NOT MY KID!!!!

This weekend, I witnessed something that left me speechless. NO seriously, I always have SOMETHING to say. An opinion...a story...a sarcastic comment. But this was just too, sad, or appalling... or shocking for me to completely wrap my mind around!
As we were walking through one of the many malls we visited this weekend, my friend Julie and I stopped on the bench while our husbands used the restroom. As we were sitting there we saw a family approaching...Mom, Dad, probably cousin or uncle, and a youngish boy...say 9? At the same time we noticed a family standing pretty close to where we were. Mom, Dad Grandma Grandpa, and a young child in a stroller and an older child say...7ish. As the first family got closer, we heard the young boy start saying some AWFUL rude things about the little girl with the other family. It was obvious the little girl was mixed race, and she was a little chunky. CUTE as could be though. Had a pretty little polka dotted dress and sandals. Julie and I had just commented on how cute she looked(we both have boys and try to live vicariously!LOL). I mean it was about her weight mostly and extremely uncalled for and unkind. And after the first comment, I thought ohhhh that little boy is gonna get IT(see I think in my mind all parents are like me and my parents were).It was clearly loud enough for anyone with in about 20 feet to hear it. And I was like OMG, Jules did you hear that? she was like yeah...but her comment was cut short by hysterical laughter...COMING FROM THE BOYS PARENTS. Which was like adding fuel to a fire because off he went again with his horrible comments,which only made his parents laugh harder. When the other parents, who I am pretty sure were trying to ignore this in the beginning, had heard one comment too many...THEY stopped the parents and asked why they thought it was okay to let their son make fun of someone? The ignorant ass parents then responded by making unkind gestures coupled with choice words back to the parents of the little girl, who by this point was in tears. The Parents of the little girl yelled back, something along the lines of "you are the trash that is responsible for society being the way it is" and angrily stormed off. Julie and I who were literally 2 feet from the whole exchange were just shocked. WE kinda looked at each other and shook our heads. Julie was like man I thought they were about to fight, and I too had had that feeling. The saddest part of all is that this little boy thinks it is perfectly okay to make fun of people. The parents not only don't stop him, but they encourage him. They set a horrible example and are raising this child with the belief that other people don't matter, and you can do and say whatever you want to whoever you want. SAD SAD!

Another story which was told to me by a friend of mine this week, also shocked me. Her children were at a community playground. A little boy about twice her son's age came over and SHOVED her son off the toy he was on, and then stepped on him when climbing onto said toy. Now these kids were probably 2-4. I get it kids will do that. They are kids! But what is shocking is the Mother of the pusher's response, she just said, ohh sweetie play nice,(which her son did NOT hear) and shook her head at my friend who was now staring at her with the I am gonna knock the crap outta you are you kidding me lady look, and the pusher's Mom then said with a condescending smile and cock of her head, boys will be boys. SERIOUSLY??? My friend said, I wanted to yell and scream at her, but knowing it would only make me look like a fool, and set the wrong example for MY son, she went and picked up her son,who was now standing crying and yelling at the other kids that it wasn't his TURN;she told him that some kids don't know how to share, but we don't have to play with those kids, and took him to another part of the playground(the mother definitely heard her!). I just can't believe it! SAD SAD!

I mean WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE THESE DAYS? I am never one to say NOT MY KID....in fact I am the first to make sure it wasn't my kid! SO, I can make sure it isn't EVER him again, if it should be him this time. I am lucky that Koby is a very sweet child, who loves to share and play with others.He is a natural born people pleaser. BUT he is also that way because Chris and I don't allow him to behave ANY differently than kind, and caring to his friends and others! PERIOD. If I think for one second he has stepped out of line he MUST apologize.4 years old and Down syndrome don't matter in this house! He knows manners. When he asks for something, and I say, what do you say? He knows the answer is please, and will ONLY get it once he has said/signed so. When he receives something and I say, Koby what do you say, he knows the answer is Thank you, or I will take it away.If he wrongs someone, he knows he MUST say sorry, or face his consequences. Don't get me wrong. He gets his fair share of time-outs and an occasional spanking for disobeying at school, or with Chris and I(he does NOT get spanked at school). But for the most part he is a sweet easy going child. I credit that to the hard work and discipline,which sometimes breaks my heart, that Chris and I ( and our parents and friends-It takes a village I believe) have put into him. I am SOOO not a perfect parent. I don't claim to be. But I know how to be a kind person and I set forth that example and expectation to Koby at all times! I have lots of friends who are great parents and who discipline well. I love them for that! WE lean on each other in hard times raising our children. I just wish more parents were like my friends and I, and cared more about raising kind, caring, positive children, than being their child's friend and letting them raise themselves. Children aren't meant to raise children! That is what PARENTS are for!
NOW, Someone help me off this soap box tell me I am not alone!