Anxious at Restaurants...

Have you ever been to a fairly loud restaurant and you hear a baby screaming or yelling?  You think to yourself, "What the..?".  Well that screaming/yelling child is probably mine and I am terrified that you will give a dirty look...like I am not a "good" parent!  Yes, I admit, I am still terrified in restaurants and public places.  I get super anxious when Eric is yelling, at the top of his lungs and people stare.  I can feel my face get red.  I get flustered.  Eric knows this...he is super smart.  I try not to take him when he is tired, or already being a stinker but as you all know, we need someone else to serve us Mom's here and there!  We do not go out to restaurants much.  There are a few places where he actually eats well and behaves, so we frequent those places when we find them!  Usually it's just easier to stay at home an cook because Eric does not scream at home!  Less stressful, that's for sure!

A while ago we were at El Pollo Loco at 2 in the afternoon.  Eric does not talk so he communicates sometimes by yelling/screaming.  He started yelling to a lady in the next booth.  She gave me a dirty look, and talked loud enough so I could hear, to her friend..."If I wanted to hear a kid screaming I would have gone somewhere else."  Now, usually I do not say anything because people can't tell sometimes that Eric has Special Needs.  This time I did.."If I don't take him out to restaurants, how will he learn how to act?   Did you forget what it is like to have children?"   She didn't say a word after that.  To most people, Eric "looks" normal.  He smiles, gives eye contact, teases, plays shy.  Then, when they ask his name or how old he is and he does not talk back, they get it.  Then, you can get 2 different reactions...Judging and staring or you get someone who engages a bit with your child.  It is sad how people are misinformed and scared to be real.  One time Eric was screaming, a little booy asked his Dad "Why is that little boy screaming?"...the Dad said, "I don't know but when he feels like stopping, he will."  That response was actually a great one!  I wasn't as flustered that time! =)  Kudos for Dad!

Although Eric can be a stinker in public sometimes by yelling or screaming...I have to remind myself...."I am a GREAT Mom!"  That whoever is looking at us and judging...there is something the matter with the way they are thinking...not anything with me or my parenting!  I will keep telling myself that!  It is a battle everytime...In 5 years will I still have the same fears?

I am sure you all have some good loud kid stories...would love to hear that I am not the only one! =) Post if you would like...

Til next time,
Shauna