Boy (approx. age 6) is making strange noises and counting to 30 next to me while grocery shopping; I’m minding my own business looking for lettuce when his mother says:

“Stop talking so much! That lady thinks you’re crazy!”

Ummm, do I stand up for the kid or let the mother use me for her convoluted discipline technique? I’m not one to judge, parent or child, so I walked away stone-faced, pretending I didn’t hear or see anything. After all, nobody likes someone who tells you how you should be parenting.