Sometimes a stranger may ask you to hold your baby or 3 year old because she is so 'cute'. Do you normally allow a stranger the privilege to embrace your child? If 'no', what do you say to them. If 'yes', do you take any precautions?
I do not allow any strangers to hold my child, I would politely say something like 'I'm sorry but that's not possible' with a polite smile and maybe try to leave at the same time. We are living times that even people you know cannot be trusted, how could I then trust in a total stranger?.
This is an interesting question; one which I havent really honestly thought long and deep about. It has happened before and to be frank, I have always let the person hold my child. It may have to do with the fact that I live in a smallish town, which is pretty safe for the most part. If I were living in a metropolis or a city with more crime, maybe I wouldnt be as liberal. I guess I am too trusting of others, and I can see pros and cons of being that way.
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It has happened before and to be frank, I have always let the person hold my child. |
I guess it wasnt a 'total' stranger; more like someone I had met at a ball game or something to that extent. Believe me, I am not naive about crime not happening in small towns, I am just saying that when living in a small town, you tend to be less cautious than you should be. Which isnt necessarily a good thing.
I may seem waaaay overprotective here, but I will not let strangers near my boys with intent of physical contact, period. Even while still in the hospital after just delivering my second son I refused to let a couple of "candy stripers" try to trasport him back to the nursery. Heck no! They weren't even regulars on the maternity ward! My children are the most important aspect of my life. I would consider myself extremely negligent to consider risking their safety, or even just their simple comfort to an unknown. I won't even allow anyone I haven't known well for several years to babysit my boys. Yes, I'm hardcore about this.
I would have to say 'no, sorry'. I would be quite surprised to find a total stranger wanting to hold my small children. I know it's a shame for any genuine person who only genuinely has a liking for children, but in these times, there are so many evil child abusers out there, I'm afraid I would have to count anyone like this as being a potential threat to my children.
Although I no longer have "small" children, total strangers would never have held my kids, nor had physical contact. Not the least bit safe in this world, besides which you never know what they are up to or where they have recently been. What person in their right mind would even *ask* to hold your child?