Friday 3 June 2011

Boundaries

Today was generally pretty good. We went into town, went to Starbucks with my Dad and brother, walked with them to the train station to say goodbye. Daughter cried when they left, although she cheered up once I put her in the sling and we walked around town. We went for lunch at Debenhams and then did some shopping. Got some denim shorts from H&M for my daughter, and some denim shorts from New Look from me. Wanted some from H&M as it's my favourite shop but the only pair I liked didn't look good on me. No pictures of shorts, we fell asleep on the sofa for an hour when we got in, and then it was too dark to take pictures. Will try for some tomorrow.

However, the bus ride home wasn't so great, which is where the title comes in. I was sat on the bus, with my daughter on my front in the sling. She seemed pretty happy and was just talking to herself so I was sat looking out the window. I turn back round, look at her and realise that she suddenly has a wotsit (type of crisp) in her mouth. She can't have picked it up off the seat as she can't reach when she's in the sling.
I realise that the woman sat behind us must have given it to her when I wasn't looking and not said anything to me. I could freak out, and take the crisp off my daughter but then she'd probably get upset. I decide that it's not worth getting her upset, as I don't think there's anything too bad in the crisp, although my daughter does have severe eczema so I'm generally very careful about what she does eat. I let her eat the crisp, and carry on looking out the window, but then notice that the woman behind me is again offering my daughter the packet of crisps, again without saying anything to me or asking if it's alright for her to have one. Being ever so slightly passive agressive, I decide to not say anything, angle my body away from the woman and lean forward a little so that my daughter can't reach the crisps. I spent the rest of the journey (and this evening, to be honest) feeling really angry about it. Ok, so maybe the woman was just trying to be nice, but who thinks it's acceptable to give a little 16 month old baby (or any age child) food without asking the parent first? What if she was really allergic to one of the ingredients? Maybe I should have been watching my daughter the entire time, but she was in the sling, she was safe and happy, I thought I could take my eyes off her for a few seconds without something like that happening. Maybe I can be a little overprotective, but this incident hasn't made me change my mind.

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