GTKY--Babies in public (Poll)

Happily Overwhelmed · July 2012

A thread below brings up a topic I've been wanting to ask for a bit now. I don't want to get deep in it...but I'm curious. Personally I think a lot of this might be a regional thing?

Is it common to be bothered by strangers out in public?
Do strangers touch your LO?
Are you okay with the being bothered? Touching?
If not, what do you do about it/handle it?

alber2am · July 2012

I actually enjoy when strangers comment how cute he is or talk to him. I have not had anyone touch him without asking, and that has only happened a couple times. It seems as he gets older we get less strangers coming up to us while out in public.

catlackey · July 2012

I definitely don't mind comments about DD, but I don't really like strangers touching her without asking. It has has happened a few times and it just seems weird to me.

CountingUp · July 2012

Do strangers touch your LO? only senior ladies

Are you okay with the being bothered? Touching? I don't mind provided it's not on her hands or face

If not, what do you do about it/handle it? If they aren't too sneaky and get the hand before I say anything, I just ask them to keep it to her legs.

Most people aren't dangerously crazy or germy. The most likely people to hurt a child are those people closest to the child. I just believe in having "family approved" contact with others...and that "stranger danger" as a lesson has it's place but so do overall boundaries with all people.

Location: western Canada

JammieJk · July 2012

I don't know if it's common here in California, but my son is a ridiculously happy child. He laughs hysterically at most any attention he gets, and sometimes at nothing. Walking through Walmart or Target, he laughs when he sees the stuff dangling from the ceiling or at displays.

So my point is, he gets a ton of attention from strangers and I am not comfortable with it because I'm an extremely introverted person. He is an introverted mom's nightmare -- haha

He's only been touched a couple of times, I'm guessing it's maybe because I wear him when I'm out? When he has been touched, I watch like a hawk (see my response in the previous post for horror story that happened to my SIL/nephew as to why) and when I get to my car I wipe his hands off with a wet wipe.

Fortunately, the only people who have touched him so far have been little old ladies, but still...

beka0404 · July 2012

I've never had anyone try to touch DD. People will smile at her, ask me how old she is, etc. - I don't mind. I live in semi-rural Minnesota, land of painfully polite/stoic people. It's like a Garrison Keillor skit. If someone tried to touch her, I would be surprised, since I usually wear her.

Actually, scratch that. She has been touched - the day of her baptism, some little old ladies at church wanted touched her arms. Whatevs.

motang · July 2012

Is it common to be bothered by strangers out in public? I'm not bothered by strangers in public

Do strangers touch your LO? Not usually... I had one woman once try to touch her while I was feeding her a bottle. I politely told her to please not touch.

Are you okay with the being bothered? Touching? I'm not okay with strangers touching. You never know where their hands had been. I live in south Florida... Lots of sick old people around here. For the most part people smile at her and say how cute she is or comment on how observant she is. That doesn't bother me.

If not, what do you do about it/handle it? It has only happened once and I handled it well. I'll probably do the same thing if it happens again.

ccip82 · July 2012

People here (especially elderly) love coming up to DD and pinching her cheeks. It does not overly bother me. I have gotten used to it. DD eats up all the attention too...she loves it!

Ricola · July 2012

Happily Overwhelmed:
A thread below brings up a topic I've been wanting to ask for a bit now. I don't want to get deep in it...but I'm curious. Personally I think a lot of this might be a regional thing?
Is it common to be bothered by strangers out in public? Being bothered sounds so negative, but I actually have a lot of positive encounters. I always get at least one comment when I am out with DS!

Do strangers touch your LO? Yes, sometimes. Usually they tickle his feet or stroke his hands.

Are you okay with the being bothered? Touching? Yes. I think it is nice to receive compliments and engage in some nice small talk. They can touch him on his feet/hands, unless they look filthy ;-P

If not, what do you do about it/handle it? n/a

spacedolphin11 · July 2012

Happily Overwhelmed:
A thread below brings up a topic I've been wanting to ask for a bit now. I don't want to get deep in it...but I'm curious. Personally I think a lot of this might be a regional thing?
Is it common to be bothered by strangers out in public?
We're generally not bothered by strangers. People will comment on him being cute or ask if they can say hi to him, which I don't mind. What drives me BSC is acquaintances (people from church, etc) who touch him and try to take him from me.
Do strangers touch your LO?
It's happened maybe once or twice, and it bothered me so I tried to get away as soon as I could. Like I said earlier, it's actually people I sort of know who are the worst at this.
Are you okay with the being bothered? Touching?
Saying hi or telling me he's cute is fine and makes me happy. Touching I don't like, and neither does DS - he's getting into a clingy stage and he cries when people get up in his face.
If not, what do you do about it/handle it?
I don't handle it as well as I should. With acquaintances I don't think I advocate for DS as well as I should, but I'm getting better as he gets older.
Oh, and I live in Northern California where strangers mostly keep to themselves. I actually like how having a baby brings the friendliness out in people.

ealauber · July 2012

Is it common to be bothered by strangers out in public? Yes, especially the elderly. Comparing my LO to their children. "My daughter has long fingers too. She should play the piano."

Do strangers touch your LO? Sometimes.

Are you okay with the being bothered? Touching? I dont mind so much.

If not, what do you do about it/handle it? n/a

ETA: Oregon