Hopping Mad Mama

I picked Kendra up from work today around 5. She had texted me saying that it was time to pick her up, and that it was the worst day ever in the history of waitressing. When I picked her up, she proceeded to tell me about the busy-ness of her day, and the pressure she was under, and with a sigh said, "I hate working on Sundays!" Oh my. I've heard this before.
Kendra said that people flooded into the restaurant after church, hungry and demanding. She was also feeling bad with some pretty severe cramps and said she was so busy she didn't have a chance to stop and take anything for it. At one point, she had half a dozen full tables going, and a woman at one of her tables had asked for coffee that she hadn't had a chance to get, and she grabbed my daughter by the arm and said, "Get my coffee. Go get it RIGHT NOW!" Excuse me? I have had all kinds of bad service at restaurants, and I have never felt that it would be appropriate to physically get the attention of my waiter or waitress.
Here's the thing - that "Sunday crowd" often cause the biggest rush of the week. They are hungry and often demanding. They expect magic from the people who are working hard to take care of all of the customers. They are often even the lowest tippers. I even heard a story once of a preacher who would leave a tract as a tip. What message did this leave the waitress who was working hard to earn a living? If you feel it necessary to leave a tract, leave it with a tip, not instead of a tip. People that work in service positions work hard and make a meager income.
Here is a repeat plea - those of you calling yourself by the name of Christ, please remember Who you represent. And if you touch my daughter again, you can deal with me!

To Adulthood and Beyond

Do you know what it would be like to hold on to a rope dangling from a rocket? I have one child who has been ready to grow up since the day she was born. Being her parent and trying to hold her down without holding her back has been a challenge. To help her take the time and space she needed to grow up has been a source of much friction over her 16 year life, but I have insisted on a childhood for my daughter, knowing myself the damage done when this is denied. Yesterday it seems this lassoing a rocket is becoming less and less realistic - as she was hired for her first "real" job as a waitress. I am so excited for her because this is a job she has really wanted, and at the same time I hate to see my little girl grow up and enter the adult world. Paychecks, drivers licenses, a boyfriend, SATs. I miss the days of playdoh and Thumbelina, when the hurts were only as big as falling down, the challenges only as steep as learning to ride a bike, and the safest, most wonderful place in the world was on my lap. I'm not letting go of that rope just yet!