What's a Mom to Do?

I am surrounded by friends who correct their children and follow through. Conflicts arise and overly eager children do get distracted and fall into the trap of being 'kids'. Totally normal and totally expected! I get it.

HC is taking ballet at a local church. Reason 1 - we wanted to be sure HC liked ballet before we tossed $400 a season, and 100's for a costume, for something she may not like. Reason 2 - it is do-able financially (I guess this is understood by reading reason 1). By going to a more lax environment you give up certain perks. HC will not be in a formal performance with the atmosphere just right. HC is not learning in a ballet studio. HC is among girls of several ages and abilities. Another less obvious perk is a controlled atmosphere.

The atmosphere is the topic I am puzzled about today. We've been taking HC to ballet for 6 weeks now. Because it is at a local church the ladies all know one another. Night 1, 2 and 3 I was there every week back to back without JB. Steve was home with JB. I sat among these ladies expecting to get to know them. Our common ground of our girls taking ballet together seemed like an obvious start to communication. Thank God Almighty I brought my I-pod and a book. They began chatting away without even trying to make me feel welcome. It was very uncomfortable. I didn't want to impose on their clearly drawn line and so I then planned on bringing my book and music - take a Mommy break. Ahhhh....

Nights 2 and 3 were very similar except for the fact that these moms had other children - some older and younger who now began to run all over and were obnoxiously LOUD. Night 2 I sat at a table with the Moms (giving communication a 2nd go - no luck I must have had oozing boogers pouring out of my nose without my knowledge. They looked at me like 'why is she sitting here?') Night 3 I chose to go sit down the hall (away from all the loud unruly children so that I could read more than 2 pages without trouble).

Tonight I brought JB and we sat at the furthest end of the hall. I brought him some books to keep him busy and he quietly sat and colored while I read. Five minutes of peace and then 2 WILDLY OUT OF CONTROL little ballerina's chose to run up and down the hallway. Running wasn't enough - they had to SCREAM IN A LOUD pitch. Their moms were all the way down the other end of the hall and NEVER got up to correct them nor did they get up while the girls remained WAY out of their view for long periods of time.

Steve has been out of town since Monday and returns Friday night. I was beyond my normal limits of trying to ignore this. I was screaming inside as I quietly answered JB's obvious question "Mommy, why are those girls not being good listeners?" Sad thing was - it wasn't the girl's fault. It was the Mom's. I am so careful to not judge others but this scenario is really offensive. It isn't an isolated incident - it happens every.single.week!

When you are in a situation like this... what do you do? At the end of all the torment I was surrounded by - these little ballerinas were taking water out of the water faucet into their tiny hands to drink from their hands. Problem was - 90% of the water was pouring onto the carpeted floor.

I am used to being surrounded by like minded Moms who are proactive and who do correct their kids and although kids DO act like kids - they take their responsibility of raising THEIR children seriously. They do not leave it to chance that their children may eventually learn to behave by osmosis. I cannot sympathize with repeat offenders. I don't care how familiar a place I am visiting with my children - they are required to meet the behavior standard I've set. Sure - there are times (very rare times thank God) that I leave somewhere embarrassed by the scene my kids have put on. But I tell you - these days that happens less and less. Are my kids super kids? Am I super Mom? No and NO! My husband has a quote he often repeats "persistence breaks resistance". I guess that sums up our parenting motto. I am not going to let their persistent misbehavior break me - I choose to persist in my training them up in the way they SHOULD go. I can't bear the daily battles those moms have chosen for themselves. Why would anyone CHOOSE that lifestyle on purpose?? If they misbehave that consistently in public - I would HATE to see what goes on behind closed doors. I guess I've had enough. I've reached my limit of these 2 girls and their Moms. Maybe I can attribute the inner screaming tonight to the fact that I am on day 4 of no husband... I hope that is it.

What do you do in this scenario?
a. Sit quietly seething about the obvious disrespect of others these girls are being taught?
b. Realize the Mom's do not know any better and thank God you do.
c. Go tell the Moms that the girls are pouring water on the floor?
d. Ask the girls to be a little quiet (as they are piercing your ear drum and you fear your ear may explode. you don't have extra $ for a co-pay) or
e. All of the above!

Inquiring minds want to know.....