The Battle for the Sidewalk- Teach Your Children SINGLE FILE

I swear if one more adolescent pushes me off the sidewalk because they can’t go single file I’m going to scream. Every single morning, after I am finished walking my kids to school, I walk home. Alone. Every single morning, I have to fight through swarms of adolescents on their way to school. They don’t move aside, they just plow down the freaking sidewalk like damn freight trains destroying everything and everyone in their paths.

Does no one teach their children manners anymore!?

I don’t ever remember being that entitled when I was an adolescent! I don’t ever remember making a person that is sharing the sidewalk in the opposite direction, walk on the grass or in the mud because me and my friends need to take up the sidewalk. As far as I’m concerned the single file rule always applies, so why are these kids so rude? What are we doing to these children that we make them this way? 

I know I sound like a grumpy old lady, “get off my lawn” and all that jazz, but I mean, it’s thoroughly frustrating. Why the hell do I have to walk in the mud on the side of the sidewalk just to avoid the herd of teenagers or kids barreling towards me. In my day, we put potatoes in our pockets and WALKED SINGLE FREAKING FILE. If I saw someone coming towards me on the sidewalk, I moved. IN fact, this is something I have instilled in my children as well… we are now at the point where both my kids will yell “Single file” when someone is coming that also needs to use the sidewalk… and my kids are only 7 and 4. 

One might say: “Oh they are just teenagers, this is to be expected.” I was once a “just teenager” and I NEVER forced anyone off the sidewalk in my life. I have more respect than that, because that is what I was taught. 

So please. PLEASE. I am begging you, my brand new boots that I saved for months to buy are begging you, my patience are begging you…

SINGLE FILE PLEASE.