Wayne Boatwright wrote:

> On Fri 03 Apr 2009 11:14:38a, Jean B. told us...

>>
>>I tend to agree on the parents with kids spaces. I sure never
>>needed such a space. I also never parked particularly close to
>>the store.
>>
>
>
> Most likely that's because you had control of your kids. I would guess
> that you're not the "average" parent of today. :-)
>

I never used the "parents with kids" spaces. But I always had good
control of my kids. And when at the age of 2 years, my daughter went
through a brief phase where she thought it was funny to dart off into a
crow, she earned herself a harness and bungy leash. Even at the age of
27 months, she found it embarrassing enough that we only had to use it a
couple of times.

Not long ago I was up at Walmart and just down the aisle from me I saw a
student, a 4th grade girl, from one of the Gifted Ed classes that I
cover, shopping with her mother. I don't remember what the exchange was
about but the mother had told her "no" about something she wanted. And
she rolled her eyes, glared at her mom and said, "Whatever!"

Now, I don't know how it is in other parts of the country, but where I
live and teach, "Whatever" is just about as rude, dismissive and defiant
a phrase as you can come up with, shy of actual profanity, and it is
used almost exclusively by females. Any classroom where I teach is a
"No Whatever" zone.

And I spun around and snapped "Kayla!" She looked up, recognized me,
turned to her mother and produced the ritual apology, "I'm sorry for
being rude and disrespectful. It was uncalled for. There are better
ways to express my feelings."

"Mom, this is Missus H. She teaches Spectra sometimes."

I could see Mom trying to decide if she should be outraged or grateful.
And to be honest, I wasn't sure if i'd overstepped the boundaries or
not. People give lip service to the idea that it takes a village to
raise a child but...