Public Rudeness

One my favorite bloggers, The Antics of the three 22nd, posts some great questions and I have included some great responses. Here is one I feel needed to be added to my site: “How do you handle a situation where a stranger passively scolds your children in public?”
This is my response: Although equally as passive, my response has a rudeness value that packs a pretty true punch of reality. BTW this is a true life situation. I completely ignore the old crabby lady, and in my most high pitched school teacher voice ask my girls if they were enjoying their trip to the library, winking at my eldest, thus giving permission to respond with as much enthusiasm as possible. It was very effective, especially considering the librarians know us and see us regularly. I believe one of the volunteers even laughed out loud, as the lady picked up her purse and walked to the other side of the library.
Kids will be kids and I believe in letting them enjoy themselves, even in public. None of this "seen and not heard" malarkey.
This works in other situations too, especially department stores where the diapers and kids soaps are very near the Depends and Metamucil. Like I can avoid turning down this aisle “with rambunctious and ill-behaved children”, who were merely carrying on a conversation at top volume, while lingering behind me though the aisles. I just calmly turned around, winked, and asked the girls if they were having fun. Of course, I rewarded them with McDonalds after that performance; I couldn’t get the smile off my face. I love being a parent.

Note: when my girls are disobedient or disruptive, we leave. I have shed many a tear in the car on the way home from a disastrous trip, knowing I will have to go back all too SOON.