Don't EVER roll your eyes at your children if there is even a .00001% chance anyone other than your spouse will see you. This can be literal or figurative - I'm afraid the latter is easier to justify, harder to control, and even more insidious than the former. I occasionally feel the urge to do one or the other, as it lets other people know that I know my child is not behaving properly, but it is a TERRIBLE thing to do to your child.
On one hand, it is a form of gossip (Prov 6:19b; James 3), and you are completely throwing your child under the bus. Unless the observer of said act has an amazingly strong filter, and can ignore this immaturity on the parent's part, the public perception of the child can only deteriorate. That is AWFUL, and can have lasting effect, and most definitely will have mounting effect as the parental behavior continues over time.
On the other hand, IT IS OUR JOB AS PARENTS TO HELP OUR CHILDREN TO BEHAVE PROPERLY. Once a child has done something, this issue CANNOT be fixed in the moment. Don't even try. It is possible, even likely, we have failed up to that point, but there is hope! OWN IT. Jot it down, either with a writing utensil, or in your head (if you will remember later), and talk to your spouse about how to help your child learn the best way to respond to that type of situation next time.
You, your spouse, your child, and those who interact with you, your spouse, and your child, will all be MUCH better off, both in the moment, and in the long run!
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