At one point one of the management came up to us and asked if we were the parents of Nicholas. I said I was and the lady explained that he had hit a child, nothing serious, but just wanted me to know. I was a bit shocked.
He kept coming back to the table and after a bit of love would go to play with the balls or get on the slide. I'm not a helicopter parent, but I do watch my children on the most part, I just don't feel for me that I need to be within two feet of them every single moment. Everytime I checked on him he was ok but once, when he got several balls thrown at his head. I told the other kid it wasn't cool and picked Nicholas up. I even had a small 'don't worry chat with the grandparent of the ball thrower'.
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Later a lady with a child (not in distress) came up to our table and said if I was aware that my son had hurt her daughter and now her eye was sore. I saw the girls eye and it did look sore, like when you're poked in the eye. She said that she'd need my details because if anything happened she couldn't live with the consequences and her husband would be angry. She needed her child to get medical attention. She presented me with a pen and paper.
Speechless.
Speechless.
Speechless.
I wrote my name and mobile number down and gave it to her and she said thanks and walked away. She wasn't rude at all. I felt like saying 'you can't be serious', but I didn't want to be confrontational. I was a bit worried about her husband and why she'd say that.
Fiona and I were both perplexed. What had just happened here?
I went back over to her and her friend and apologised that Nicholas had hurt her daughter and asked if I could also have her details to be fair. Her friend said that kids play and that it wasn't Nicholas' fault as he was a baby himself. She obliged with her details. It is in my purse and I haven't even checked out her name.
Fiona and I were flabbergasted at this point and were wondering about the husband. Was this a veiled threat? Were they planning on suing me? Why did they need my details?
This wasn't feeling right.
I went over to her again and asked what I should be expecting from her now she has my details. I asked did I need to be scared of her husband. She said I didn't but he would be upset and would ask her what happened and would ask her if she got details of the person responsible. I asked for what purpose. Her friend said it was for medical purposes. I said that we haven't been involved in a car accident and that kids are playing in a play centre and one has been injured by another baby. It happens.
I asked her if her husband was going to bash me up and she said no. I said well I am concerned why you need my details and when you mentioned your husband being angry I was wondering if he would bash me or maybe bash you? Sorry, these thoughts are in my mind. She said her husband would be upset cause his child is injured. I said I am sorry and I am upset your child has a sore eye but I don't see the point of having to share details. She said it was for just in case they need to contact me.
The lady and her friend weren't confrontational or rude and still weren't able to explain why they needed my details. The lady began to fill out an incident report form, which the management didn't ask me about. I could see they didn't think it was serious in the first place.
I know parents can be very protective of their kids, but seriously! Does it have to get to this? Pretty much demanding another parents details? Nicholas is 20 months old and her daughter was a bit younger by the looks of it.
What does this say about being cautious with people like this in the community? Is it even worth going out? Do we have to helicopter parent everything? The whole place was calm and lovely, it was small and intimate, nothing over the top. The hype did not indicate OTT helicopterness for a lord of the flies type scenario.
So why not just have a parent to parent discussion? "Excuse me, not sure if you know but your son hit my daughter and I just wanted to let you know". Wouldn't that be suffice instead of I need your details, I have to make a medical appointment and my husband will be angry?
Seriously, toughen up!
What is this lowest common denominator thing here?
Mr Nutshell said he has lost faith in the intelligence of humanity.
I would have to agree with Mr Nutshell. The lady was not offensive in any way, but her demureness struck me as of concern. A red flag if you will. Lucky she didn't see all my fire, she probably would not know what to do with it.
Poor thing, I feel sorry if people think this is the way it works. Kids are precious, but this? You cannot be serial.
thoughts on parenting awesomeness?
