"How not to parent" show at the zoo

[Aurora]

Recently my 15yo DD and I had a nice girls day at Brookfield Zoo just outside Chicago while my DH took our two boys camping for the weekend. We were standing outside the Tropic World building (an enormous structure that houses most of the monkeys and apes at the zoo), when we heard a woman raising her voice at someone.

We turned and saw a middle-aged woman yelling at her daughter, who looked to be about 9 or 10 years old. The woman's husband was standing next to her, with his hand on his hip, gazing around and rolling his eyes at the woman's behavior. The daughter said something fairly quietly to her, and the woman screamed back at her -- "That's b-------!" And then proceeded to continue her rant.

I noticed then that she had a plastic cup of beer in her hand. Some of the restaurants serve beer, but you're not supposed to take it outside the dining area. She was quite a sight, and it was obvious she didn't care who saw or heard her, so that's probably why her poor husband said nothing.

What a nice family outing for them.

[DVC2004]

Ugh. It's amazing what you see in public. Sounds like she probably was over-served. I don't know though- Brookfield Zoo I had some goofy things happend to me there, people are crazy. Several years ago I was at Brookfield Zoo and it was very busy at lunch. My kids were small, still in a stroller, and I was watiing outside the food place with them while my husband went and got food for all of us (instead of trying to navigate the double stroller in teh croweded food court). We were sitting off to the side and there were some geese and ducks gathered begging for food, because lots of people were eating out there since there was no where to sit inside. Someone else's child walked up by us, right next to us actually, and started to feed the geese french fries. A man standing nearby then proceeded to march up to me and rant me out for letting "my child" feed the animals. He said I was a terrible parent. Why don't you tell y our kid to stop, it's not good for the geese he said. I said, this isn't even my child!!! Meanwhile my kids are sitting quietly in the stroller and I didn't even see this other child's parents. I couldn't believe that.

[mgmnut]

A man standing nearby then proceeded to march up to me and rant me out for letting "my child" feed the animals. He said I was a terrible parent. Why don't you tell y our kid to stop, it's not good for the geese he said. I said, this isn't even my child!!! Meanwhile my kids are sitting quietly in the stroller and I didn't even see this other child's parents. I couldn't believe that.

I don't think I would have been able to hold back at putting this guy in his place, and not so nicely I'm sure. My response probably would have been more like "this isn't even my child!!!! So why don't you !@#$, &%$#, !@#%

[mgmnut]

Although, I realize that would not be the correct response and I would just be adding to the chaos.

[DVC2004]

Although, I realize that would not be the correct response and I would just be adding to the chaos.

I was just so floored, any my own children were sitting right there to hear lol I am sure I wanted to say that and more... but yes isn't that crazy??? I think I just said this isn't my child ...I remember when my husband came around with the food I was so mad I was shaking.

[SBETigg]

Sad to see stuff like that. And as much as you want to intervene, you don't know if you would be truly helping or hurting more. Poor kid.

[caryrae]

We were at Target once and there was this Father and Daughter shopping, can't remember how old the kid was. She was throwing a tantrum and the Dad said in a normal voice to stop or we're leaving, well she didn't so without saying anything he left the cart were it was picked up the kid and left the store. I thought that was pretty awesome. He never raised his voice or got mad, of course don't know what happened when they left the store.

[DisneyDog]

I work in a public library. Yesterday, we had a children's musical program. My son's camp came over for the event. He was very excited that everyone was going to see where his mom works. They arrived early, before the building was open to the public for the day. Unfortunately, there was a very nasty woman waiting out there with them. She was angry because these children "might" get to enter the building before her. So, she started cursing and yelling at them! My poor little guy was SO upset. He didn't tell me what happened, but he kept hugging me every chance he got while he was in the library. I found out later in the day, and learned that he was upset all day and all evening because of it. I just don't understand people and why they think it's okay to behave around children in that manner.

[UCJen]

Ah, Brookfield Zoo...

I once witnessed a man harassing one of the roaming peacocks. He was following it and touching its tail. It was hissing at him and he laughed. I was secretly wishing it would peck him somewhere private.

When I was 5 mos. pregnant, an unattended child pushing a stroller much taller than she was struck me in the backs of my legs, causing me to fall onto my knees and wrists as I was walking. My husband said something the father and the repsonse he got was, "She didn't hit her (me) that hard." So you're sitting there watching your child blindly push around a stroller on a busy pedestrian walkway. Grrrrr...

[DVC2004]

Ah, Brookfield Zoo...

I once witnessed a man harassing one of the roaming peacocks. He was following it and touching its tail. It was hissing at him and he laughed. I was secretly wishing it would peck him somewhere private.

When I was 5 mos. pregnant, an unattended child pushing a stroller much taller than she was struck me in the backs of my legs, causing me to fall onto my knees and wrists as I was walking. My husband said something the father and the repsonse he got was, "She didn't hit her (me) that hard." So you're sitting there watching your child blindly push around a stroller on a busy pedestrian walkway. Grrrrr...

See? It's a crazy place, that zoo. We go to Milwaukee now.

[Magic Smiles]

Start to notice, the closer we get to a full moon the weirder people behave. I was driving home the other night and it was just crazy. I said to my DH it must be close to a full moon. Sure enough tonight is a full moon. 911 call centers are busier on full moon nights then other nights.