I'm enjoying reading through the responses to my last post, the one about leaving my kids in the car. I'm shocked (though really I shouldn't be) when subjects like this come up how many responses are rooted in assumptions.
Assumptions about knowing my children's character better than I (they won't unlock the doors for me when I get back). Assumptions about what kind of transmission my car has (they could accidentally knock the car into gear!). Assumptions about the location in which my car is parked (the brake could come off and they'd roll downhill into traffic!). Assumptions about the other patrons at the post office that day (Car jackers! Human traffickers! Kidnappers! Any of them! All of them!). (To this point in particular I beg you to read statistics on crimes against children. Papa and I are astronomically more likely to cause them harm than a stranger.)
My favorite are the assumptions about my character from one snippet of our story, like this gem- "Stupid selfish bitch poor excuse of a mother disgusting".
If you've taken the time to read through even a dozen of our posts here and come to that opinion of me, that's fine. If you choose to communicate that opinion to me in the manner above, I don't give anything you have to say any merit. None. If you don't bother to read more than the one post before forming your opinion of me, I'm not going to hold your opinion in any regard either.
Let's try to base our opinion on facts, and take the time to research those facts, instead of basing them on assumptions. Ask questions. It's okay to do that. Really, it is. If you're leaving a comment on a facebook page, you likely have the whole of the internet at your fingertips as well. Put it to good use.
I'm grateful to you for sharing your thoughts. I have to say, as a new mom, the thought of running errands can be a terrifying experience. I recently sat in front of a redbox on the verge of tears and a panic attack as I thought of the huge hassle involved in trying to get things done with a new baby. No one mentions the huge trouble involved in getting a baby in and out of a car especially if they are fussy. My little guy had just fallen asleep and I needed to return a movie and then go into several other stores. The stores were no big deal, I could put him in a stroller or the cart and get things done, but did I really need to drag him out for a 10 second errand?! In the end, after much deliberation and a multitude of precautions I did leave him while I returned the movie. I was so close and I decided it was no different than pumping gas (I certainly don't take him out of the car for that). You hear all of these horror stories, not to mention judgmental parents, and it makes you second guess your own good sense! So thank you for sharing some decent and practical advice - I also didn't know TX law was 5 min so visions of jail time were dancing in my head! BTW I just recently found your blog while I was googling Paleo freezer meals and I am loving it.
ReplyDelete