One thing I’ll never do is tell you how to raise your kid.
Lord knows that raising children was the toughest thing I did.
Each parent shares a technique on how to raise up their own child.
Till their routine’s interrupted by a young one screaming wild.
While walking down the candy aisle at the Walmart local store,
I witnessed one long tantrum from a little boy ‘bout four.
The young boy bellowed out just like a gut-shot buffalo.
Then jumped down from the shopping cart right on my left big toe.
I’m sure I cursed out loud which didn’t stop the boy a bit.
He started kicking on my knee and throwing one big fit.
By now his crying changed to screams, a tantrum at its best.
His mother looked at me. Said, “He has put us to the test!”
But then her words surprised me. “We don’t want to stifle growth
or change his personality. Chastising might ruin both.”
I wondered, was she kidding? Were my old ears failing me?
The little guy had got away with murder I could see.
We’d learned it very early. Show respect to mom and dad.
“Cuz disrespect had consequences that always turned out bad.
You seldom saw a temper from a disrespectful soul.
Was it fear that kept us kids in check? Well, more than likely so.
I’d never thrown a fit or threw a tantrum in my life.
But it sounded so intriguing. Would it cause me certain strife?
I couldn’t help imagining for me to toss a fit.
Would they throw me in the hoosegow, call me derelict nitwit?
So I thought I’d give it just one try, a tantrum on the floor.
But my trick knee stopped about half bend which pained me to the core.
I was yelling out for anyone to straighten up my knee.
But all I heard was, “He’s inebriated can’t you see?”
Finally, the young mother came to save me from myself.
And her little boy apologized. Didn’t sound like his old self.
I’d judged them both too early. Yes, a lesson learned and more.
A tantrum and a fit belong to younger ones for sure.
