In Target the other day I overheard an interesting (for lack of a better word) side of a conversation.
A woman on her phone was saying very loudly from the next aisle, to presumably her mother or best friend the following:
“…we don’t even sleep in the same bedroom anymore.”
“…we don’t talk, we don’t touch, we don’t do anything.”
Then she laughed hysterically. Presumably to keep from crying?
“…I just hope to walk away as friends, if that’s even possible at this point.”
Depressing, right?
That’s not even the worst part.
When she turned the corner to come down the aisle I was on, I discovered she was pushing not one, but two children in her cart.
Both looked to be a lot older than Lucas.
Children are so impressionable. I wonder what their home life is like?
How could she be to cavalier about her relationship with presumably her husband? How could she subject these children, whether her own or not, to such intimate details of her relationship?
It made me sad.
I have been through a divorce and it’s no fun. I thank my lucky stars every day that my ex and I did not have children together. I can’t even imagine putting them through something like that. I know couples break up every day and make it work for the best of all involved, but children often don’t really have a say, do they?
Jessica says
Those poor children. They already have to deal with their parents not getting along at home and now they have to listen to their mother talk about the problems with other people while in the grocery store.
Miel et Lait says
It's very much a sign of the times… we discuss private matters in public because cell phones make it so easy to do.
Sounds like the children were really young. Hopefully, they do walk away as friends.
Alison@Mama Wants This says
The kids are always the ones who suffer. You're right, the lady shouldn't have been talking about it in front of her kids, and in public. So sad.
Galit Breen says
That is so, so sad. It make me want to go hug…someone. That's a normal reaction, right?!
Thanks for the gentle reminder to be mindful of our little ones.
Jessica says
Very true, those poor kids. I remember watching friends' parents go through divorce when I was young and seeing how deeply affected they were, always thinking it was their fault or there was something they could do to fix it. So sad.
Teresa says
Oh wow. That is awful to talk about that in front of her babies. So sad!
Jackie says
I'm divorced (and remarried) and we tried as best we could to keep our issues from the girls. Even now that we're apart we do our best for the girls and parent together…. we do a week on and a week off type of custody and if one of us needs help throughout the week we're there for them.
It works, but I often wonder what the girls think and if it's what they really want.
Cam - Bibs and Baubles says
wow. that's really sad. i was really hoping that i could figure out something else she might be talking about… no dice. so sad.
Kimberly says
I had a son with an ex and we went through the messy break up. It's far beyond hard for a child to deal with that, but, knowing the turmoil my son would be dealing with, I swore to never talk about this or act out in reaction to the situation in front of him. I can honestly say that in 11 years I have kept our business private, where it should be!
Jessica Plassmeyer says
I hope that my child never has to go thorugh something like a divorce and if he does I know that we keep him out of it. I think sometimes emotions get in the way but its not the childs fault. I wish that women would have thought before she talked like that in front of her children, its very sad.
Sherri says
That is so, SO sad…I work with so many children that have had to hear all of their parents problems and fights. They should be sheltered from the adult stuff, at least a bit.
And in Target? Wow…
MamaRobinJ says
That just makes me so sad. Why don't people think?! Horrific.
Leah says
You'll never know who exactly was on the other side of that phone conversation. Eavesdropping can really be so interesting! She really should have cared more about what her children were hearing her say.