Every afternoon when I walk my daughter home from school, there are always a lot of other kids/moms walking the same way we are. Now the sidewalk we have to walk on is VERY narrow and the street is right there and there is always a lot of traffic whizzing by, so I hold her hand while we're walking. I'm the only mom who does this...All of the other kids are running wild and crazy while their moms talk together and for the past couple of days, my daughter has been begging to run around and play with the other kids. I just feel like it's kind of dangerous, but maybe I'm being over protective? I mean, why don't the other moms worry about it?

What does her father think?

Hard to tell without a visual just how dangerous it really is.

One thing about moms though, is that they don't ever want to appear too lenient infront of other moms. I think it'd probably be safe if you let her play, just don't let her wander too far.

Ask daddy, and you can letter her run around, but make sure shes within a reasonable amount of distance so you can yank her away/jump on her or whatever you need to do to protect her.

LET HER FROLICK!!!!!!!!!!!

Only around other little kids though. Not in public places, eg malls, restaurants, etc. Crazy, out of control screaming kids, annoying as hell.

Heh, he thinks all of those other women are bad wives and mothers. He's pretty down on most women, though.:/

I don't know...I just imagine her running around and not thinking and then getting squashed by an incoming van.

You have to trust that you've instilled the proper judgement in her eventually.

No reason not to start now.

quote:Originally posted by Xiao Mei:

I don't know...I just imagine her running around and not thinking and then getting squashed by an incoming van.

Can you ever picture a time in her life where you wouldn't be worried about this?

I can't advise you to let her though, just in case. I don't want to be blamed.

Not really...

You bet your ass, I'd be holding my daughter's hand too. I wouldn't take a chance like that. Narrow sidewalk + Busy street = Bad news

I'd hold my daughters hand, simply because I could not imagine the worst case scenario. Sure some visuals would be good as a guide, but you're her mother and you're trying your hardest to do what's best for her, right?

quote:Originally posted by Hardly There:

You bet your ass, I'd be holding my daughter's hand too. I wouldn't take a chance like that. Narrow sidewalk + Busy street = Bad news

See that's my thinking!

I wonder why none of the other women are worried about it.

What? 'Letter' run around? I thought getting a Letter was a high school thing for the jocks? It's not really the same if your ma gives it to you is it?

Don't fergit, don't never fergit, that adults like to rebel against their parents but in a different way than they did as kids? To have a different parenting style just because it might piss of their parents isn't unknown.

Though on the other hand some of those mothers were the kids running around restaurants screaming in the 70/80's? So, they were poorly parented themselves.

It's not like the street your on is a more modern suburban street with the extra room they have. Let alone kids have little conception of traffic & what's going on around them.

Is there much other pedestrian traffic or is it just ma/kids? Only you can say whether it's cool or if it's just modern madness the others have all been caught up in?

Maybe they secretly want to be worried but there is just so darn much to choose from, that they don't want to start? 'Cause they know they could never stop...until the screaming/wailing/no washing-no eating & rocking back & forth in the corner moaning?

Or they're Americans, who know the Suits want them to worry & twitch & they want to rebel in this passive-ggresive way? So subtle so legal so Bad Finger to you, Mr Man!

It's a puzzle.

How old is your daughter? My parents always held my hand until I was about 8 or so whenever we were close to a busy street, or in a parking lot. I think it's downright stupid not to do this, and those who don't are the ones you see on TV sobbing about there kids getting run over. They're also the same idiots you see on TV getting hit at crosswalks cause they were too dumb not to make sure traffic actually has stopped for them before the step out on the street.

Your just a responsible parent in a world of stupid and irresponsible people. If you feel there is a reasonable danger by letting her run free, trust your intuition.

quote:Originally posted by Xiao Mei:

I wonder why none of the other women are worried about it.

quote:Originally posted by Xiao Mei:



[...]all of those other women are bad wives and mothers[...]





[This message has been edited by Gus (edited 09-21-2006).]

Yeah, the other women are just bad mothers. There's no reason not to hold your daughter's hand when there's danger of death if you don't.

quote:Originally posted by GlitterPunk112358:

Yeah, the other women are just bad mothers. There's no reason not to hold your daughter's hand when there's danger of death if you don't.

Yup. And remember to make sure to help her get dressed (she could fall and break her skull).

Don't let her shower alone (she could trip and bleed to death on a bar of soap).

And never let her outside alone as she might fall into a sinkhole and get sucked into the center of the Earth...

Really, though, there is only so much you can protect a child before you're sheltering her.

If by failing at something, would they learn a lesson? Being killed isn't a lesson. It's the test before the lesson idea. Doesn't work.

It's a hard choice that most people fail at. Think hard, love.

quote:Originally posted by Xiao Mei:

but maybe I'm being over protective? I mean, why don't the other moms worry about it?

Because they don't have a fucking clue as to what their responsibility is to their kids. They would rather catch up on the neighborhood gossip about who is screwing who, than take proper care of their children.



Please keep up the good work of a loving and caring (and involved) parent.

Good job Mom

quote:Originally posted by Jackketchs Muse:

I don't think you're too strict at all. Make holding you hand an enjoyable thing to do. Swing her around, skip with her, run with her. That should help keep her attention in a positive way.

My daughter is older, but she will still walk holding my hand...but now it's out of affection.

And it wasn't before she got older?????????

quote:Originally posted by GlitterPunk112358:

Yeah, the other women are just bad mothers. There's no reason not to hold your daughter's hand when there's danger of death if you don't.

Let's go walking in the 'bad' section of Seattle...

I was referring to your affection for her.

quote:Originally posted by Jackketchs Muse:

I wasn't.

That would be a cute sight.

How many people remember their mother holding their hand?

Xaio Mei, I grew up with an alcoholic mother. She was always on my back about everything, and I never had a break- I'd either be at school working, or at home working. Unfortunatly, the method of parenting she chose (Literally "I am the parent, you are the child") Never built up a good relationship with either of my parents.

I say let your child be comfertable around you, although safety is key. If your child wants to, for example, drink, wouldn't it be safer for you to know about it, than not? Building a relationship with trust as a part of it isn't diffucult. Just don't violate their trust, and give them respect. Try giving your little girl a small box, and telling her that it's something you'll never go through. And don't.

I don't know if this will help you any, I'm probably just ranting- but I do have fairly good advice. Growing up in some harsh situations taught me what not to do in a parenting situation, and fortunatly, I havn't had to parent yet.

Good luck!

quote:Originally posted by Xiao Mei:

Heh, he thinks all of those other women are bad wives and mothers. He's pretty down on most women, though.:/

I don't know...I just imagine her running around and not thinking and then getting squashed by an incoming van.



Better to leave this in fantasy and not reality.

Besides, sidewalks are hardly places for kids to play. Front lawns are better.

Eurodisney had (what I thought was) a very effective add with a father and daughter holding hands - the caption was 'It won't always be your hand she reaches for'.

quote:Originally posted by spinnersean:

Eurodisney had (what I thought was) a very effective add with a father and daughter holding hands - the caption was 'It won't always be your hand she reaches for'.

...his penis?