You're The Exception?!

Today was the first day of swim team for the summer rec program.  As it is the first day, there was a little, informal parents' meeting to cover some basic policies that need to be adhered to throughout the season.  It is never fun, but necessary, nonetheless. It is also the first day the swim team gear is available for purchase.  We had a pile of new swimmers, so this is a challenge to just keep people from walking off with a suit they "forgot" to purchase..etc.  But I was floored today by one mom in particular.

Now, I need to preface this by saying that there are always families every year that think the rules don't apply to them.  Whatever the rule.  They are the exception.   So I don't know why this woman surprised me so much.

Well, about 7 AM the line for the gear was easily 20 people long already.  The new coaches had introduced themselves, and the kids were all headed off into the water to start their day's practice.  One young man--I'd say maybe 15 or 16 years old--was standing with this woman, who was  NOT in line for the team gear.  She butted her way into the boxes of stuff--fins, suits, goggles, etc.--grabbing what her son (the sad boy with her) would need.  Then she tells our team mom (who, meanwhile, is trying to keep track of said gear so it doesn't walk away AND answer suit fitting questions, etc) that her son "needs this stuff right now because he is supposed to be in the water".

He didn't have another suit to wear?  Even some trunks? Why is a kid that old needing his mommy to suit him out for the team?  I mean, moms of kids that age generally pay for the stuff, but the kids are much more self sufficient than that.  How is this kids going to find the blocks on a meet without her holding his hand?!

I wanted to tell her that there are several others in the line waiting fro their turn, and they also have kids who somehow managed to make it to the water this morning.  Instead I mentioned to her that she'll still need to wait and that her son will be fine whenever he gets to the pool, as it was only the first day.

But about then I put myself in time-out when I saw her expression (which read like I was a complete idiot) and I knew I was very close to saying something so snarky and nasty that I would regret it.

Nice way to begin the season.  Yikes.