Multiples

Toddler/stanger question am I over reacting?

So my husband and I don't see I to eye on this and that made me very upset tonight. My MIL has a new boyfriend (they're both in their early 50s) and tonight is the second time we met him. I was very happy she had invited us to dinner because we havent been over there in ages! Anyhow, apperantly he had heard so much about my daughter, Isabella and he seems really nice to her so tonight MIL decides to take a picture with this new guy of her near the christmas tree and calls my 2 year old over to be in the picture. The boyfriend, which I know nothing about but that she had found him on match.com and is an airplane pilot, suggests she can sit on his lap for the picture. Uuuummm..noooo..I dont know him and he acts like he's known us for a while and this is the second time we meet. Even then Im not comfortable with my 2 year old going to this guys lap. WTH??? Luckly she didn't go to him nor did she want to take the picture but when he asked I just looked at my husband like "is this guy serious?" I brought it up in the car, on my way home tonight and my husband tells me im over reacting!!! :-o He tells me how is that any different then her sitting on a strangers lap dressed as Santa? Umm..ok but this is some guy that moved in with MIL and now wants to be buddy buddy with my daughter, Im not having it! Am I the crazy one here?? I also told my husband that "sexual abuse" is most common and often happens to kids the the perpetrators ARE family members and "friends" of family members. My husband response was "We were both in the room babe" He doesnt freakin get it, got on my nerves! >=O
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Re: Toddler/stanger question am I over reacting?

  • Sorry, I'm on your DH's side.  IF you get a funny feeling, then that's different (you should always trust your gut), but if it's just that he's a stranger then I'd calm down.  Sure I wouldn't let the guy babysit, and maybe not even let MIL babysit, but a pic of her sitting on his lap isn't going to do any harm while you and your DH are right there IMO.
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  • Thanks Aussie for your opinion, I'm just iffy with things like that I dunno, I didnt get a gut feeling but some older stranger hugging and holding my baby bothers me, I know nothing about this guy and appearently neither does she, I've heard they been dating for only 3 months! I also dont wanna teach her to just go to anybody you know..I dunno..
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  • Meh, unless you're getting a creepy vibe from him, I think you're probably overreacting.  It's good for toddlers to be exposed to all kinds of different people, and I see nothing wrong with her sitting on someone's lap for a picture with you and your H right there with them.  When you think about it, it really is no different than taking her to see Santa and letting her sit on his lap.  If he had asked her to go into another room alone, or wanted to babysit her or something I'd say you reacted appropriately, but I don't see a problem with what happened. 

    As far as not wanting her to go to just anybody, start working with her now on "stranger danger."  She's definitely not too young to start learning that you can only go up to a stranger if mommy or daddy are with you and say it's ok. 

  • Yeah, I agree with the pp's.
    fraternal twin boys born january 2009
  • I don't necessarily think the guy's behavior would have raised red flags with me.  I wasn't there, though, and I would trust your gut on this.  I definitely would not have forced DD to sit on the lap of a guy she didn't know.  Forcing them to do things like that they're uncomfortable with sets a bad precedent, IMO.  You want them to respect their own bodies, so you have to teach them it's ok to not do something they don't want to do.
  • Hmm...thanks guys I'll relax a little I just didn't have a very "supervised"childhood and just always cautious I guess..
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  • Me too
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  • imagemacchiatto:
    Yeah, I agree with the pp's.

    Me too.

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  • After reading some replies, I have a few more things I'd like to add.  I agree with PP that you shouldn't force her (I know you didn't), don't worry about hurting feelings, she needs to do things on her own terms.

    DEFINITELY teach stranger danger, but let her know that if Mommy and Daddy are right there and telling her that it's ok, then it's a safe stranger (at the time).  My grandma was very paranoid and now I'm very paranoid because of all of her warnings (my mom and I lived with her when I was little, and caution is good, paranoia is not).  

    Again, trust your gut above anything and anyone else (even your DH, mother's have a better intuition than fathers), but if he's not giving you a molester vibe, I think she's fine to be around him as long as they're supervised (MAYBE years from now you'll feel comfortable with her being around him unsupervised if you ever trust him).  Keep in mind, most people are good, there's a very small percentage that hurt others.  *this may be going overboard, but you could always check the sex offenders list just to relieve your worries a bit.

  • As a counselor who works with children who were sexually abused, I agree with all the above comments.  Also, it is a great time to teach her about what areas are off to touching by others (even some family members).  Let her know that you are there for her to talk to about uncomfortable feelings.  Talk to her about the different things to do if someone does touch her
    inappropriately and that she needs to be assertive and yell, "NO."  This is always hard for some kids especially if it is someone who is close to them.
  • Thank you so much guys :)
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