Oh for the love of.... The Great Debate

[Angel78]

You know the one thing I hate the most about being a parent? Everyone else and their bloody opinions. Never have I seen more judgmental, sanctimonious pontificating, and that includes politics. Sometimes it makes you just want to stay home to avoid it all.... and then you do a simple search on the internet and get lambasted by it all again. The people who do one thing one way having to righteously defend their stance against the righteously indignant. And it gets NASTY. Name calling, accusations, condemnation.

W. T. F, people. How dare we attack someone who does something differently? We are not them. They are not us! I repeat: WTF?

Case in point: I plan on taking Kaitlyn trick or treating this Friday at the local mall. She'll be a faerie, and she'll be adorable. However, I don't want to haul her stroller around this time. She's a big girl, she adores walking, and would have a blast.. BUT. She's not that great about holding hands. We're working on it, and sometimes during parking lots and streets we can get her to do it, but it never lasts very long. The entire mall? Forget it. And I really don't want to dislocate her arm and wrist by dragging her. So I innocently start a search on child leashes/harnesses, thinking hey! she can run around at the end of it, I can follow her, I will not lose her among all the other costumed kids, and I will not dislocate her arm.

OMG, I couldn't believe the amount of hatefulness this subject generates. If you use one, you are labeled as lazy, irresponsible, a horrible parent who would be better off with a dog. Probably by the same parents who glare daggers at other parents who occasionally feed their child french fries, let them stay up later than expected, or let them cry it out/don't let them cry it out.

Now I'm pretty damn certain I'm not a lazy irresponsible parent. I know this because, well, I'm living my life and they aren't. But I'm sure if I spoke up and said something about using it I would get flayed alive.

Heck, I'm probably risking that now.

POINT BEING: why are people so f-ing judgmental when they. are not. YOU? Its enough to drive a parent into hermit-hood. But then somebody would attack you for that. Can't win.

[B'sgirl]

I can see what makes people act that way, to a point. They feel their way is best and they are afraid what will happen if other people don't do it their way too. I'm one of those very politically-opinionated people and I worry if other people don't understand my point of view some of my freedoms will be lost. But, like you say, people gets so self-righteous and start name-calling and being downright rude and disrespectful and that is when they take it too far. If they aren't rational enough to calmly listen to someone else's point of view they are being rude, and could be missing some essential points that would bring them to a better truth. I hate that people can't talk about any kind of issue without offending or getting offended.

And on the leash thing, I think it's a great idea. I admit I used to wonder if it was good or not, but really it's for safety and actually allows the child more freedom. Strapping them in a stroller where they can't walk at all is more restrictive and I wish people could see that. The leash allows them to walk freely without running off where they could get lost or hurt themselves.

Sorry you've had to deal with that. I wish there were a way to avoid it or make everyone converse rationally, but unfortunately I don't think that will ever happen in our society.

[nisha]

What part of looking out for your child's safety (whichever way you choose to do it) makes you a lazy or irresponsible parent?!?!

I've used a harness with Trey - given the chance he will run right out in traffic and I usually have 3 kids with me (daycare baby) and DON'T have 3 arms! (Maybe I should expect my 4 year old to be responsible enough to hold his hand at all times?!)

[Csara]

Originally Posted by B'sgirl

Strapping them in a stroller where they can't walk at all is more restrictive and I wish people could see that. The leash allows them to walk freely without running off where they could get lost or hurt themselves.

I agree wholeheartedly!! I have to admit before I was a mom, I thought leashes were terrible, but boy does your perspective change once you have kids!

[HeavenLeigh]

I know how you feel about ppl being so judgemental about everything. It drives me nuts. My theory on life....if it doesn't directly effect me *or my kids*, I could care less.
I have strong opinions about lazy parenting, very strong. Protecting your child is NOT, and will never be, lazy parenting. Lazy parents are the ones that let their kids run wild, not the ones that choose to stroll/chase/leash them.
I hope you and the kiddo have fun Fri. night!