weirdest compliment

[metaphortunate]

Took the bus home with the Junebug on my lap as usual, talking about inside voices, about how the doors on the bus open and close, just like every day.

Right before our stop, another woman on the bus asked me: "Are you the babysitter, or...?"

"No," I said cheerfully, "I'm his mother."

"Really! Wow, well you're really good with him! So many people just seem so, you know..." she said, and then it was our stop so I just said "Thanks!" and we got off.

??
!!

Comments

[ironed_orchid]

"Tired"...?
"Overworked"....?
"Sleep deprived"...?

Those are the sorts adjectives I would use to describe parents who are less engaged with their children when on public transport, but that's just me.

[metaphortunate]

And she might well have meant any of those things!

I see a lot of tired looking parents...but honestly, most of them are engaging with their kids plenty.