Tiffany Raiford
I saw it coming; we were at a birthday party and a little girl reached over to my 6-year-old daughter and smacked her right across the face. My daughter is sensitive and she’s so kind-hearted that it’s difficult for her to process the fact that this personality trait is not one possessed by all children. My heart sank and I could feel my skin heating up, no doubt turning red. My daughter had already asked this girl to leave her alone, moved away from her several times and even told on her once for knocking her plate down on purpose. The little girl’s parents were unconcerned, giving a half-hearted, “Oh, sorry honey. I’ll talk to her,” and never moving from their spot by the pool.
My husband saw it happen at the same time, immediately putting his hand on my arm as if to hold me back – which he kind of was. All I wanted to go was storm over to that little girl and tell her that she’s a hateful and vindictive little monster and that she’s a bully and that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree given the behavior of her parents. I also wanted to tell her to “F” off and I want to go up to her parents and tell them that they should be ashamed of themselves for raising such a monster – and that they should try harder not to be such disgusting white trash.
I was angry, as most parents would be. This particular child was the undertone discussion of just about every parent present as their own kids had told on her already at least once or twice. I know it’s wrong to be a bully to a kid – or other adults – but I don’t particularly care for that moment when a child hits my child. You can do or say whatever you want to me without bothering me, but my kids are a different story. I’m a calm and respectful person, but I’m a mom and I’ll protect my kids (had this happened to my 4-year-old, I’d be okay because she’d probably just kick her or tell her she’s a raging nightmare…and I’d pretend not to see or hear any of it since the kid deserved it).
When I repeated this story to a girlfriend thinking that she would be horrified that I had so many enraged feelings of anger toward a child, she surprised me. “God, I’d love to just tell that little brat a few choice words of my own,” she said. Parents: They get it. I’m not alone in wanting to unleash my inner beast on kids that attack my own. And I want other parents to know you’re not alone either. After asking around, I’ve come up with an interesting list of things that parents would love to say to the kids that hit their kids (but never would actually say….well, the vast majority of us, anyway).
You Suck
Kids that hit might not actually suck; they might just be unable to communicate, scared, sad, nervous or afraid. But some of them just plain suck, and we like to think that we recognize those kids. And we also like to think that saying this to them would really make us feel good.
Your Parents Suck
Fortunately, it’s not true in most cases. But sometimes parents do suck and raise little brats, and you just want to point out to little brats that their parents aren’t very well-liked either.
You’re a Brat
Hey; sometimes they are just brats. I’d never say that to my kids, even though that’s how they act on occasion. But hit my kid and I’m aiming below the belt and wishing I could tell you that you’re a raging little nightmare brat and that you suck and your parents suck and that I hate you.
Your Parents are Jerks
True story for this kid, but that doesn’t mean I get to say it. Though it would be nice to point out to this little brat that her parents are idiots and that they should have done everything in their power never to reproduce. Hopefully this kid grows out of the suckage that her parents inflicted on her.
You are a Little Nightmare
Again, kids that hit immediately become my version of a little nightmare. They make me mean and hateful, spiteful and they make me want to say mean things. I don’t care for that.
I Wish it wasn’t Illegal to Hit a Child
Let me just tell you right now; your kid hits my kid just for fun and I’m going to wish a thousand times over that I could hit you back. Or that I could encourage my own kid to hit you back without teaching them that violence is appropriate.
You are Going to Grow up with No Friends
In some instances, it’s the truth. When a little bully treats others like this, it’s not good. They’re going to grow up with followers who are just too scared not to pretend to be their friends, but they’re going to go off to college without real friends, without people to count on and without any happiness.
Go Away
Yes. This one.
What is Wrong with You?
Because, well, I want to know what is wrong with a kid that makes him or her want to hit my kid. But I want to know it in the angriest, most obnoxious tone imaginable. I want you to know that I think you are an awful child and I want to know what the hell is wrong with you.
Didn’t Anyone Teach you how to Behave?
Again, I’d love to ask this one using tone. You know the tone. The one that says, “You are so beneath the rest of this world that you are not even worth my time, but I want to make sure you know that I don’t like you, your parents or anything that has to do with you,” to anyone that touches my child.
What can I say? Parents get mean, spiteful and hateful when someone messes with their kids – at least in their minds. Most of us have enough class to keep our inappropriate and out-of-line thoughts and feelings to ourselves.
Photo by Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational
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