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Message edited 1/17/2012 10:47:57 AM.

Re: New Mom with etiquette question

I wouldn't say he had 'no control over his kid' I would say he wasn't paying attention to his kid -

I would never touch another person's child, (to move their hand away) but I have told kids 'don't touch the baby' or 'don't get too close to the baby' ........

Re: New Mom with etiquette question

ITA with you... I can't stand when people come over and try to touch DS. I understand a child not understanding, but a parent should.
I remember I was out a couple of weeks ago at a restaurant/bar with friends. It was early and my IL's were watching DS. I saw a woman there who had a DD about the same age as DS. We started talking and I said her DD is soooo cute I just want to touch her, but being a mom I know how annoying it is when pple touch my DS. She thanked me for saying that and agreed that she hates when pple touch their child.
Keep those baby wipes close by.

BTW... at your Ped office they don't bring you in immediatly so you don't sit in the waiting room with a baby? We never wait in the waiting room.

Re: New Mom with etiquette question

Message edited 1/17/2012 10:47:34 AM.

Re: New Mom with etiquette question

I agree that it is more he just wasn't paying attention when he should have been. Not that it would make it OK to touch your DC, but he may have assumed your child was sick as well since you were on the sick side.

I have found that people have different boundaries and I have to be clear about mine. Just last week I was in teh grocery store with DS and an older woman tried to KISS my son! I turned the cart away and said jokingly "it's $5 a peck!" She chuckled and got the hint

Also, you may want to check with your PED, at my Drs office all infants under a year go to the well side even if they are sick and then the sick kids are taken in immediatly.

Re: New Mom with etiquette question

There's a difference between yelling and telling the kid not to touch yours .....
KWIM?

I have told kids not to touch Sean, had them ignore me, and just said to their parents - "escuse me, can you help me out here? " ........I don't care if they're annoyed - Pay attention to your kid !!

Re: New Mom with etiquette question

I had a similar thing happen at my son's 3 month appt.

A very sick toddler started playing with the toys on the well-side and tried touching my son's infant carrier while the mother stood at the counter to schedule their next appt. This child had a horribly gooey runny nose and crusty eyes. The poor kid told me his throat was stinging too. I envisioned green germ monsters bouncing all around him.

I know some parents are very sensitive to strangers telling their kids how to behave. I kept asking him nicely to not touch the carrier and that my baby was sleeping (he wasn't, but still...).

Honestly, it's not my job to parent someone else's child, but a little courtesy at the doctor's office would be nice, especially when your child is sick and my child is clearly an infant.

I don't blame the child, but it really bothered me that the mother didn't give a rat's azz what her son was doing.

ETA: Oh, to answer your question...
In hindsight I should have asked the mother for some help with her son, especially when he was climbing on the soft building blocks and almost cracked his head on the play table.

My husband was at the doctor's office and he made it known to the nurse that he wasn't pleased with what the little boy was doing. She kind of . Then he told the doctor and she said she'd speak to the girls up front, since they should be keeping an eye on the waiting room.

Message edited 12/22/2009 4:24:54 PM.

Re: New Mom with etiquette question

I address the parents directly and say, "he is sick, I don't think you want him/her touching him." This usually gets the message across and they bring the child back over to them.

Re: New Mom with etiquette question

I dont let anyone touch DS. If a child came over to stick his face in DS's face or touch him I would put my hand out to stop him and ask him not to touch nicely.