All Judgemental

I'm noticing how other people parent their kids and I'm feeling all judgemental.

"How could they let their child talk to them like that?"

"Don't pick him up, let him cry." "Pick her up, don't just let her cry."

I gotta back away from the judgment, I know it'll come back to haunt me. But what are you supposed to do when you see an overweight 5 year old walking down the street eating an double scoop ice cream cone and drinking a Coke?

It's a tricky thing these days to discipline your child in public. We were in the park the other day and Coleman was picking up balls and tossing them over a fence. From across the park I yelled at him to stop. He kept going. I made my "mad daddy" march across the playground, he quickened his pace, getting a few more balls over the fence (giggling, laughing, having a great time.) As I got closer he saw I had my "mad daddy" face on. (In the old days, there would have been a slap or two across his bare legs - we can't do that anymore.)
So I got close, in my "mad daddy" whisper.
"I told you to stop, and when I tell you to stop, you stop."
I picked him up and dropped him on the bench for a time out.

I turned around, all eyes were on me. I walked back across the playground and resumed normal conversation. They were all a bit uncomfortable. After a sufficient time out, from across the park I told Coleman to come here. He walked across.
"What do you have to say?"
"Sorry daddy."
"When I tell you to stop, you stop."
"Yes daddy."
"Go play."
He skipped off, the time out already a distant memory.

There were about five mommies/babysitters there. I know they were judging me.