Originally Posted by cheerfuldom:
Its a mature (and frankly, unique) parent to admit that their child is anything but a joy to be around. I don't think that most parents are even fully aware that what they are saying about their child is completely untrue. It is easier and more comforting to continue in a cloud of denial and hope that if they say something long enough, people will believe them and treat their child accordingly. I am amazed at what parents will lie about. It really shouldn't surprise me anymore because it happens ALL the time. Plus some of it is a matter of perspective. If she is a working mom who is able to keep fussy baby happy for an hour or two before he goes to bed at night then yes, to her, he IS easy. Not the case for the person who has to actually take care of him the rest of the time he is awake. I also find that parents are comforted in having reasons for their childs behavior outside of the child just having a difficult personality or worse, being a brat from inconsistent parenting. The favorite is teething. I have had parents suggest that their child was teething constantly from like 2 months old on up to several years old. Seriously, teething cannot last that long!!
True, some of it is perspective. Still...my son is absolutely THE MOST PERFECT BABY IN THE WORLD.....but I wouldn't expect anyone else to feel that way, no matter how close it may or may not be to the truth. He's a pretty good kid, but I choose to stay home with him because I know that he can be a handful. And people actually like my kid--still, I know that liking a kid's personality is not the same as having to run after them all day.
I also had a parent pull the teething thing with me! This was after a mysterious "accident" which flared up and made the teething worse...when I pushed for a doctor's note, she didn't come back. Thank god! Apparently, doctors are too expensive, and she would only go if SHE thought it were necessary...but if you can't afford to run your kid to a doctor when you need to, then you should be familiar with every free clinic in your community, because that's just...silly and irresponsible.
Originally Posted by E Daycare:
Exactly! You see the cases all the time (most from negligence/ignorance) but a lot of the "baby wouldnt stop crying, I was so mad I shook it!"
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This! Even the most likeable kid can push someone who is maybe having a bad day or isn't all that stable to begin with to shake a baby. Infants and toddlers are the most susceptible group to being abused.