What would you have done?

[Anonymous]

Just came back from my morning walk and saw a couple with a toddler in a stroller crying and screaming near Fort Scott Drive heading towards Fort Scott Park. The toddler was crying and moving his/her head from side to side and up and down because the sun was right in his/her face. Had they adjusted the seat then the toddler would have some shade. I wanted to say something but I read on here so much about minding your own business. I didn’t say anything and the parents kept walking with their toddler screaming and crying and so uncomfortable. What would you have done?

[Anonymous]

You think the kid is a snowflake and going to die from some sun? MYOB when there is actual danger.

[Anonymous]

^ no actual danger

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just came back from my morning walk and saw a couple with a toddler in a stroller crying and screaming near Fort Scott Drive heading towards Fort Scott Park. The toddler was crying and moving his/her head from side to side and up and down because the sun was right in his/her face. Had they adjusted the seat then the toddler would have some shade. I wanted to say something but I read on here so much about minding your own business. I didn’t say anything and the parents kept walking with their toddler screaming and crying and so uncomfortable. What would you have done?

Minded my own business because I wouldn't have known for certain it was about the sun.

[Anonymous]

You have no idea why the child was crying FFS.

[Anonymous]

I would have said something.

But I am not always the most socially savvy.

[Anonymous]

Sun in the eyes is annoying, but hardly abuse.

[Anonymous]

That is the least of the kid's problems.

[Anonymous]

Yes, you should have said something because screaming, crying kids disturb the peace.

[Anonymous]

I would have said something directly to the child, like "Aw, it's okay," in a sweet tone. It's a distraction and a WAKE UP CALL TO CALLOUS UNCARING PARENTS TO DO THEIR DAMN JOB. It's your job to care about your kids. If you don't even care when your own kid is screaming, then what kind of a neighbor or community member or coworker must you be? Oh yeah -- a shitty one.

I never let my kids scream like that, ever. I was very gentle with my kids when they were young. You don't have to cave to what they want, but you should at the very least not act like their feelings are irrelevant. Sucky parenting. That kid will not grow up happy.

[Anonymous]

I'd have smiled at the parents and said "I used to cry like that when the sun was in my eyes - they're really sensitive to light."

Because it's true. I get migraines from too much sunlight.

[Anonymous]

My toddlers never minded having sun in their face, but could scream bloody murder over other things. Like being buckled in the stroller when they wanted to be carried. Or having to change into the blue shirt because they spilled milk on the red one. Or having to leave an activity that they were enjoying.

How do you know it was the sun?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sun in the eyes is annoying, but hardly abuse.

Pp who would have said something. It’s not that I think it’s abuse or that the parents are bad neighbors, only that not everyone knows all of the functions of the stroller they are using. The parents may not realize that they could make a small adjustment and make their child more comfortable.

Even if the child is screaming about something else, most parents would make a small gesture to make a child more comfortable and show that they still care. My guess is that the parents didn’t do that only because they didn’t know the feature of this stroller, not because they are horrible people.

[Anonymous]

Don’t understand how anyone would want to get involved and insert their opinions to complete strangers, not knowing what a simple Innocent gesture might stir up or escalate.

[Anonymous]

Well at that age when my kid was having a tantrum he moved all over the place. And it probably would be because we had put him in the stroller instead of letting him run.