WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

So, on Friday, I was in the city meeting a girlfriend for lunch. I was standing outside waiting and some woman with a 6 month old sleeping in a stroller comes up to me and asks me if I can watch her baby for a minute while she ran inside to see if her sister was there.

I was shocked and didn't know what to say so I shook my head yes. She was only inside for maybe 2 minutes but in my head I couldn't help thinking how I would never ask a complete stranger to watch my baby even for a minute.

When she came back out, my friend showed up and I blurted out something like "oh, this woman was brave enough to leave me with her baby while she went inside" and she was taken aback that I said that. She kind of stuttered "well, I could see you from inside and if you started running with my baby I would have just started screaming".

I feel bad bc I know she was really offended and I called her out and I know that I make really stupid mistakes sometimes, but I really couldn't help myself when I blurted it out.

What would you have done in that situation?

Message edited 3/29/2009 12:31:46 PM.

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

I wouldn't do it, why couldn't she call her sister on her cell phone?

I don't know that I would have said anything to her tho..

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

I would never leave my DD with a stranger even for 2 seconds.

Some people are very trusting and I guess she is one of them.

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

Never ever would I do that. It pizzed me off yesterday my DH took the boys with him to Dillards and was clothes shopping. He said oh the salesladies were "watching" the babies. I was like what do you mean? He was a few aisles over and they were standing there talking to the babies

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

I would never. Why couldn't she take the baby inside? A lot could happen in 2 mins!

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

whatever-- good you called her out on it. you called attention to something stupid on her part, so she won't make the mistake again with the wrong person.

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

people ask me all the time...I cant believe they do. i would NEVER ask anyone to watch dd NEVER!

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

Posted by MrsJM

I would never. Why couldn't she take the baby inside? A lot could happen in 2 mins!

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

The ONLY situation I can potentially see this as OK is on a plane. I know when my mom was traveling back with my sister (whom she adopted), she befriended an old woman on the plane. It was just my mom and the baby so if she had to pee - it was difficult. She had the woman "watch" the baby a few times when she went.

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

Posted by KateDevine

Posted by jambalady

Posted by KateDevine

I wouldn't do it, why couldn't she call her sister on her cell phone?

I don't know that I would have said anything to her tho..

I know. I felt bad about it afterwards but it was one of those things that just slipped out of my mouth. It totally wasn't my intention to call her out. I think I was just so shocked.

I still feel bad about it now bc of how I probably made her feel.

Don't feel bad, I am just a weenie

I am pretty sure that people do this in the city tho, b/c it has happened to me when I was with my parents and DS, but I think people are more trusting if you have your own kid with you.....but I don't think you did, right?

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

I would have been shocked too. I probably would have said something similar also. Dont feel bad, maybe it will make her think twice before ever doing that again. All it takes is 1 second for someone to walk away with a child and screaming from inside a resturant isn't going to stop it.

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

Posted by jambalady

Posted by MrsJM

I would never. Why couldn't she take the baby inside? A lot could happen in 2 mins!

It was one of those really tight packed trendy brunch places and she had a Bugaboo so I think the thought of navigating it in the restaurant was too much for her.

But i couldn't help thinking, if you're meeting your sister and she knows you are with the baby, either she would come outside to find you or call you.

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

NEVER! Even if they dont run off with DC how do you know they wont touch them inappropriately or give them something they cant have.

Its funny that you post this tho bcuz yesterday i was in target with DD and had to go to the bathroom really bad, FH was with me so i was able to leave her with him but while i was in the bathroom i starting thinking what would i do if i was alone with DD, its almost impossible to take her in the stall with me.

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

Not in a million years would I even consider doing something like that. It doesn't take much to call her sister on her cell, or take the baby out of the stroller for a minute and asking you to watch an empty stroller. I wouldn't feel badly about what you said, it's how you felt. If it were me who had been asked I probably would have said something along the lines of, "Do you really think it's a good idea to leave an infant with a complete stranger?" before she went inside.

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

Hell no would I ever do that.

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

The words "sure" would have probably blurted out of my mouth and then during those two minutes I was watching that baby in the stroller I would be thinking.."Geez...I could be a serial killer for all she knows....what if this taxi swerves too far and runs that stroller down ont he sidewalk....

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

Not in a million years would I ever leave my child alone with a stranger, EVER.

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

I would not and have never asked a stranger to watch DD.

IDK, what I would have said/done if someone asked me.

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

Yeah- she's an idiot. And I think she deserved you calling her out.

That said, I DID once hand my 2 month old over to a strange woman at Borders during storytime while I gave her a demo of my double stroller. DH was, when I told him that. BUT- she was half my size and I totally could've caught her if she bolted.

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

I wouldn't have done it and I think it was irresponsible of her to ask you. No matter now safe someone looks, you just never know who it is you're dealing with (and I don't mean to infer you are not a safe person...I just mean in general).

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

Thanks, ladies. I hate being that judgemental mom but I don't feel so bad now. maybe a more tactful approach would have been to say "I"m sorry but I'm not really comfortable watching your baby" next time.

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?

I personally would NEVER do that. I don't trust anyone with DD, except imediate family.

I had that happen to me once, but the child was about 6-7 years old. I was in Panera and I was eating by myself and this woman had 2 little girls and one had to go to the bathroom and the other didn't want to go. She asked me to watch her while she took the other one. I sat there thinking the same thing as you.....how could she do that. But I kept an eye on her. I felt really weird about it.

Re: WWYD? Asking a stranger to watch your child for a minute?