On Friday morning's I drop my DD, just turned 2 last week, at her Childminder's house. Most weeks we walk, but this week she's been full of a cold, has a rattly cough and it was absolutely pouring down. I though better of getting her soaked wet through.
I could have put her in the pram but a) she isn't fond of it, b) it means I get soaked wet through and I have a 9am meeting that I have to presentable for - not look like a drowned rat.
I called a taxi (with appropriate car seats etc!). It arrives. We get in. I strap us both in the back and off we go.
DD sat very nicely. She babbled at me a bit, but not overly loudly or anything. There was no kicking of seat backs or jumping up and down.
After I dropped her off, Taxi Driver asks me why I got the taxi. I replied 'too far for her to walk, she's too heavy for me to carry that far and she hates her pram.' I wasn't really paying attention, to be honest, just answering off-hand.
My mistake.
Cue hissing though teeth and... "well, that's what's wrong with modern parents. You let the child dictate. You shouldn't let her do that. You should take control. Just don't give her a choice. What do you think mothers in the wild do? If the child misbehaves they give them a nip! That's what you should do - if she plays up, give her a smack!"
I was too shocked to respond - and I'm normally the first to argue back - so I said nothing other than directions for the rest of the trip to work.
Didn't stop him from adding - "good luck training your child!" as I shut the door.
I'm fuming, so I'm on here blowing off steam. Am I right to be?