other people's kids

spent a good portion of my day sitting at the farmers' market talking to people about the small community grants that wabisabi gives out twice a year. it was fun, i met nice people, gave out free lemonade, and stuck promo stickers on lots of little kids. i love farmers' markets. it's great to look the person who grows my food in the eye and hand them the money directly. the food is always so much fresher, tastier, and healthier.

however there was one thing i did not love.

she was small - perhaps 2 or so (i can never age kids properly) - and adorable with long curly hair and a jersey knit sundress. her shoes were pink, her hair tied in a bow to match. she had dark eyes, rosy cheeks, and a smile that warmed me. however the whole cherubic picture was ruined by the fact that she carried with her a 32 oz. bottle of lime, diet, coke.

now i don't have kids. i don't know what its like to raise them, feed them, clothe them. i have never changed diapers or lived paycheck to paycheck to make sure my kid is fed. i've not been up nights with fevers or wiped runny noses or chased monsters out from under the bed. i've never sacrificed my own needs for those of my little ones. because i have not done any of these things i question if it's even valid that i pass judgment on what anyone does with their own children.

but seriously. it makes me so mad.

there are so many other things that you can buy for your kid. you can get them juice, you can get them milk, you can run them water out from the tap. hell. i was giving out free lemonade - dump that shit and fill up with me! why on earth should anyone be giving diet coke to a kid that age? not only is that just awful, but to give her so much of it that the bottle is almost as tall as she is?

and the message that doing such a thing sends to your kid about health and what is good for you. this kid is walking around a farmers' market! it's the epitome of local, grassroots, healthy, and sustainable. what a ridiculous oxymoron. it made me mad like seeing parents stuffing their already obsese six-year-olds with more macdonalds.

but it does not stop there.

the mother came over to talk to me, got lemonade for herself only, and then we chatted for a bit. she seemed very kind. certainly i kept my mouth shut about her choice for her daughter...until the little girl finished her soda and tried to hand the cap from the bottle to her mother. her mother looked at her and said 'i don't want that - what are you going to do with it?' instantly the girl tossed the cap onto the ground.

and the mother let her.

she turned from me to walk away and i just could take it no longer. 'you forgot the cap' i called, 'it's on the ground right there.'

'oh, can you get that?' the mother asked. and walked away.

other people's kids. they are like that for a reason.