I was thinking the very same thing the other day, after I heard through a grapevine that someone was "appalled over the way I let my kids run around" at a wedding.
I bet that person (who has yet to have her own children) also would be appalled by the way I don't rinse always rinse off pacifiers or sweep under the high chair, either. (I have even been known to ~gasp~ microwave formula!) I just think that the stress of uptight parenting has very little payoff in the big picture. Kids all grow up one way or another, and most do just fine off a leash.
LOL - I just realized that I probably should disclaim that comment a bit - My "appalling parenting" accuser (who made this comment to the bride and her mother, who thought she was crazy) did not take into account:
1. Mothers develop a radar to keep track of their children even when they are involved in another task, like chatting or breastfeeding. So even if the child appears to be roaming the room unsupervised, the mother can still spot her kid in a second.
2. Amy wasn't doing anything destructive or going anywhere she shouldn't be, so her worst crime was exploring the room, flirting with older boys, and chatting with other guests.
3. There were only 30 people at this wedding and the church was tiny. It's not like she could go too far.
2. I will give Mrs. Uptight that she may not have known that I sent Amy upstairs to watch the pictures in the care of a friend of the bride who offered to take her...since I was still downstairs feeding Kate it may have looked like I just let Amy roam up there.
Anyhoo, Mrs. Uptight is expecting her own baby soon...good luck! :)
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(no subject)
Date: 2008-03-13 04:46 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-03-13 06:23 pm (UTC)Though even that's not foolproof, as I can attest.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-03-14 01:41 am (UTC)I bet that person (who has yet to have her own children) also would be appalled by the way I don't rinse always rinse off pacifiers or sweep under the high chair, either. (I have even been known to ~gasp~ microwave formula!) I just think that the stress of uptight parenting has very little payoff in the big picture. Kids all grow up one way or another, and most do just fine off a leash.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-03-14 02:25 am (UTC)1. Mothers develop a radar to keep track of their children even when they are involved in another task, like chatting or breastfeeding. So even if the child appears to be roaming the room unsupervised, the mother can still spot her kid in a second.
2. Amy wasn't doing anything destructive or going anywhere she shouldn't be, so her worst crime was exploring the room, flirting with older boys, and chatting with other guests.
3. There were only 30 people at this wedding and the church was tiny. It's not like she could go too far.
2. I will give Mrs. Uptight that she may not have known that I sent Amy upstairs to watch the pictures in the care of a friend of the bride who offered to take her...since I was still downstairs feeding Kate it may have looked like I just let Amy roam up there.
Anyhoo, Mrs. Uptight is expecting her own baby soon...good luck! :)