Sad Day, America

     A day spent at a crowded public pool, is a day spent observing the downfall of society. Now, how I ever decided that a season pass to the public pool was a good idea, is beyond me. I can only assume I made the decision during a time of extreme mental stress or exhaustion. Not only are we season pass owners this year, but the kids know it. And they never let me forget it. Ever. Everyday, the children bargain and scheme. I am convinced that they set up elaborate plans to drive me to the brink of madness until I finally cave and wave the white flag of surrender. Off to the pool we go.
     Some days it is not an awful experience. The days it is less crowded and calm, I could see how this could be enjoyable. Today was not that day. I turned towards the parking lot and my stomach sunk. People everywhere. You could barely see water. Just hot sweaty flesh, packed up against more flesh. I resisted the urge to google how communicable disease could spread in such an environment. But the kids were smiling and enthusiastic, I made the decision to give it my best shot, to try to muster up some enthusiasm of my very own.
     After finding nowhere to sit, we sat our stuff down on some grass and claimed a little territory of our own. It was within 30 seconds that two wild, parent-less children trampled our stuff, with their soaking wet feet. Just breathe. Just breathe. We make our way to the pool, where I instantly lose sight of my precious angels in the melee of small children and a mix of tattoos and sunburns. Panic ensues, and after fighting my way through the crowd, cringing as my arms bump into others, praying the flesh I bumped into was simply wet from the water and not sweat, I find my angels swimming and giggling.
    I am that parent at the pool who will turn full momma bear if your thoughtless, rude children get too close to mine. I went full momma bear several times today. What is wrong with these kids? Where are their parents? When did it become okay to raise little monsters who have no respect for others and no manners what so ever? It is easy to observe the blatant rudeness of these kids and glare with unmasked disdain, but if you would just ever so slightly glance over to the pool lounges, it is easy to see where to place the blame. These parents obviously think of the pool as a gigantic day care center, and the lifeguards as babysitters. It isn't. They aren't. In my opinion the lifeguards have to be grossly underpaid. They can only blow their whistle so many times to correct the uncontrollable children, bless their hearts, they are mostly kids themselves.
    The only parent I actually witnessed doing any parenting was a burly tattooed fellow who actually disciplined his children. Bravo, Sir. The award for parenting at the pool goes to you. The other end of the bad parenting spectrum was there too. Overbearing Mothers everywhere, YOU are creating victims, and pansies. Find a happy medium people. There are bullies, so teach your kids how to stand up to bullies. News Flash, adults get bullied too.
     So after this afternoon, I am convinced that my kids aren't angels, and boy, I am far from a perfect parent, but we have a lot going for us. Common sense and common manners are missing in a large portion of my generation, and they are breeding!