I'm no expert, buuuuttt......

I freely admit that I am a mommy blogger. Well, in so much as I am a mommy and I blog once every 6 months or so. I have a 6 year old and a 3 year old, and actually, I know lots about my particular 3 year old and 6 year old. Do some of those things probably apply to your kids? Yeah, maybe. But I am no childhood expert. Or child raising expert. So unless solicited, I do my best not to throw advice at people, especially if their kids are older than mine, as I just imagine they probably have years of experience more than I do.

It just comes with the parenting-territory. I have also adopted a 'not my kids' attitude, which helps me be less judgy about the way other people parent. Because the truth of the matter is, at the end of the day, I get to take my kids home, and you get to take yours home. And we both get to enjoy their behavior at home. So you know what? Parent your kids however it works for you and your family. And if your kids end up being nightmares to deal with in public and at home, at least you can't say it was my sage advice that pointed you in the wrong direction.

All that being said, there are some times that I witness obvious parent-fails. And let's be real here, there are times that I am the one committing the parenting-fail in all its glory. This last weekend, I had the honor of coordinating my sister in laws wedding. Which ended up with me running up and down stairs all day, and wrangling kiddos. Which I totally don't mind doing. There is always "that" kid in every bunch however. And this weekend, I got to deal with a dozey of one of those kids.

Let's just say for anonymity purposes, we will call this little boy "Bobby". Now, as I was getting everyone going in the right direction, I had a couple of normal run ins with Bobby, most of them consisting of me telling the group of boys to stop wrestling, or to stay inside/outside and what have you. Just normal stuff.

So as I am getting ready to bring the bridal party downstairs to go down the aisle, you can imagine my surprise to see Bobby (not in the wedding party, but a member of the family) eating a cupcake (that is part of the wedding cupcakes) in a hallway. So, I ask him where he got the cupcake (imagining that possibly he and some other boys may have ruined the cake/cupcake tables.). He pointed to a tray of extra cupcakes that were behind the bar, so WHEW, but still, not appropriate. So I *nicely* tell him that the cupcakes are for the reception, and to please not take anymore. He storms away (literally) with his half eaten cupcake. Curiosity gets the better of me, so I follow him out the door that leads to where the ceremony is taking place outside. He storms up to his father, and yells (this is no joke ya'll), "I GOT IN TROUBLE!!!" Then he proceeds to THROW his cupcake in the grass and stomp his feet and yell at his dad that it's his dad's fault he is in trouble!

Let's just pause for a moment here to enjoy the scene. I looked around to make sure someone else was seeing this happen, and luckily, a group of Ivey men were standing by, watching. SO glad to share this experience. Ok, back to what happened.

So then he and his father walk to me (standing near the door) and the father tells me that HE GAVE HIM THE CUPCAKE!!!

Let's pause one more time to discuss this. Um, so you know, you are at a wedding, and you happen by a couple tables FILLED with cake and cupcakes, and you think to yourself, "Yeah, it would be socially appropriate for me to take one of these cupcakes that is OBVIOUSLY for the wedding, and just let my poorly behaved child have one."

Because that's what you do at weddings. I guess I should be happy that the boy didn't want a piece of actual cake? Because his dad would have just cut him a piece before the wedding even started. Yeah. That's normal.
Ok, back to our normal programming.

So after the dad tells me this, with a fuming Bobby at his side, I very calmly say that the cupcakes are for the reception, and to please not take anymore. (Because I am an adult like that. And I can keep calm in ridiculous situations like this)

So then, I walk over to check on the grooms party, giving them a time frame and all that normal wedding jazz. As they are getting lined up, I head back inside to run upstairs and get the bridal party. As I head inside, I happen to pass the bar area, and guess what? There is that same dad, with Bobby, EATING ANOTHER CUPCAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't even handle this right now, so I just keep walking, shaking my head.

And adding exclamation marks in my head because REALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????????????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Again, I am no parenting expert.
But....I mean....REALLY?! In what world is it ever appropriate to take part of the wedding cake before a reception even starts? And where in the world is it ok to REWARD your horribly misbehaved child by not giving him ONE cupcake, that he THREW in the grass as he yelled at you, but to give him ANOTHER ONE!

ANOTHER ONE!!!

I am actually still just plain ol' shocked that this happened in real life. Even better is that there was a group who got to enjoy it with me. I am not going to lie. I for sure told that same group later that he gave him another cupcake, and even they (not all married with children guys) where shocked.

So. You tell me. In what world is this an ok thing to have happen?

And I keep reminding myself that I don't have to take that kid home with me.

No my circus, not my monkey.