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averygoodun42I got berated while out on a walk with Page. Page and I were playing his spy game, which, I will admit, I don't like as it requires him to follow me from a distance. However, I made sure he knew from the outset that he needed to stay in hearing/yelling range, and I kept sneaky tabs on him every 100 yards or so to make sure everything was good. I figured my slight discomfort was a small price to pay to get him to willingly go on a walk with me.
I should also mention that the park was pretty much empty because it was really quite cold out today (high of 25, wind chill high of 18), and he was wearing a bright, red, puffy coat, making him very, very visible.
Anyway, every now and again, I would stop and look at something to allow Page time to catch up, and while doing so, sneak peeks at his progress. I noticed, toward what turned out to be the end of the game, that there was another walker on the path going our direction who had just come between me and Page, so I stopped a little more frequently to give her time to pass; I didn't want anyone else around during this game.
Anyway, when she came up (I was stopped again and "looking" at something in the woods, while really listening to her progress) when she said, "Is that your boy back there?"
I answered yes with a cheerful smile, and she scowled at me. "It's rather dangerous letting him so far out of your sight? I wouldn't let my kids so far out of sight!" she sniffed.
I smiled benignly and told her how I'd been checking up on him every 100 yards or so.
"Well I didn't see you check," she said in a snotty, holier-than-thou tone.
I should have thanked her for the compliment on my sneakiness, but by that point I was quite annoyed, and therefore stuck brain-wise. So I just smiled again, frostily, and told her, "Well, I have been."
I felt her disbelief and disdain rolling off of her as she continued walking past us.
Fortunately, she didn't ruin my enjoyment of the walk. Page ended the game and wanted to turn back, so we did, but we managed to have adventures by taking untried paths, which then developed into a game of soldiers, which led to a surprising amount of fun.
But it kind of gets my goat that this woman, a mother, dare argue with me about the precautions I was taking in keeping my child safe. Question me? Sure. A kid's safety is rather paramount, and I'm sure it looked pretty shocking. But to contradict me? That's just rude.
I should also mention that the park was pretty much empty because it was really quite cold out today (high of 25, wind chill high of 18), and he was wearing a bright, red, puffy coat, making him very, very visible.
Anyway, every now and again, I would stop and look at something to allow Page time to catch up, and while doing so, sneak peeks at his progress. I noticed, toward what turned out to be the end of the game, that there was another walker on the path going our direction who had just come between me and Page, so I stopped a little more frequently to give her time to pass; I didn't want anyone else around during this game.
Anyway, when she came up (I was stopped again and "looking" at something in the woods, while really listening to her progress) when she said, "Is that your boy back there?"
I answered yes with a cheerful smile, and she scowled at me. "It's rather dangerous letting him so far out of your sight? I wouldn't let my kids so far out of sight!" she sniffed.
I smiled benignly and told her how I'd been checking up on him every 100 yards or so.
"Well I didn't see you check," she said in a snotty, holier-than-thou tone.
I should have thanked her for the compliment on my sneakiness, but by that point I was quite annoyed, and therefore stuck brain-wise. So I just smiled again, frostily, and told her, "Well, I have been."
I felt her disbelief and disdain rolling off of her as she continued walking past us.
Fortunately, she didn't ruin my enjoyment of the walk. Page ended the game and wanted to turn back, so we did, but we managed to have adventures by taking untried paths, which then developed into a game of soldiers, which led to a surprising amount of fun.
But it kind of gets my goat that this woman, a mother, dare argue with me about the precautions I was taking in keeping my child safe. Question me? Sure. A kid's safety is rather paramount, and I'm sure it looked pretty shocking. But to contradict me? That's just rude.
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no subject
Date: 2012-01-04 11:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-05 05:44 am (UTC)And, to be fair (god, I hate being fair-minded sometimes), we were walking by a canal covered with thin ice. If Page happened to be a careless or wild sort, he could easily have been hurt. HOWEVER, Page isn't careless, wild or anything like that. Every child is different, as most moms realize. Page happens to be more anxious than most, so I encouraged this game because he is finally showing signs of wanting to stretch those apron strings! She wouldn't have known that, but to assume the worst...
Must be exhausting being that paranoid.
page's safety
Date: 2012-01-05 01:08 am (UTC)Re: page's safety
Date: 2012-01-05 05:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-05 06:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-05 06:40 pm (UTC)Eh, I'm not letting her get to me, mostly because there's not much she can actually do. But I'll take the hugs and give them back twofold anyway. :-)
*hugshugs*