Suckey mother/customer, gerat offspring

[Seshat]

I didn't know they were handmade. Maybe the ones here aren't (or are). Either way, I contribute what I can to Anzac Day, Remembrance Day, and Legacy, too.

(Legacy is the fund that provides care and assistance to the families of wounded/dead Australian soldiers.)

[Brighid45]

I agree with RecoveringKinkoid--the Creative Intelligence definitely has a sense of humor and probably gets a chuckle or two out of watching us show our idiocies--and then using that display to benefit people or causes who deserve the help. So whether she knew it or not, that mean mom unintentionally did a good thing by encouraging other people to be generous. She sure doesn't deserve her child, though. What a great kid!

[Sliceanddice]

my mom read the story, heres her opinon, yes the mom had some right to be upset, cause she didnt know her daughter was donating he rmoney and it was a surprise. But she really over reacted.

[Becks]

I hope that charming child keeps on like that!!!

Mommy dearest, however, needs a smack or six billion.

[Can I Help Your A$$?]

I'm going to say something really difficult here, and I want people to kind of try and see things from a different perspective.

Some people have beliefs and values that are simply not in the mainstream, as I can see here. I don't know if this is true, but I'm trying to see things in a place of compassion.

Perhaps those pretty words that the other customer said were not beliefs that they share in the family of that little girl, this nice little girl that clearly is not neglected or abused. Not everyone believes that veterans died for us. Now, calm down, I know that is a belief dearly held by most people, but there are some people who do not share this belief, and they have every right not to.

It is difficult for many people to understand, I know, but if I had a kid, I would not want her to give to such organizations. She certainly has a right to, sure. And I can see where telling her she had to get the money back is kind of rude seeming. But if I wished to promote these beliefs in my home, I have some idea where this woman might have been coming from.

Not everyone supports veterans organizations, not everyone holds the beliefs that people who fight in wars are fighting for our freedom, and they are not evil for thinking this way.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Not everyone supports veterans organizations, not everyone holds the beliefs that people who fight in wars are fighting for our freedom, and they are not evil for thinking this way.

Then what do they fight for? And would you tell them that to their face?

I have a real urge to say some things that would instantly get me banned, because some of these people who fight in wars who aren't fighting for freedom happen to be close friends and relatives of mine.

[Sarah81]

It sounds to me like the mother was upset because the kid bought something other than a soda. I think that, had the kiddo done ANYTHING with the buck other than buy a drink, Mommy Dearest would have had her mini-tantrum. That's just what I think based on the mother's quote in the original post, though. But I could be wrong.

I probably would have broken off a boot in the woman's butt - not because there was a fellow veteran involved, but because the kid tried to do something generous and got the smackdown for it. I would react the same way if the kiddo had come back with a pink breast cancer awareness ribbon and the mother had reacted like that. Or if the kid had put the money in a Ronald McDonald charity box. Or whatever.

[PuckishOne]

Just your friendly neighborhood mod reminder to keep it civil, please. We're tearing apart the SCs in here, not each other.

[Tria]

Then what do they fight for? And would you tell them that to their face?.

Currently? They are fighting for the rich to become richer, and I have said as such.

[Ree]

Perhaps you didn't notice the shiny new "Moderator" badge below Puck's name.

This is not the place to debate war. Drop it or take it fratching.

[Fyrehardt]

It sounds to me like the mother was upset because the kid bought something other than a soda. I think that, had the kiddo done ANYTHING with the buck other than buy a drink, Mommy Dearest would have had her mini-tantrum. That's just what I think based on the mother's quote in the original post, though. But I could be wrong.

Maybe it's just because I'm a mom, but I really don't know if I agree with this or not. If the kid was only 10 years old, then I think the mother had a right to get upset with the kid "wasting her money" on the flower. After all, how long were they going to be out shopping? I know that if I take my kids out, within the first two stores, they're just starving and dying of thirst. It's entirely possible that the mother knew that the flower would only keep her kid's attention for a little bit, but that at the next stop the kid was going to be asking for a drink again. Yes, the mother over-reacted, but it's entirely possible that she was more upset because she knew that her kid was going to be a problem later in the errands rather than because she didn't want her daughter spending money on the veterans.

[Seshat]

I probably would have broken off a boot in the woman's butt - not because there was a fellow veteran involved, but because the kid tried to do something generous and got the smackdown for it. I would react the same way if the kiddo had come back with a pink breast cancer awareness ribbon and the mother had reacted like that. Or if the kid had put the money in a Ronald McDonald charity box. Or whatever.

In support of PuckishOne and Ree, I'm going to suggest that we deal with this particular story in the spirit of the quote above, and move the discussion of whether giving specifically to war veterans is good or bad to Fratching.

[JustADude]

I would react the same way if the kiddo had come back with a pink breast cancer awareness ribbon and the mother had reacted like that. Or if the kid had put the money in a Ronald McDonald charity box. Or whatever.

As Seshat suggested, let us return to this, the crux of why most of us are pissed off at this woman:

IMO, even if you disagree with the specifics of the cause involved, a child showing humanity, compassion, and generosity, especially considering the very mature, tear-inducing statement made while donating, should be encouraged unless it's something really horrible, like a KKK donation drive or something. By yelling at her, the mother pretty much sent a message that being a good person is wrong.

[Shengirl]

a child showing humanity, compassion, and generosity, especially considering the very mature, tear-inducing statement made while donating, should be encouraged

I agree. The main thing is that it IS a small child. The nuances of morality and convenience that may or may not have made the mother upset would never occur to a child. Mommy is yelling, so I must have done something wrong. And there's just too high a chance that the kid will conclude, "It's not good to donate to veterans." or something similar. Maybe if the mother had explained calmly...but no, she yelled.

[JustADude]

"It's not good to donate to veterans."

Actually, I'm worried she'll learn that lesson, minus the last two words... as in "It's not good to donate." Period. The end. The child is too young to really understand the politics behind the cause. All she understood was that there was someone looking for money to help people, so she gave them a dollar rather then spending it on a soda because she wanted to do a good deed. Yell at her for that, and the lesson learned isn't about some political view, it's about selflessness being a bad thing.

If I'd been her parent I would've told her she did a very good thing, bought one of my own to reinforce the example, then bought her a soda as well.