Chick Fil A Today

Summer time is here and with it disappears a nice relaxing indoor play place in Chick Fil A and it instead replaced by disgruntled high schoolers, mommies who are running around cramming in extra activities for their school age children in the summer, and others that do not seem to be at my beloved eatery during the school year. Matt and I met at Chick Fil A, it will always be dear to our hearts. We know the food is fresh, we know that there are high expectations for both the food and employees that work there, and we feel a little less bad eating there as it is manageable within a healthier eating lifestyle (not saying the food is healthy, there are just healthy options and it is healthier than many other fast food options).

Seeing as it is early June and we are consistently above 100 degrees by 1 in the afternoon, MacKenzie was begging to run around, and not wanting to drag Keegan outside we ran over to Chick Fil A to have a little lunch and let MacKenzie play. After MacKenzie ate (very well with her fork I might add), she toddled into the play area and began running around with the other children. You have to be careful and observe what children are in the play area. I prefer going to certain Chick Fil As over others because of the age demographic in each place. There are several that are frequented by older boys who can be a little wild (swinging off the bars, climbing on top of the slide, etc). I sat near the entrance and watched as my little baby independently and gleefully climbed up and slid down repeatedly. I then watched a mother and her two boys enter the play area. I then watched as the younger boy (probably two) slowly walked up to MacKenzie and clobbered her in the chest as she stood there. The mommy ran over to the little boy and tried to get him to apologize. Instead he clobbered her in the chest again so she put him in time out. MacKenzie stood there as if she could have cared less and looked more curious as to what would possess someone to do that. She continued to stand there watching some of the other kids play as the little boy was released from time out to play. I again watched as he slowly walked up to MacKenzie and clobbered her on the chest again. The mother again put him in time out and MacKenzie again did not react, just stood there observing. Once again the mother released the boy from time out. I know what you are thinking...you are probably thinking that he clobbered her in the chest again...you would be wrong my friend...he did not clobber her in the chest...instead he bopped her on the head. You can guess what the mommy did and you can guess what MacKenzie did. The older brother ran over to comfort MacKenzie (which was very kind even if MacKenzie was still not reacting) and eventually MacKenzie ran off to play with the older boy, probably in hopes that if she moved she would not get clobbered again.

I was glad the Mommy was active in trying to stop what happened and as MacKenzie was not reacting I did not feel it necessary to jump in and make a big deal of it to her. However I was curious...how many time outs would any readers (with children or without) use before looking to other means of discipline. I myself am an advocate of a good spanking, but feel a time out is a more appropraite punishment when it comes to hitting. However, the timeout obviously wasn't working and I feel fairly assured that had MacKenzie not finally gotten the clue, "Hey...maybe I better leave" that she would have gotten clobbered again. Any comments or experiences?

That being said, I love that little girl. She was so good about eating like a good girl, asked to play when she was done, played independently and well with others, came out and asked for milk, then told me she was sleepy and ready to go bye. We came home and she went directly down for her nap. I realize everyone has different experiences and that this could all change at a moments notice, but right now I have a pretty easy job!