Question- Playing on my mind!😅

Repost in incognito- never know who's on this app🤣. So I assume first time mums and mums of multiple children may answer this differently but i would like your opinions anyway! So we're at a local cafe in my area, my 3 year old loves young children and babies, always goes over to them to say hello. We were on our way out to the play area, I was holding his hand. He held his other hand out to an approximately 7/8 month old baby sat in her pram, said hello and touched her leg/foot. The mum then proceeded to have a go at me telling me I should have a better eye on him and to not let him do that, talking about RSV etc. I totally understand mum anxiety and the season it is at the moment but I'm struggling to see the issue with this, I would have been totally fine if it was the other way round... So yeah opinions, honestly what would you do?

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Just to add, he absolutely smothers his little brother (June 2024 baby) with love, so many cuddles and kisses, touching his face etc. But I obviously wouldn't allow him to be like this with other people's children😅 x

I don’t know, I kind of see both sides to be honest. He’s just trying to be friendly, which obviously should be encouraged. He’s also not at an age where he understands things like RSV so I think it was especially messed up she had a go at you in front of your child because he doesn’t understand he did something ‘wrong’. But it IS RSV season. She doesn’t know if your child is sick and obviously she’s worried about her baby, for a valid reason too because we all know how bad RSV can be for young children. Personally I wouldn’t mind if a child came over to my baby to say hello and be friendly but I would get uncomfortable if they started touching him (and this goes for anyone, kids or adults alike). I definitely would not have had a go at you though, especially in front of your child.

On the other hand though it was just her foot, so the chances of her catching RSV are lower I imagine than if he’d touched her hand or face.

Oh I absolutely appreciate your comment and agree with it all, I just found her response a bit far fetched and like you say, it was her foot, he's only 3 and not an appropriate way to react in front of him. He actually got a bit upset afterwards when we got outside and said "I was only saying hello mummy", because like you say he doesn't understand what's wrong with it. I told him not to worry and explained that some mummy's don't like you touching their babies incase you make them poorly, which I remind him about all the time but because he thinks he's being nice, that's all he sees bless him x

I’m guessing she must’ve been a mum of one as she’s really overestimating a 3 year old’s understanding of that sort of thing. Toddlers move fast, it’s hard to stop these things from happening and her reaction sounds OTT to me!

@Lauren this is what I tried to explain to her at the time as I was quite offended😅. But she seemed highly anxious so I just left it there, but I agree x

I dont think you or your toddler did anything wrong at all and children are naturally curious and innocently friendly. I think the mother possibly has some health anxiety and it's her personal issue. I guess children will encounter this at times and have to learn that people react differently to behaviours we might deem normal or appropriate. Just as adults have to sometimes!

@Suzie thank you!! So glad I posted on here now I've been replaying it over and over in my head questioning myself and my little boys actions x

I'd be the same!

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