I am not a relaxed parent. I try to be, but I expect my kids to follow my lead and my directions. This includes not talking to strangers. When the girls first moved in, they would walk up to anyone and start a conversation and give more information than they needed to. Very scary as a parent. Now, we do live in a rural community that is very friendly, but still.
Saturday night we took Chris out to dinner for his birthday. As we were leaving, a woman walked in with a tiny dog. She saw the girls and walked directly over to them and asked if they wanted to pet the dog. Kirsten and Haily got down to petting and Shyann asked me if it was o.k. I praised her for asking before talking to a stranger in a tone that let the woman know that her behavior wasn't appropriate and letting my other littles that their's wasn't either.
This woman got offended and told me that it was a service dog for emotional support. I told her that my kids are being taught to not talk to strangers and that I didn't appreciate her approaching them before me. Instead of responding to me, she told the girls, condescendingly, that they have a good mom and tried to pet one of MY KIDS on her head. This was not welcomed by my daughter and we left without any further discussion.
I just wonder, why do people feel that it is ok to approach a child, while bypassing the parent? They may think they're an ok person, but that doesn't mean I do. I don't even know them! I'm pretty friendly in public, but I'm an adult and have tried to get this through to my kids. My kids have learned the rule, but the dog threw it all out the window. I told them that night that just because a person has a dog, it doesn't mean that they are safe. Now, if I could just get strangers to realize the rule!
LIBERTY VS TYRANNY: WHICH WILL WE CHOOSE
3 years ago
I don't consider your stance "Nit Picky", and I agree that the woman with the dog was in error.
ReplyDeleteAlthough we live in a physical world easily recognized, we also live in a spiritual world that passes over most peoples heads.
Physically it was just a nice lady with a dog, spiritually it was an affront to your parental authority.
I wish we lived in a world where everyone could be trusted, but it is just not so. You have hit the nail on the head. Physically, she didn't seem to be any threat, but I certainly couldn't speak for her spiritual intentions.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you're nit picky either. I think the lady was wrong, but probably not a threat. However, child predators have been known to use a small cute animal to 'break the ice' with kids. You did the right thing and I'm pretty sure the lesson was not lost on your girls.
ReplyDeleteGood job, mom! : )
Good for you!
ReplyDeleteI had a pharmacist walk up to me as I was carrying my 2-day-old son and she grabbed his little fist. With her dirty, sick-people-assisting, money-handling fingers. Touching the hand he liked to put in his new little mouth. And me with the hormones and lack of sleep. I quietly told her that if she touched my son again, I'd break her arm.