Your previous self would have immediately judged the parent based solely on the disruptive outbreak of the (obviously spoiled) child with them. However, since becoming a parent you have realized (or soon will) that the moment you pass judgement on such a situation, your karma will surely follow in kind. It's like jinxing yourself to be put in those very shoes sometime in the near future. You also have come to realize by now that the events leading up to such behavior are rarely evident, and most likely you would have seen it coming had you been there for the last hour. Did this child just consume a large amount of processed sugar? Is this child fatigued but refuses to sleep? Has this child been bribed (and has the parent forgotten to make good on said bribe)? Has this child recently read the blog "The Honest Toddler" (I highly recommend it!)? And finally, has this child soiled him/herself and has this been detected/dealt with yet? You may then notice the parent attempting at humor to excuse the disturbance- for example when asked, "Are they all yours?" one might reply, "Oh NO, no no, just the badly behaved ones..." Heh heh chortle... not funny. Why degrade yourself and your skills of discipline when there are so many other people just waiting for a chance to do so? Let them do their job and you do yours.
So you see, there are many more things in the working before an outbreak of bratty screaming, and if you succumb to the urge to shoot a dirty/exasperated or "my child never does that" look in the poor parent's direction, then remember this- your turn will come, and then you will be the one red-faced and shaking in the public spotlight of scorn.
On that note, have a nice day and enjoy a restaurant meal with your offspring.
Love,
~Momrit
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