Two styles of parenting, one from 2010 the other in 1990. The parents from 1990 are mine.
2010:
(Two mothers sit in a cafe sharing a coffee and cake. Their two boys run in and out of the shop kicking each other and screaming.)
MOTHER 1: (to boys) Joshua! Joshua! Would you like to come in and finish your gingerbread man?
SON: (at the top of his lungs) NO! GO AWAY!
MOTHER 1: Play nicely then.
MOTHER 2: Boys huh? They just can’t sit still.
MOTHER 1: You know what that is? That’s them sitting down for two hours through out that film. They’ve got all this energy to burn.
(Boys whizz past screaming.)
MOTHER 2: That’s right. They’re just active.
1990:
(MUM, DAD, VERONICA (Aged 7) and MARTA (Aged 2) are in a cafe. DAD is reading the paper and MUM is drinking coffee. MARTA eats her cake and VERONICA fidgets in her chair.)
DAD: (to VERONICA) Stop that.
(VERONICA stops. After 3 beats she gets up)
MUM: Where are you going
VERONICA: I need to go to the toilet.
MUM: Sit back down. When I finish my coffee I’ll take you.
VERONICA: Can’t I g—
MUM: No. Sit.
(VERONICA sits)
2010
(MOTHER and CHILD walk through the isles of a supermarket)
CHILD: Mummy can I have a chocolate?
MOTHER: No sweetie, we have something sweet at home.
CHILD: But I want something now.
MOTHER: We won’t be long sweetie, you’ll get something when we get home.
CHILD: (getting louder) I can’t wait that long.
(MOTHER doesn’t answer the child and pretends to be deeply involved in reading the product information in her hand)
CHILD: Mum. (pause) Mum. (pause). Mum. Mum. Mum. (louder) MUm. MUm. MUm . (louder) MUM. MUM. MUM. MUM. MUM. (Screaming) MUM! I WANT SOM—
MOTHER: ALRIGHT! We’ll get something!
1990:
(MUM and VERONICA are in the supermarket)
VERONICA: (whispering) Mummy can I have a chocolate?
MUM: What?
VERONICA: Can I have a chocolate?
MUM: No.
2010:
(MOTHER and CHILD attempt to cross the road as a car comes toward them. CHILD surges forward and pulls MOTHER along. They stop in the middle of the road as they see the car coming toward them. The car stops. MOTHER and CHILD look at the car make their way back to the side of the road. As the car begins to move again, MOTHER and CHILD dart in front of the car to cross the other side.)
1990:
(VERONICA, MUM and MARTA stand on the side of the road waiting to cross. MARTA surges forward. MUM grabs her arms and smacks her on the bottom. MARTA cries.)
MUM: Don’t you ever do that again.
2010:
(A BROTHER punches his SISTER, and MOTHER and FATHER look on in dismay.)
FATHER: Don’t do that to your sister.
BROTHER: Why?
FATHER: Because it’s not nice.
MOTHER: (to FATHER) I just don’t know what to do anymore.
FATHER: It’ll be ok. He’ll grow out of it.
MOTHER: Maybe he won’t. Maybe he’s just one of those people with an aggressive personality?
FATHER: Give it some time. He’s only 6. I’m sure he’ll grow out of it.
1990:
(VERONICA hits MARTA over the head. DAD then hits VERONICA over the head.)
VERONICA: Ow!
DAD: Hurt did it?
VERONICA: Yes.
DAD: Say sorry to your sister and don’t do it again.
VERONICA: (to MARTA) Sorry.
MARTA: Ha ha! You go in– (DAD smacks her over the head) Ow!
DAD: Don’t annoy your sister.
2010
(MARTA, VERONICA and MUM are shopping. A MOTHER with her CHILD pass by. The CHILD is being dragged on the floor by the MOTHER.)
CHILD: (screaming) NO! NO! I don’t want to! I want the car! I want the car! It’s not fair! I hate you! I hate you I hate you!
MUM: (observing the MOTHER and CHILD) When you where that little, you never did anything like that. I am so lucky to have had such good children.
(MUM gives VERONICA and MARTA a kiss on the cheek. MARTA and VERONICA look at each other with a knowing smile.)
THE END.
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