Thursday, March 21, 2013

Getting All Grumpy Cat in the Waiting Room

Last week Pierce complained of a sore throat before bed, and then when he threw up at 4 am I had a feeling it was strep.  He didn't have a temperature when he first woke up, but I made a doctor appointment anyhow, as he was lying in a chair and not bouncing about like normal little boys do. 

When we were in the waiting room at the pediatrician's office, there was a preteen boy (maybe 11 or so) sitting across from us with his mother.  He had a red inflammation all over the left side of his face and looked miserable.  He hunched down in the chair, staring at his feet.  His mother pulled out her iphone and started pointing it at his face.

"Please Mom, no pictures" he pleaded.

She continued to snap away (right up in his face, too), as he once again asked her patiently and pitifully. 

I confess it made me angry.  My face got all Grumpy Cat.  This boy was being calm and respectful in his request.  The poor kid didn't feel well as it was.  Would I want my mom putting pics of me with some gnarly rash all over my face on her Facebook page?  NO.  Who would?!?
Google Image
 

Why didn't she listen to him?  He was old enough to make his own decisions regarding his pictures.  He was being respectful in his request - but she was being disrespectful to him by not honoring it.  I generally try not to judge other parents - we all have bad days - but in this case I just truly felt bad for this ill boy. 

Should there come a day when one (or all) of my boys asks not to appear on the blog anymore, I plan to respect their privacy.  If it comes to that, all of my pictures will be like this:

As for Pierce - sure enough, it was strep throat.  Thankfully, he is feeling much better now! 


36 comments:

Nancy said...

That's a shame -- can you imagine this happening when we were that age? Humiliating.

Buttons Thoughts said...

Oh Lisa I agree that was not cool the young man had a right to his privacy. I do hope Pierce is feeling better that is sore.
Love the last shot and grumpy cat what can I say:) B

Unknown said...

It sounds like she really should have been listening to him.

andy said...

I'm glad he is feeling better now !!!

Anonymous said...

Sometimes "little boys" grow up and hate their moms. And, 'that's the rest of the story.'

Eat To Live said...

Some mothers just need to GROW UP!!!

Unknown said...

I hope Pierce is feeling better!!! Your grumpy cat is adorable!

http://www.the-mommyhood-chronicles.com

Monkeywrangler said...

Glad your son is feeling better! Hope no one else in the home caught strep.

Not sure what to say about the unreasonable woman in the doc's office...stuff like that makes me crabby too.

Anonymous said...

That mom was not very compassionate. I'm glad that Pierce is feeling better.

Sally said...

Oh, poor Pierce, but glad he's better now. That mom? Just not right, not at all. :(

TexWisGirl said...

poor boy. glad yours is better!

Heather said...

That would annoy me too! Poor kid! My kids go back and forth with the picture taking in general, sometimes they want to pose for pictures or take pics of each other, other times they don't want anything to do with the camera. I totally understand, because I mainly don't want the camera directed at me!

Chatty Crone said...

I am glad Pierce is okay now.

NOTHING makes me madder then an adult disrespecting a respectful child. Errrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

sandie

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

glad he's feeling better...

As for the mom, apparently she never grew up and her little man is more mature than she is.

LisaS said...

If only there was something nice to say to get the point across. Is it worth the risk?

Glad your boy is feeling better ;)

Gail Dixon said...

So glad Pierce is feeling better already. I would have had a grumpy face, too, and pointed a scowl directly at that oblivious mom. How horrible!

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

Poor kid- maybe one day his mom will respect his feelings. Glad Pierce is feeling better. Strep is so painful.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Gads---that mother was not being very nice to her son.. Poor little guy..

Glad Pierce is feeling better now... Glad you took him to the doctor when you did.. Sometimes we wait too long. Bless his heart. Strep throat is nothing to mess around with.
Hugs,
Betsy

Ginny Hartzler said...

Awww, poor Pierce! I know strep is painful, but I did not know you throw up with it. So glad you got him to the doctor really fast!! That mom needs a good swift kick! But then again, I have seen moms do much much worse things to their kids! Let's just hope your boys never don't want their picture taken, because I am loving watching them grow up.

Tina Fariss Barbour said...

I'm glad that Pierce is feeling better.

I would have been Grumpy Cat in the waiting room, too. Poor boy. It sounds like the mom was trying to make it about her, and not her son.

Debbie said...

i find it so hard not to get involved with situations like this, poor kid!!

you need a license to fish, but anyone can have a child!!

Unknown said...

Glad to hear that Pierce is feeling better now.

Morr...that Mother was not being very nice...:(

Anonymous said...

Poor kid.
I bet someday she'll wonder why he doesn't respect her, right?

Sunnybrook Farm said...

I try not to aggravate my daughter when she isn't feeling well, things just work out better that way. Of course when she is feeling good I give her a hard time.

Andrea said...

Ugh I think we all get that - but I think she just went overboard. I can see a picture if you're in need of web friends responding with what they think it is - but if you're AT the doctor's office? huh?

And i totally thought this was going to be a visit to the vet kind of story. :>

Steve Surratt said...

Hope Pierce gets well soon. Strep seems so prevalent. I agree, it's very hard not to judge. It's REALLY hard not to judge when you have seen all sides.

Debby@Just Breathe said...

I started out not posting pictures of my children, only from their childhood on their birthday. Now if I have a family picture I put it up. I try to respect their privacy. I think being in the doctors office was definitely the wrong place for that. Sometimes it's good to have a record of something but she could do that at home. No way should she post it!

Angela said...

I love the grumpy cat! lol I'm so glad that Pierce is feeling better now. It's pretty bad when some kids are more mature than their parents! I feel for the boy too.

Linda said...

Someday he will do the same to her!

Kim said...

I've thought about this exact same thing recently. At what point do I need to start respecting my boys' privacy and leave their stories out of my posts. That mother sounds really annoying.

Valerie Boersma said...

I'm glad Pierce is feeling better! And I don't get the need some people have to plaster every aspect of their lives on facebook. That poor kid! My face got all grumpy cat just reading about what his mom did!

Sonya @ Under the Desert Sky said...

Ugh. I'd be all grumpy cat about that mom, too. I hope her son is starting to feel better.

I'm glad Pierce is feeling better! :)

Our Neck of the Woods said...

Oh gosh, that is too sad. The poor kid! I'm glad to hear that Pierce is starting to feel better. Sick kids are so sad :(

Lexie Loo, Lily, Liam & Dylan Too said...

That poor kid!
I'm glad Pierce is feeling better!

Sandy said...

Awwwww....poor kid. That was very unfair of his Mother to do that. Heck, even sometimes when I am taking pictures I will have my friends say, "Don't put me on your blog!" and I respect their request when they do say that.Anyone else is fair game though....lol

Grandma Bonnie said...

That is too bad for the boy. A parent needs to respect their child's wish. The day my grandchildren do not want their picture on my blog is the day I stop posting their pictures. I am glad to hear Pierce is feeling better.