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An interesting thing happened when I was at target the other day.
Please tell me how/what you would have done in this instant.
I was with my wife and boys at target. My wife was waiting for some coffee at the Starbucks they have in the target and my boys and I were waiting for her. They were in their strollers with me. A lady( Hispanic, that will be of relevance later) while walking out of the store passed me then my boys and ran her hand through their hair. We don't know the lady at all. When I say ran her hands, I'm not saying just touched their head but ran, like carressing, their hair. I saw it and was in a little bit of shock like did that just happened. I called out to my wife, who is Hispanic, and let her know what happened. She saw the lady and just shook it off and later explained to me that in the Hispanic culture, they do that sometimes with young kids to wave off evil spirits.
I don't know how to feel about that. What would you say/ do? Thank you.
Sounds to me like a nice gesture in that culture. Kind of like wishing Merry Christmas vs Happy Holidays vs Happy Hannukah etc.
If I were uncomfortable, I would not have been after the explanation.
Thank you for the reply and I know the meaning behind the gesture which is nice but not to be anal or anything, we don't know what germs or what not this stranger has. Maybe I am being anal. My boys are almost 2 and 8 months. So they are very young.
She saw the lady and just shook it off and later explained to me that in the Hispanic culture, they do that sometimes with young kids to wave off evil spirits.
So, your wife was perfectly fine with it and you are not?
Thank you for the reply and I know the meaning behind the gesture which is nice but not to be anal or anything, we don't know what germs or what not this stranger has. Maybe I am being anal. My boys are almost 2 and 8 months. So they are very young.
I would say or do nothing, it is cultural. If your wife was upset she would have dealt with it.
You have just as many germs as anyone else and your children are more at risk of getting whooping cough from you and your family.
Welcome to my world. My kids are Hispanic and it happened on a daily basis. We used to live close to the border (now we are in the Midwest).
When I was in Central America it was even more intense. They would come randomly pick my baby up and walk around with them cooing at them and showing them off to others.
When I went through security at an airport in Central America, my kids (one infant, one toddler) were in a double stroller. A woman (in a security uniform) walked up and grabbed the stroller and walked away, instructing me to stay. I was freaked out. I rushed through security best I could, ran around looking for them. They were off in a corner. Several female security agents were gathering, passing them around, loving on them. Also, in restaurants, several times a waitress would walk up take my order and my baby and carry them while she worked so I could eat my meal in peace. I had a Mexican housekeeper when my kids were little. I adored her but if I tried to put my daughter in time out while she was there, she would go sit with her and rock her. Not quite what I had in mind.
As weird as it sounds, I found it heart warming.
Now my son is 10, and it still happens to him on occasion. Not the picking up part, but running hands through his hair, or touching his head. He is not a fan.
A tip for traveling in Mexico and Central America with a baby....wear them!if you are holding them or they are in a stroller, they are fair game for who ever wants to hold them.
Last edited by HighFlyingBird; 12-22-2015 at 03:20 PM..
So, your wife was perfectly fine with it and you are not?
I'm not saying I'm not ok with it after the explanation. Actually, I am still not sure how I feel. Truthfully, I still feel weird. Trying to see if I'm being over cautious or what not
I'm not saying I'm not ok with it after the explanation. Actually, I am still not sure how I feel. Truthfully, I still feel weird. Trying to see if I'm being over cautious or what not
Take it as a compliment. It usually is because they think the child is very attractive. My daughter was a cute little one but she didn't have the features that tend to be attractive to Hispanic cultures. She was quite thin, which I think was a big part of that. She got very little attention like this compared to my son who fit better the "ideal" of a cute baby. He also smiled at people quite a bit and had a "happy face".
Take it as a compliment. It usually is because they think the child is very attractive. My daughter was a cute little one but she didn't have the features that tend to be attractive to Hispanic cultures. She was quite thin, which I think was a big part of that. She got very little attention like this compared to my son who fit better the "ideal" of a cute baby. He also smiled at people quite a bit and had a "happy face".
Thank you. Just sounds like I'm being to anal and protective from these responses. That's what I wanted to know. Thank you all.
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