"Young lady!"

It happens to me all the time as a teacher. I hate it more and more each time someone does it. I have even sent group emails out about it and stood up at a faculty meeting and expressed my opinion on the matter. Yet it still happens. Every teacher knows what it feels like. You finally get "that kid" to get in line and walk quietly in the hallway which is a miracle in itself. You continue to walk down the hall feeling quite proud of the fact that "that kid" isn't screaming, tearing something down off the wall, hitting, etc. and then it happens. Out of nowhere you hear another teacher's voice, "(Insert "that kid's" name here), your hands need to be behind your back!" or "Tuck that shirt in!" You cringe and know it's going to set "that kid" off in 3...2...1....boom. There it is. You give that other teacher a slight smile that has the "please next time mind your own business look" behind it as you try to calm "that kid" back down. But it will happen again because there are just those teachers who feel the need to correct every child in the school. They do not always know or think about all the work it took just for the baby steps to occur. It is my biggest pet peeve regarding a faculty. DON'T DISCIPLINE MY STUDENTS!!! I'm right there and believe it or not, this is not my first pony ride and I can control my class. Thanks. :)

But now with my own kid it's a whole other ballgame. There are lots of people who can "discipline" my kid. Meaning, if you're my child's teacher at preschool, Sunday school, dance, or any other similar setting - by all means, ask/tell her to do whatever you want. As far as I'm concerned, you're the boss. If she is over at either set of grandparents' houses she'd better listen to whatever they say as well. I have also told certain friends that they are allowed to correct my kid if they see her actin' a fool. My wonderful sis-in-law, Candace, and amazing friend, Jamie, that's you in case you both forgot. :) This came after I saw a few kids at a softball game taking toys away from my kid as their mother watched and did nothing. As a mother, I didn't want to correct this woman's kids when she was right there, but it finally got to the point where K was very bothered by it so I just removed her from the situation. Was I a Mama wimp? If that's what you want to call it so be it, but I am not going to discipline someone else's kids when they are standing less than two feet away from me. Not my job.

But on Sunday something happened that hasn't happened before (which really surprises me once I stop and think about it) but it rubbed me the wrong way and I just wasn't expecting it.

Cody wanted to go to Colter's...not my favorite, but it was Father's Day and he called the shots....but I digress.

So there the three of us were after church at Colter's. I was in the front with my tray because my husband is one of those awesome guys who still believes in ladies first. He was behind me with his tray and K was a little bit between us. K was not being bad at all in my eyes. She was walking when we were walking, not screaming, not running. She was however, touching the floor with her hands. Gross I know. No telling what was on that floor, but that's also why we wash hands right? Unless someone has made some kind of magic force field I'm unaware of I'm still under the impression that kids get dirty. But last time I checked, kids are also washable. So the mother in me said, "Let it go, I'm not going to fight that battle right now because she's not bothering anybody and we'll simply wash her hands before she eats." No biggie right? But then it happened - I hear, "Young lady, get your hands off that dirty floor - especially when you're in that pretty dress." HOLD UP! I turned around to see an older lady who was a total stranger with her face in my daughter's face and she was scolding her. Simmer down Mama, simmer down. I took a deep breath and went to grab K's hand and walked her up to stand by me. My heart was pumping. Who did this lady think she was? I was shocked that she felt the need to get on to my child. I know, I know, it takes a village - blah, blah, blah. But it's not like she was touching this lady's food, hurting anyone, or anything along those lines. And both of her parents were right there. I was furious and wasn't quite sure why. But I did notice that I flashed my new friend one of those teacher smiles that had the "please next time mind your own business look" behind it. Luckily the whole thing didn't set K off into a screaming, crying fit or anything like that. But it did embarrass her and she was visibly sad for a small bit. Do I think she'll be scarred for life? Absolutely not, but the fact that this lady felt the need to say anything to her about it irritates me. Cody and I are trying so very hard to do the Love and Logic approach when it comes to discipline and so far it's worked wonders. I want to stick to that, but scolding her for touching the floor isn't part of it.

Am I making a mountain out of a molehill - probably. But like I said, it rubbed me the wrong way and I hope it doesn't happen again anytime soon. What do you other mamas think???