Really? Did you JUST do that? and That too?

I picked my kids up from their preschool today and was waiting for them to buckle their seat belts when I notice a man next to me talking baby talk and waving through his car window right after he got out.  I thought, "oh how cute" and sat waiting for my kids to finish buckling.

Then I see him walk AWAY from the car!  I am in shock!  It's not too cold or hot...but the sun is bright and just the two minutes I've been in the car with my kids I'm starting to sweat.  And I am not bundled up and covered with a blanket as this baby is!

I text my friend, for confirmation that this is wrong, "OMG. He just left a baby in the car and went into the preschool!"  She texts me back "CALL THE COPS".  So I decide to but really don't want to call 911- with the fear that I am over-reacting and that maybe this is something other parents do.

So I call the non-emergency number.  By this time approximately 5 minutes have passed and I'm starting to get REALLY warm in the car.  The sun beats through the windows on me.  My kids are whining that they are hot- so I turn the car and the air on.

The phone begins to ring the police department and suddenly, the Dad appears, with a son from my children's class!  It seems to make it worse to me- I mean I say hi to this kids Mom everyday.  So I hang up without waiting for an answer at the town police department.

He pulls out in front of me and begins to drive home.  We seem to be going the same way and I try REALLY hard not to roll my window down and give him a piece of my mind.

Then I end up pulling beside him to see his windows all rolled up and he is SMOKING in the car.  He's got a baby about 5 months old and a little boy about 4 behind him.  Smoking like a freight train.  (Note: nothing against smokers.  If people want to smoke when they are alone FINE.  Smoking in a closed car with no where for that smoke to go except in those immature lungs should be illegal).

I wish that there was a test we have to pass before we can procreate.  We have to pass one to graduate high school, college and get a drivers license.  We have to pass a test before we can call ourselves plumbers or tax preparers or millions of other titles. 

Now, I am all for protecting my rights and the rights of others.  At the same time, I am not a perfect parent.  I make mistakes- big ones little ones...all kinds.  But the things that this father did out in the open with NO regard for his children whatsoever makes my heart break. 

Clearly his needs (his need not to have to carry a 10 lb baby into a school or wait 15 minutes to get home to smoke outside) outweigh the needs and welfare of his children.  So sad.  

Parenting is about sacrifice.  We sacrifice our needs and wants to benefit our children.  When they want the last chocolate chip cookie, we're supposed to share it at the least.  They need to be hugged after a nightmare?  We give up an hour of precious sleep.