Dakota
The cat in the photo above is my cousin’s cat, Dakota. She captioned this particular photo “The Mighty Hunter.” This seemed perfect for this unplanned post.
Dakota is watching a bird in a bush but wasn’t putting a lot of effort into trying to go after it. When my cat, Cino, sees a bird her posture immediately changes to what looks like “attack” mode. There is a choice they have to make, attack or sit back and let it go.
Which choice do you make when you encounter a rude person? Do you attack and fight back or do you calmly sit back and let it go?
I can tell you I sure feel like I have been in the middle of “attacks” lately. I haven’t been the initiator, but I certainly have been in no mood for taking it.
As I have mentioned in other posts I work at a place with children. Over the last three days, there have been a couple parents that have been down right rude! In both cases I was just doing my job and following policies, but these two people were not having it. When I would try to explain why we needed what we were asking from them, they would talk over me and raise their voice. In both cases, they walked away while I was still talking to them. (Scream!!!)
Now I am normally a pretty calm person. In fact, not so long ago there was a parent who said to me “I am so mad, you are lucky I am holding my child?” How would you take that? I actually remained pretty calm while this parent yelled at me over & over until I finally said “You are obviously upset, I will speak with my boss about this tomorrow and we’ll get back to you.” But with these last two parents, I was ready to fight!
One of them was so upset over having to go to their car to get their identification. Honestly people, would you rather we let strangers take your children? Then they had the audacity to say that I was rude. I admit, I took out my boxing gloves and punched back with a “No, you are the one who is being rude.” We went round and round for a while.
I am on an emotional roller coaster right now still trying to deal with the loss of my sister, so I am sure this is a big part of my “no tolerance” mood. I know the right thing to do is to walk away and let it go. In time, I will hopefully get back to the more calm and tolerant person that I normally am.
But I do wonder…how much rudeness are we suppose to take?
Animals Are Feeling Beings Too 
Sometimes you have to stand up for your self, But there is no clear line. I have trouble dealing with rude customers too, Strength for you as you get through the other things you have to deal with, as well as these clueless jerks !
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I actually was not aware of your line of work, LeeAnn, or that you were not taking a couple of weeks off to reconstitute. Would it be possible for you to inquire about such an option? I can’t presume to know, but it does seem to me that you are dealing with some fairly heavy emotional fatigue, which would be normal given your recent trials. Stress is one of the most toxic pathogens! Take care! ❤
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I did take a week and a half off. But it isn’t something that just goes away. I know I will get better with time.
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Ah, I am very glad to know you took a time out. And of course, you are right about significant stress! I’m still dealing with PTSD from an auto collision a year and a half ago, and I still think every driver out there is trying to kill me!
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This is just something I have to work through (and you as well). But rude people are annoying. I just usually handle them better. 🙂
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I do understand. At least I don’t run into many rude people–that would be tough to cope with. Ancient issues hitch onto new ones, and soon we are working through PTSD issues from childhood for the rest of our lives!
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You are in a sensitive time now and it is understandable, that you find it difficult to handle rude parents too, LeeAnn.
Maybe you could try to say this: Let us talk about this topic tomorrow and see, if your mood allow us to talk without rudeness.
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Thanks Irene! Hopefully I won’t run across anymore rude parents. 🙂
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I feel for you, LeeAnn. I wish people could know when someone else is grieving or under stress. I am sure they would be kinder then, or at least tone down their unreasonable demands.
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That’s true I certainly hope people would be kinder if they knew when someone was going through a hard time. But even, as another co-worker said, people should not be rude anytime!
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First (((hugs))) because you ARE going through so much. But, I have always been one to stand up for myself and if someone is rude, I will tell them. (I just did recently with a rude, condescending person at our Auto Insurance company). I normally will firmly stand up for myself. In a situation such as yours (parents are the WORST), you do have to “pick and choose” your battles because it involves your job, but on the other hand, NO ONE should be treated like crap!!!! BTW Dakota is an adorable cat with a PURRFECT name (smile) xoxo
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Thank you Caren! I appreciate the hugs. 🙂 You definitely have to choose your battles, and as you said, people shouldn’t treat others like crap or be so rude in the first place.
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“Is this the behavior you want to model for your child?” Well, logically, that line would work, but these ignoranimuses are anything but logical. (Do you like my made-up word?) Maybe something more like, “After you comply, your child can return.” And turn and walk away. Or just turn and walk away. 🙂
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Love the made up word! 🙂 I actually did say to one of the rude people “maybe you shouldn’t pick up anymore if this is how you’re going to be.” It was a relative picking up the child.
The other rude person I had the very same thought as you about how this was such a bad example for the child. Thanks Amy!
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Yeah, or “If I was as rude to you as you’ve just been to me, you would try to have me fired.” Isn’t it fun to think about all the things later that you could have said? Hope you’re having smooth sailing with a break from the ignoramuses.
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