This was the scene tonight at Starbucks, as Ben and I waited in line. A woman in front of us was talking to her daughter, who looked to be about Ben’s age:
Daughter: Can’t I have two brownies? They’re kind of small. Mother: NO you cannot! Those brownies are very rich. It’s one or nothing! Take it or leave it. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT! Daughter: Fine! (and she walked away to go sit down) Mother: (To Starbucks employee taking her order) Yes, we’d like one brownie and one oatm- actually, make that two oatmeal raisin cookies.
The two cookies were of course for her. The Starbucks oatmeal raisin cookies are enormous… I was standing there, silently cringing, when Ben yanked on my arm and motioned for me to lean over. I did, and he said, “Did you hear that?” And I laughed out loud. I couldn’t help it. Ben then went on to watch as the woman took both cookies and put them in one bag in order to disguise the fact that she was eating two. I mean, really. Does she think her daughter is a complete idiot? BEN was standing there appalled at the hypocrisy; does she really think the girl won’t notice the second cookie?
Bottom line. Don’t tell your kids to behave a certain way and then yourself do the complete opposite. It doesn’t work, and besides that, it’s so embarrassing to watch.
And on a completely different note: Maya is spending the night with her friend Greta, so Ben and I started reading Prince Caspian. We’re going to whip through that and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader so that we can go see the movie next week. At some point in Caspian, they are speaking of swords and fighting, (as they do quite often) and Ben got up and got out some fabric and started to sew. All while I was still reading (in the same room, so he was still listening). He proceeded to make himself a sword belt with a sheath for his sword, velcro closure and all. Pretty cool.