Not too long ago we were at a pancake breakfast in a parking lot.

I know, I know.

But, I’ll do anything for some good sausage links.

The pancakes were fantastic, but Baby Bot got obsessed with a Tiger Mascot and would not quit following it around saying “ Maow, Maow, Maow”.  The poor kid in the tiger costume could not see Baby Bot and kept stepping on him. Which didn’t bother Baby Bot. But, the poor kid in tiger costume kept thinking Baby Bot was saying “ow” and not “maow”.

By the way, “Maow” is cat in Baby Bot.

Any who….

In this parking lot there were a few puddles.  Which was fine until Baby Bot saw the giant puddle of all puddles.  The puddle was coloured with beautiful tints of blue, pink and green.  An inviting toxic puddle of leaked gasoline.

And he couldn’t control himself.

It was 8:52 in the morning and Baby Bot needed to be in that puddle.

He was a man possessed.

And in my defense, I did try to stop him once.  But I was dressed for work and I was wearing my nice work shoes, and I really did NOT want to go in that puddle.  So, I let him go in

And go in he did.

He took the damn thing over.

Splashing. Jumping. Singing.

He was having a blast.

I was a little bit horrified. But, really, what was I going to do?

People were staring. Some smiling, some laughing.

Then it started….

“Don’t you even think about doing that!” A Mom yelled at her kids.

Which shocked me. I mean, her kids were not even in the puddle. They were no where near it.  And these poor kids were getting yelled at because I was letting Baby Bot play in the puddle. I thought it was a little bit excessive but, I just shook it off.

And then I heard a doozy.

“You are a good Mom.”

Pardon?

“You are a good Mom”, she said again as she was holding her son back from the puddle. Listen, I don’t blame her from doing so. She is the Mom and its totally up to her to decide if she wants her son to play in a toxic puddle.

But, what does that mean?

Was it supposed to be a compliment?

It sure didn’t feel like it.

If I am a good Mom for letting my son play in a (toxic) puddle, then she is not a good Mom for not letting your son do the same thing?

It felt condescending.

It felt mean.

So I just smiled at her.

Then I looked at my beautiful Baby Bot.  He was blowing bubbles in the toxic puddle and I knew that at this point I had to do something. So I stepped in, nice work shoes and all, and carried my soaking wet, gas covered baby home.

So there.

I am a good Mom.

Puddles or no puddles.

Now screw off and go judge someone else.