this instant interrogation.
‘I thought so,’ he confirmed, still keeping a steely eye on me as I carefully and slowly unstrapped my son, proudly lifting him up to display ‘my right’ to park in a car park space to a now rather embarrassed car park attendant.
‘Can I go shopping now, please?’ I asked cheekily.
The car park attendant looked apologetic.
‘I had to ask because that old woman over there said ‘I bet she hasn’t got any children in her car.” He rolled his eyes, gesturing to an old lady with beady eyes eagerly watching our exchange.
I looked around the near empty car park.
‘It’s not as though there isn’t loads of places to park,’ I laughed.
‘I know,’ he agreed laughing too.
He pointed to my little boy as he shouted across the car park.
‘See, here’s the child. Is that okay with you?’
The woman rolled her eyes with disappointment as we waved her merrily on her way.
This incident reminds me that some people will simply judge you before they have got all the facts because it makes them feel good about themselves. Unfortunately for this woman we were the ones who had an entertaining laugh!