Would This Offend You?

[SaraJayne]

Yes, I would be ticked. I said no for a reason, and it's none of your business why I said no, as a parent.

I would tell you "no thank you", turn and walk away.

 

[Andrew78]

I think I actually agree with what Pluto is saying. I will be the first to admit this would annoy the hell out of me, but the reality is we can't control what other people do, we only control what we do. So if someone gives the kids a balloon, do whatever u want with it, toss it back in the air but to go crazy over what everyone else does makes for a miserable life.

For the first ten months of my twins lives people come up to our babies, kiss them ,touch them, I remember wanting to just assault anyone that commented in a way I didn;t like or touched them...they comment on their looks personality etc,,, but I try to roll with the comments because I see people love children and in their own crazy way they feel they are helping them or making a difference. In the end I will protect them and giving a balloon is not something that should ruin anyones day.

I hate having to watch my tongue or actions around parents just in the event I may insult them because I really don't mean to if I did. I guess I should practice what I preach better and realize a million other parents will do things I don't like, but luckily if I don't like it I can pop the balloon, throw the candy on the floor or whatever the situation is.

You can see from the reaction hre it's very mixed, so for the people who want to do these things go ahead, and we as parents should do our job and decide whether to accept

 

[plutoplanet]

Ginny, yes, sorry if that disgusts you so much that I'm a 15 year old boy raising a baby. But my dd is not 1 year old, she is only 3 months. And you can judge me, but you don't know my story and you dont know the circumstances, so whatever you want to think, Im deciding not to let it get me down.

All I meant by ssaying suck it up is that sometimes it's more about good intentions. Someone trying to do something nice for you.

And for the record I think most people are being pretty mean to the OP. She sounds like a nice person. She can give me a balloon since the rest of you don't want one!

 

[lilybrooke14]

You guys are getting all upset over nothing. So someone was nice to your kid. You don't like it? Then it's unfortunate you live in a world where people try to do nice things...maybe before anyone does anything nice for anyone else, they should have them sign a contract stating it's ok with everyone, no one has any allergies, and they agree to give the free thing to every child in the family. How's that? Look if you don't like it, or even of you do like it, suck it up, you're at Disney world and someone took the time and effort to try to give your child some more magic...sorry it wasn't to your liking. I think it's a sad world when you can't even try to do anything nice for people without going through a list of questions to make sure everything is acceptable to them.

MAYBE you could do this- lady gives you a balloon and you didn't want your kid to have it. So thank the lady for her generosity etc Carry the balloon aroun d a little while then ask your child to share the magic by choosing another child to pass the balloon along to. Talk to them about how nice the lady was to share something and wouldn't it be fun to pass that on and make another kid happy?
If your kid won't go for that then start teaching them about the joy of giving and how fun it is to do nice things for other people.
Just an idea.

In any case, whether the parent wants the balloon or not, it was a kind act done in a spirit of giving and that's all that should matter.
Don't want the balloon? Pass it along and make it a fun thing for your child to get to choose another child to pass the magic along to. It can end up being a lesson in giving and a memorable experience. It feel good to give and it is good for kidsto learn that when they're young.

That's a great thought. However, your average small child is not that benevolent. Older children, maybe. But that's not how most little kids work. Your average little kid is going to react much in the way they would if you asked them to turn over their favorite blanket or kidney.

I personally hate balloons. I let my kid have one on out last trip because we were driving home, and we could take it with us. If we'd been flying, as we have in the past, I would have said no. You can't take it on the plane, so we're not getting one. Saying no is much less painful than giving in and then having to deal with the heartbreak of leaving "my favorite balloon ever" behind at the end of the trip.

So, no. I would not have been thrilled. I would have been gracious, but inwardly ticked off. My kid would have been able to pick out a lovely souvenir (or a few) before our trip home that would have traveled well with us and lasted longer than a balloon. If I say no, I mean no. I don't appreciate it when strangers think they know better than I do. However, I do have room for people who have good intentions and just don't know better, so I would not have been rude to the OP.

And on another (and completely absurd) note that was brought up earlier. If I'm reduced to fussing at my child in public at Disney World, you can be certain that it's the last thing I want to be doing at that moment, and that I'm only getting after my child because they have pushed every last button I have and continued to be naughty after repeated warnings. If at some point I have to be the lady that got after her kid at Disney World to avoid being the lady that wouldn't make her kid behave, then that's just the way it is.

 

[plutoplanet]

Ginny.....your last paragraph, that ended with "no wonder respecting the Childs parent means so little to you"....
Why would respecting the parent mean little to ME? Because of my age? Or what? I really don't get where you were going with that??

 

[Nanu57v]

Huh? Wth? So if someone didn't buy the balloon that the grandparent didn't want they don't care about kids? And equating it with child abuse????

No, I meant people have different philosophies of intrusion.

 

[GinnyEmma]

Ginny.....your last paragraph, that ended with "no wonder respecting the Childs parent means so little to you"....
Why would respecting the parent mean little to ME? Because of my age? Or what? I really don't get where you were going with that??

Ok, we will try again. Imagine you and your dad are at wdw. Some stranger comes up when your dad has her, and says they know more what your child needs than he does. You would actually tell him to "suck it up?" or is that type of rudeness only for strangers. Many of who are at least twice your age and have a great deal more experience than a child parent. Better?

I tend to respect older people. You obviously think you know more than them. But I guess my 14 year old is under that illusion on occasion also.

 

[Nanu57v]

I'm glad I wasn't the only one confused.

Sorry for the confusion...if it makes any difference both my kids came to our bed last night and I got about 2 hours of sleep.

 

[JUJU814]

OP, I know your heart was in the right place, but it is never, ever okay to undermine a parent's authority.

This exactly!

It's not the heart or the motive that would offend me, but you heard the answer was no and though I know you just were trying to be kind, and in this world it is a rarity, it was really none of your business and you should never ever undermine the authority of the parent/caregiver. The reasons behind the "no" do not concern you.

Just my opinion.

 

[greengeen]

Yes, I think I would be offended. It's interfering in a family situation that's not your business. Just, not.

 

[Nanu57v]

Wow...10 pages! OP--I just thought of something...if you ever see me at the parks and want to buy my DDs a balloon (its okay, they'll share) feel free! I'm way too cheap! So I would be totally appreciative.

 

[plutoplanet]

For the record I fully admit that I don't know what I'm doing and I never turn down parenting advice, even unsolicited parenting advice, because I recognize that other people have more experience than I do and maybe what they're saying might actually be helpful to me.
I don't see what parenting advice has to do with a balloon.
I think this whole thing is just about someone doing something nice for someone else, and if you don't like or you can still recognize their good intentions and thank them for their generosity.

And I think your comments have a really snide tone to them.

 

[Sammie]

Yes I would be upset, because bascially in the eyes of the child you underminded the grandparent right in front of the child. You put that grandmother between a rock and a hard place.

The grandmother had already explained why she did not want to get the balloon and yet you decided, that even though she was the grandmother of this child and was going to be the one with the child for the rest of the day that you knew better and gave her a balloon.

Nice thought, wrong action.

 

[Mandyjg20]

For the record I fully admit that I don't know what I'm doing and I never turn down parenting advice, even unsolicited parenting advice, because I recognize that other people have more experience than I do and maybe what they're saying might actually be helpful to me.
I don't see what parenting advice has to do with a balloon.
I think this whole thing is just about someone doing something nice for someone else, and if you don't like or you can still recognize their good intentions and thank them for their generosity.

And I think your comments have a really snide tone to them.

I think its great that you have your daughter and are raising her with your dad. That in itself says alot

 

[GinnyEmma]

Well, you see snide, I saw nasty in your "suck it up" comment. Still wondering how you would see it if I came along after your dad told your child "no" and I gave her what she wanted. "suck it up, dad!"

As far as it saying a lot, I'd say it would have said a lot more to wait 10 years to have to parent her.

 

[plutoplanet]

Thanks Mandy .. It's kind of a different situation from what people would assume, but I'm just tryin to keep my head above water with it and do what I can.
Sorry if I sounded mad in my posts..I just feel bad for the OP since she was trying to be nice. Like I said, she can give me a balloon

 

[plutoplanet]

Ginny, maybe you didn't mean to sound snide...I didn't mean to sound nasty but I guess it did sound mean so I'm sorry.

And I'm going to say this again: You can judge me all you want, I'm used to that and I expect it. But there are things you don't know and this wasn't a normal teenage pregnancy statistic thing. So you can think whatever you want about me, but I have a feeling if I told you my story you'd be sorry you said anything at all.
Then again, maybe you wouldn't. I don't know. But I'd rather just take your judgement then let you into my life/story. So just keep judging away.

 

[Alesia]

For the record I fully admit that I don't know what I'm doing and I never turn down parenting advice, even unsolicited parenting advice, because I recognize that other people have more experience than I do and maybe what they're saying might actually be helpful to me.
I don't see what parenting advice has to do with a balloon.
I think this whole thing is just about someone doing something nice for someone else, and if you don't like or you can still recognize their good intentions and thank them for their generosity.

And I think your comments have a really snide tone to them.

Your daughter is very young, but someday you'll understand why it's a very good idea to teach your her not to accept gifts from adults she doesn't know.

 

[declansdad]

For the record I fully admit that I don't know what I'm doing and I never turn down parenting advice, even unsolicited parenting advice, because I recognize that other people have more experience than I do and maybe what they're saying might actually be helpful to me.
I don't see what parenting advice has to do with a balloon.
I think this whole thing is just about someone doing something nice for someone else, and if you don't like or you can still recognize their good intentions and thank them for their generosity.

And I think your comments have a really snide tone to them.

It's not about the balloon; it is about the op doing something after hearing the grandmother telling the child no.

 

[plutoplanet]

Alesia whatever. Everybody knows about strangers. The real danger is people you KNOW. I don't worry about strangers because you're in a lot more danger from adults you know and trust. And that is because you don't expect anything wrong. I'm not saying you don't have to be concerned about strangers but most of time if something would happen to you it comes from an adult you already trust.
The grandma was with the kid the whole time, so I don't even think stranger stuff applies here anyway.