Cultural Differences...

OK, so they do things a little different around here with their kids. I've seen 2-year-olds wandering the neighborhood. No joke. Crossing streets on their tricycles. Gives me heartburn just to see them go barreling down the road.

Lets just not even talk about the kids in the restaurants. Ok, yes, lets. I guess when you have 5 or 6 kids as all the people around here seem to, you have a few to spare and then you just give up all together.

One example...Last night we went to Texas Roadhouse. You know how they have the peanuts and you can throw the shells on the floor? Fun, right. Well we sit down to wait in the little waiting area. Nicholas is happily munching on peanuts. These kids start throwing peanuts and shells across the room at each other. The Mom pipes up with "Hey..." I'm thinking the next words should be "we don't throw peanut shells across the room in a public place." Or at least something along those lines. However, she says, "Hey, we don't throw the full ones at each other. Just the shells."

Jamie and I look at each other, you know since we're sitting in the line of fire. Nicholas's eyes are HUGE. She then turns to Nicholas and says, "Feel free to throw your shells at those two on that side." I just looked at her and said "I don't think so." Nicholas looked at me and said, "I know, Mommy." I'm not against the occasional silly food fight. Just not in the middle of Texas Roadhouse or any other public place with innocent bystanders.

I should note that for every family letting their kids run amuck, there are just as many maintaining the reigns. Several of the Mom's on our street keep a pretty good eye on their little ones. I do have to admit that I have never seen so many running wild, though. Is it the product of so many large families? Is it just a cultural thing? Is is a coincindence that Utah leads the nation is small children downing in backyard pools and getting hit by cars? I don't really think it is.