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Yesterday at the playground my aunt became dead set on telling some girls (~5 years old) how to properly play on the seesaw. One girl was sitting backward in her seat, but it didn't look like a safety issue (she was holding on to another set of handlebars) and the girls were all having fun. My aunt's insistence on the girl facing forward in her seat got to the point where she was going to grab the girl to force her to sit normally. That's when I hurriedly said it's time to go and herded my kids into the car. As we were walking to the car, my aunt said she had every right as an adult to teach those girls to use the seesaw properly. I told her that was not teaching, it was borderline creepy because you don't handle other people's children who are not in danger.
Thoughts? I don't know whether this is an age issue (my aunt is in her 70s, so maybe it was common practice years ago to mind other people's children?) or what.
I agree with you. If they're not in mortal peril or knocking little ones over, I usually mind my own business. I say "usually" because I have a feeling this discussion will morph into questions like, "But what if you saw a child running with a flamethrower? You bet I would step in."
I'd say your aunt overstepped by being so insistent, but yes it's probably somewhat age related. The idea that no one else is allowed to touch your child, or correct them in any way, is a fairly recent phenomenon.
I agree with you. If they're not in mortal peril or knocking little ones over, I usually mind my own business. I say "usually" because I have a feeling this discussion will morph into questions like, "But what if you saw a child running with a flamethrower? You bet I would step in."
LOL, a child running with a flamethrower is certainly a cause for concern. So glad I have yet to run into that situation.
I'd say your aunt overstepped by being so insistent, but yes it's probably somewhat age related. The idea that no one else is allowed to touch your child, or correct them in any way, is a fairly recent phenomenon.
Now I'm getting curious about parenting throughout the ages. How different was parenting for each century? Got a feeling I'm going to stay up late tonight, reading up on it.
LOL, a child running with a flamethrower is certainly a cause for concern. So glad I have yet to run into that situation.
LOL, me too!
I'm in my 40's and the OP's aunt was not only creepy but rude. Had I been the girl's parent I would have stepped in before it got to that point. But perhaps the girls had no parents paying attention, unfortunately that happens sometimes. But generally, unless a child is a great danger to themselves or others, I just look the other way. It's just not a stranger's place to parent other children.
Oh goodness. Is your Aunt normally a bit of a control freak? I'm not sure what the problem is with sitting backward?
I'm with you, I would have gotten out of there pronto. If she'd had done that with my child I wouldn't have been too happy about it, it's definitely creepy.
I'd say your aunt overstepped by being so insistent, but yes it's probably somewhat age related. The idea that no one else is allowed to touch your child, or correct them in any way, is a fairly recent phenomenon.
I would agree with this. I'm in my mid 40's and while my aunts/uncles/grandparents wouldn't have spanked me if I was misbehaving at their homes or family gathering, they would have sternly correctly me....
The other day we were at the Zoo in the Children's area and a little boy had crept thru the landscaping from the play area and was kicking the back of a small enclosure where there was a small wooden box for the fox to sleep in.... the poor fox was running around his cage quite upset. There were several other parents standing their when we came up, some guy was telling him that "maybe you shoudl go back to the playground, or maybe he should find his mom/dad". Kid continued to kick the box.... until the Husband used his Marine Corps voice on him, LOL. "QUIT kicking that box NOW!"
In the case of the aunt, since the girl wasn't doing anything dangerous or destructive, it kinda feels like she's just the kind of person who's bothered by people not doing things the "right way" or following the rules . I have a family relative that is kinda that way.... she'll refold towels and sheets at your house, season food while you're cooking it, straighten things on a shelf at store, tuck labels on on stranger's clothing, and gets worked up over people who cheat on their taxes or collect "welfare" . I can remember her getting really fidgety over my (toddler) cousins habit of eating her pizza from the crust to the point...
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