Two major theme parks over two weekend days led to plenty of observations about the state of parenting in Southern California.  Have to say I saw a new low Saturday though. 

While waiting in line for the Matterhorn bobsleds to give us our little taste of the Swiss Alps, a woman tried to teach her ten-year-old spawn how to climb over the fence and beat the line.  The fine young men and women in lederhosen were having none of that though, and with a bit of that fine Swiss/Disney efficiency booted the pair to the back of the line.  Spawn, properly embarrassed, broke down in tears, loudly.  Mother, cementing her position as “Parent of the Weekend,” decided to have none of that contrition and guilt nonsense though.  Still standing in the line she’d just tried to cheat, she proceeded to berate her spawn to ‘toughen up.’  For better or worse, her motherly admonishments weren’t penetrating the increasingly loud wails, and they eventually stepped out of the line completely.  Three cheers for the future of ‘Merica.