In most cases, someone laughing at your discomfort is a horrible crime. There are a few instances where it’s not however. For example, your grocery shopping because, hey - you’re a mom and your family likes to eat food, when suddenly you spot a mom that has a child (or children) the same age as yours - that age - I’m talking about that 3-4yr age range where independence starts beautifully blossoming in your wonderful child. The result is that suddenly they’re using the potty on their own, they’re playing on their own and in their minds they’d like to live on their own so they could poke holes in the plastic wrapped watermelon halves, eat all the candy in the store and kick mean kids in the shins without the aggravation of moms watchful eye. So, you walk by this fellow mom and you can’t help but laugh because you hear something like this:
Mom: Honey, no. You can’t have those giant chocolate bars and we’re not discussing this any further.
Kid: (screaming and/or whining) MooOooOoommm I neeeEeeEeeed them right now! You’re the worst mom ever!
Mom: Ok, I’m the worst.
These days I can’t help but laugh at that moms pain. Not out of cruelty of any sort but out of sheer commiseration, and you know what? I think they appreciate it. Mind you I laugh because I’m a member of the club and that’s specifically what makes it ok. Were I some single lady laughing at that scene I would easily be thrown a dirty look by the exhausted mom if not worse. But when it’s parent-to-parent she knows, ‘Ok that mom knows what I’m going through and she’s likely laughing because she’s gone thru it too.’ -Yes, mom, I’ve been there too.  read more »