"Empathy for whom the mother or the child? Mature parents do not slap their children across the face for acting up. They take the kid out of the store until they calm down. If this happens in public, one can only imagine what goes on in private. If I had seen it, I would have snapped a picture of the three of them, as well as the license plate of the mother's car. Then I would report the woman to child protective services so they could investigate."
"During social events and initial greetings, I am often asked, What was/is your occupation? Abby, I am retired and have no desire to discuss my past occupation with them. Once people know it, they automatically place you in a category, which might include your financial worth, what kind of car you drive, what kind of house you live in, etc. Often, this happens so they can one-up you. I really don't think these things are anyone's business unless I choose to discuss it with them. I prefer to look toward the future and not dwell on the past."
"No law says you must discuss your past career if you don't wish to. Try this the next time you are asked that question. Say, I'm retired, and I forget from what. Or smile and say, Work? I don't use four-letter words in public. Then ask the asker what they do for a living."
A shopper observed a mother slap a child in a store and hesitated to intervene for fear of escalation. Mature parents do not slap children; they remove the child from the environment until calm. A bystander can document identifying details, including photos and the car's license plate, and report the incident to child protective services for investigation. A retiree objects to being categorized by past occupation and prefers not to discuss it. Polite deflection is acceptable, using humor or brief responses such as "I'm retired, and I forget from what," then asking about the other person's work.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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