Thursday, February 4, 2010

Would YOU trust a stranger?

I pity my kids in about 10 years...I am a bit of a control freak...I like routine, schedule, organization and most of all control over what we do and when we do it....maybe GPS tracking chips will be legally implanted by 2020?

This chicky is also not big on hiring babysitters...I have family close by who can fill in if need be....but Tim and I can make or own date night in-house......where it's warm and cheap!

The issue relates to trust.

I trust no one except myself and my hubby when it comes to the care of our kids.

Yes...Cole went to daycare once a week so I could work at a normal hour....but I worried all day. Is he ok, are they watching him, are kids playing nicely with him? I also knew the Director of the Facility, I joined the Board of Directors of the daycare to ensure policies and procedures were being addressed AND I randomly popped into the daycare to watch what was happening. All of this for ONE day a week.

See...ME = C-R-A-Z-Y

Yes grandparents help us, but let's face it, they are getting older and chasing a 5 yr old all day and caring for young twins is a huge task...even for this sprite 30 something year old! We try and schedule out events after bedtime so we can put the kids down...because in my warped mind only I can do bedtime correctly...

See ME = O-V-E-R-B-E-A-R-I-N-G

So...the other day there was a letter to the editor in our newspaper. A lady was thanking a complete stranger for being so thoughtful..awwww, how sweet right? You decide:

A lady and her hubby were having dinner at Earls Restaurant. They had a small baby with them that doesn't sleep so they decided to head out for a late dinner. The baby was smiling and having fun when a COMPLETE STRANGER came over to their table and asked if she would like her to hold the baby and walk around the restaurant while the couple enjoyed their dinner. The couple were thrilled! The stranger took the baby to the various tables and walked around for an hour...

First off: Earls is a BIG restaurant and you cannot see the entire restaurant from any given seat. The "what ifs" are speeding through my brain.

A close 2nd: you wrote the letter to the newspaper thanking the stranger...not a name...but the nice woman......YOU DID NOT EVEN GET HER NAME???
Again the "what ifs"....

When I was a baby a couple asked my mom if they could hold me and get a picture with me, they had never seen eyes as blue as mine were. My mom willingly let them hold me while she took pictures for them...

Would she do that today with her grandchildren? Likely not...

Have we become tainted by the stories shown on the media? Can we still assume that most people are good and that nothing will happen to "our" children?

Can we/would you trust a perfect stranger, even in the most trustworthy situation?

5 comments:

  1. I wouldn't. Couldn't. Too many stories of baby stealing. The truth is though, 99% of people are good and mean well but I just couldn't. What if?

    I also remember when I was a teen, there was a new mom in front of me and my mom in the grocery line up. The baby would scream when the mom put her in the car seat and she was trying to get through while holding the baby. my mom offerred to hold the baby...and the mom reluctantly allowed her to but she never for a second took her eyes off my mom. And even as a teen I understood why.

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  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. I will try that again. I read over my comment and the spelling mistakes were killing me.

    A friend of a friend was at a wedding and heard a baby crying. Turns out it was someones in the wedding party. The baby was hungry. So she offered to a woman she didnt know to breastfeed her baby. The girl was like sure that would be great! I am not shocked she offered I am shocked the other one accepted a stranger to feed her baby!

    When I was in labour with my oldest a lady I knew from the gas statin I used to go to had just a baby. We knew eachother from idle chat about pregnancy. She went up to my husbands family in the waiting room and asked if they were my family. Yes they replied. Oh great then can you watch my baby while I go out and have a smoke! I was having convulsions in the room of 4 mothers I was in leaving my baby to go pee in the same room! Mind you maybe she thought we were close friends cause one day in line at the gas station she asked me about any discharge I was having.

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  4. Oh no she didn't! I would not let that happen. I would politely smile and say, that's okay, we are fine thanks!

    We also don't get babysitters for the kids. Our parents know the "routine" down pat. However, it is hard for them with 3 little ones so we also try to go out a little later if possible!

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  5. i wouldn't do it. Like you, i trust no one. I know he is in good hands, when he is with my girlfriend during the day, but really....anything can happen. Like you, I prefer Kaden to be asleep when i go out, bc, I too, only know how to do it right. Like you, my parents are getting older, they cannot move the way they used to. I wonder if they watch his every move...is he standing on something he shouldn't be? is he putting something in his mouth that shouldn't be in his mouth? what did i leave laying around the house that he can get tangled up in? is he crying? Like you, I am CRAZY and OVERBEARING....I can appreciate that!
    Marnie
    ps...and the day a stranger asks to hold my child is the day I call out for help!

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