Leave my kids alone

Kamryn has swimming lessons on Thursday nights. Daniel has class until 8 or 9 and isn't available to watch Sam so I take him with me. He’s so good during Kamryn’s classes I occasionally find myself wondering about all my other “Sam-worries”. He sits patiently until class is over and follows directions reasonably well as I try to get Kamryn organized both before and after. I think what he really benefits from is being alone – alone he’s a different kid. But back to yesterday …

Lessons have been running for 10 weeks now. Next week is the last week. For the first month or so we used the family bathroom but the showers were broken in there for WEEKS so I just started taking DD into the woman's change room. In the end it’s much is easier: the family change room is has limited space and facilities (you have to line up for everything from showers to a changing booth). The only difference between the family change room and the ladies’ change room are the changing booths. The showers are communal. This is important.

Sam accompanied us last night, as always into the ladies room. The first week we did this I was somewhat concerned about his maleness but really there are no adult ladies changing (if there were I would re-think the practice) when we are using the room there are just children there the oldest being MAYBE eight.

Yesterday, I sat Sam on a chair in the corner and told him not to move; I got Kamryn started in the shower and then popped around the corner to the locker to get her shampoo and conditioner. While there, I bumped into a friend so I was gone a little longer than I intended - say 2 minutes. I get back and Kamryn says something about some lady yelling at Sam. I told her it was nothing and she must have misunderstood (there is another child with the same name as Sam and I just assumed she'd misinterpreted another parent disciplining their own child; because why would any parent have cause to say anything to my child who's sitting on a chair as he was told and minding his own business?) I finished with Kamryn in the shower and we left. It wasn't until we got to the car that I listened properly to what the kids were telling me and got the whole story.

The mother in question was angry because my 5 year old was in the change room while her daughters ( who I’d guess are no more that 5 or 6) were showering/dressing. Her children shower naked, wander aimlessly all over the place, take forever showering and generally annoy me to begin with (there are limited facilities – shower quick and get out of the way so someone else can use the showers). I’ve never said anything or done more than frown inwardly cause hey they are kids and kids will be kids.

What gives her the right to say anything to my children?!? Not to mention it was an ADULT conversation that they had no part of and they were doing nothing wrong whatsoever:

First off Sam’s only 5 (rules say no children of the opposite sex past age 6) and doesn't care that her daughters are naked.

Second, her kids don't have to take their suits off to shower. That’s her personal choice. This isn't a day spa it's a public pool thus the communal shower room (note there is also a communal shower in the family bathroom; no one is expecting nude showering here).

Finally and what really makes me the most mad is that she said NOTHING to me — neither last night nor in the 5 or 6 weeks Kamryn has been showering in the ladies’ shower room and Sam has been sitting in the corner (I'd put him in the locker room but it's got all sorts of nooks and crannies and places for him to hide and get into trouble; it's also got a door to the outside. And if you're worried about him seeing naked girls -- which I'm not -- there is a greater likelihood in the locker room than in the shower.).

What kind of parent attacks LITTLE kids with something that is obviously not of their own doing and waited for their mother to leave to do it. What kind of coward shuts up completely when mom comes back?!? I've got some words for her! I told Kamryn (who told me that she tried to explain to this woman that someone needs to watch Sam and her Dad wasn't available - bless her little heart) that if that ever happens again she is to repeat "I'm sorry you need to talk to my mother; she's right over there." I stopped short of instructing her on what name she should use to address such an individual – but I have a few. There may be some fireworks next week… just saying.