Keeping An Eye Out

   This afternoon, I took my kiddos to a local pumpkin patch that we like to visit each fall. It was lots of fun but super crowded today because the weather was so nice. Before we left we sat down to enjoy a snack and do a little people watching. While chomping away, a mom pulling her kids in a wagon pulled up in front of us and then she left them there while she went and grabbed some drinks. I was nervous for her at first because she went kinda far away, the lines were long, there were crowds walking all over and it was obvious she was gonna be gone for a bit. At any moment, someone could have snatched them up and no one would be the wiser. So I decided to keep one eye on them until the mom got back. Situations like these always make me uneasy... I'm never sure what's appropriate and what's not when it comes to other people's children and I know how I feel when someone tries to tell me how to parent my kids. So I of course didn't say anything to the mom, but I just felt like in my gut that I needed to make sure her babies were alright while she was gone. They giggled and played together and then one of them dropped her bottle out of the wagon. I bent over to pick it up for her and she smiled and then the other decided to throw the bottle out of the wagon. I again bent over and grabbed it and placed it back in the wagon. This game continued back and forth for a bit and my son joined in with helping me entertain them as well. The mom did eventually come back and kind of give me a nod and a friendly smile and then pulled the wagon and kids on their way. I'm glad I was sitting in that spot at that moment so I could help that mom out, even if she didn't know someone was helping her. It's tough these days being a parent, especially when you are doing it by yourself.