To the father of five on the beach today....

Why, oh why you had to choose to sit down only inches from me when the beach was virtually empty, Ill never know. But given the fact that it's a public beach, I really can't complain (just simply don't understand...) and once I got over the invasion of my personal space, I realised your kids were actually pretty decent kids and didn't really mind them almost stepping on me - and I actually even found your little 2 1/2-3 year pretty cute (in his excitement to go swimming he stripped off his clothes and was looking lost until his 6? 7? year old sister gave him his bathing suit).

I had adjusted. And then you spoke. ....Or perhaps I should say yelled...

At yourkids.

And I mean yelled.

Mister - they didn't deserve it. I understand that sometimes raising kids can be frustrating, trying on parental patience and no one's perfect, but in this instance? You should be so ashamed of yourself. I have a low tolerance for badly behaved children - and your kids are nowhere near that label. Maybe it's because of your yelling - but God there's got to be a better way to discipline your children.

From the things you said - your methods for instilling 'acceptable' behaviour make work in the short term, but they are going to create some fairly serious long term self-esteem issues at the least. I almost said something, and I still wonder if I should have.

If you're like this in public, I shudder to think how you speak to them in the privacy of your own home. Literally shudder. I so hope I got it all wrong.