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"Can't Touch This" sign for babies
When you're out with a baby, it's common for a well-meaning stranger to coo and smile at the little one while telling you what you already know, this is SUCH an adorable/happy/fun child! These are the wise, nice strangers that can make your day.
Then there's the other category of baby-loving stranger. This kind is oblivious to personal boundaries and germ-spreading and will lean into car seats or carriers and actually KISS the baby. And BREATHE ALL OVER IT. Or GRAB THEIR LITTLE HANDS to marvel over their itty bittiness, test their grip, and pass on the germs from their own hands that MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN WASHED AFTER THEIR LAST VISIT TO THE BATHROOM.
I get a little hyperventilatey just thinking about it, because just like your babies, mine were exceptionally cute and we were accosted by wackjobs at the supermarket all the time.
My Tiny Hands has come up with a product that politely asks strangers to keep their grubby paws off of Baby, so the parent doesn't have to. Childless people might find the "Please wash your hands before touching mine" message a bit blunt, but it's a lot kinder than my solution, which was to yell, "HEY! DON'T DO THAT! HE'S SICK!" which was effective in its own way.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Terry Brown 6-17-2008 @ 5:03PM
I HATE when people do that to my 3 year old...
We get comments about his hair (curly and red) and people just walk up to him and touch it. Imagine what they would do if I did that to them (I'm over 6ft tall and rather cuddly....)
If they ask then we would at least have the chance to get in their way before they claw at him...
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ame s 6-17-2008 @ 5:47PM
I'm all a-giggle imagining you reaching out to tussle the hair of one of those people!
Jenn 6-17-2008 @ 8:48PM
I say you should do it! Maybe then they'd get a hint of how totally annoying that is....
calliesmommy0704 6-18-2008 @ 9:28AM
I hated when people did that. Especially if i had her on me with one of the baby carriers that you strap on. One lady wanted to wake her up when we were in the store and started shaking the stroller. One of the other things I noticed was that women have to touch a pregnant belly. I threatened to knock one lady on the floor if she touched me. Ialways carried wipes after she was born. As soon as people were done touching i'd wipe her
nancy 6-18-2008 @ 10:22AM
I think it's a great idea,when my daughter was small,I had a female give her a drink off of her soda when my back was turned,a week later I saw this same female turning tricks as a prostitute.
thunder 6-18-2008 @ 12:22PM
I would pay to see you do that and the shock on that person's face soon after!! I have a visual going on and it is hilarious!!
mom of 4 6-21-2008 @ 6:02PM
I don't think it's rude at all... I would never touch someone's child or belly without asking first. I have a 4 month old and people are constantly trying to reach into the stroller. I just put a mesh stroller net over it to keep prying hands out.( He sticks his hands in his mouth) Especially, since I don't know where other hands have been.... If I know you, you can have some hand sanitizer. As far as pregnant ladies go. I don't touch because I know I did not like to be touched. I had to tell a lady "If you touch my stomach I will grab your boob" I don't know anyone that gets patted on the stomach otherwise!
ame s 6-17-2008 @ 5:47PM
Great idea!
My daughters were born with glorious thick hair; one had curls. So many people ran their fingers through their hair, I was tempted to hide small mousetraps in it ;)
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Billi Rey 6-17-2008 @ 10:57PM
Good greif, how many more outbreaks and mutations of diseases will we need before people realize that getting a small infection is to the immune system what a brisk walk or half an hour weight lifting is to the cardio and muscular system? Next time you go to the pediatrician for a viral infection like a cold or the flu, try telling your doctor you do NOT want an antibiotic - as it does not treat the illness! Over prescription of antibiotics and over-use of antibacterial wipes, soaps, etc. are making us immunologically weak. Unless the person interacting with the precious little brat is a creep trying to touch your child inappropriately (and yes, KISSING a child who is not yours or related to you or at least a friend's child is inappropriate), get over it. Your child will probably get an un-noticed reaction to the other person's flora and fauna, which will in turn train your child's immune system to better fight future infections.
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TerriJ 6-17-2008 @ 11:20PM
Boy, oh boy do I agree with you. Parents can be the worst enemy their child's immune system ever has. If it's not the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, it is the fever reducers. A little temperature can be a good thing--it means your child's system is in working order and is fighting off the bug he/she has. To suppress it is unnecessary unless the fever is high.
ninainindia 6-18-2008 @ 12:08AM
I completely agree! How I hate these overprotective parents. These strangers are just being nice and admiring your child, every thought of acting normal instead of screaming at them?
I have noticed by reading your (Angies's) posts that you seem to be afraid of everything.
Jen DC 6-19-2008 @ 11:32AM
Amen.
Anna 6-18-2008 @ 1:01AM
I agree too ninainindia...just seeing that sign would make me appalled! I wouldn't even WANT to touch that baby after reading that. Some overprotective snooty parents. I live in the south and that's just common for us to touch and kiss little babies none of which get sick from it. And of course we can figure out the ones that wouldn't want us to touch them. What a waste of money to buy that sign anyway.
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Parachell 6-18-2008 @ 8:09AM
A baby that someone wants to be friendly with is common.A baby can get germs from alot of things so I feel that the mom should get over it. She should wear a sign that says DONT TOUCH ME -YOU MIGHT GIVE ME GERMS TO SPREAD TO MY CHILD!!!
Frankie Houser 6-18-2008 @ 8:37AM
I think that it is okay to keep your distance and ooh & aah over new born babies. I have a granddaughter, who was born a little premature, was diagnosed with CDLS, has a feeding tube, and took shots for several months to help prevent her from getting RSV. These shots were $1,000.00 each. She was in a very fragile state.
We were very careful about taking her in a crowd and there was some indecision about taking her to church. There were only a few people who had any business touching her. My daughter was given a sign similar to this at Children's Hospital and even with it attached to her carrier, you would still be surprised at the people who totally disregarded it. Please be very careful about touching babies, you have no idea what the circumstances are. Do you want to be a part of making even one little baby sick?
Really??? 6-18-2008 @ 12:04PM
Uhm... if a random person would come up and touch on you I am sure you would think that is strange. I don't care about the germs or my child getting sick. I don't want random strangers to touch me and I don't want random strangers to touch my child. I have very curly hair and when I was a child people would always want to touch my hair. Some lady got her rings all tangled in my hair and started pulling to which I responded with crying. The lady then told my mother that I was an ill-behaved child. That was a very unnecessary experience in my opinion - one that I don't want my kids to go through. And besides... what ever happened to ask if it is OK to touch. Isn't that what you teach your kids?
kim 6-18-2008 @ 2:11PM
It's sad that those who feel these parents are over protective for not wanting "STRANGERS" to just walk up to their child and begin touching them. No one is talking about anitibiotics, or fever reducers or their immune systems. I myself had a premature son, who was rushed to the hospital shortly after coming home (after spending the first 6 weeks of his life in the NICU) only to find out that he had RSV. The fact of the matter is, you are a STRANGER, and how dare you feel that because my child is cute, cuddly or whatever, gives you the right to just come and start touching them. It's the same reaction as people coming up to pregnant women and touching their bellies. It's an invasion of space and privacy. I actually think the sign is a good idea, however, after reading some of these comments, I'll just stick to my usual response. I won't be polite to place a sign, I'll just tell you to "BACK OFF, WEIRDO!" and if your feelings get hurt oh well. It wouldn't be acceptable for a STRANGER to come up to a 5 year old or even an adult and just start cooing and touching, they'd be thought of as a child molestor. The same goes for babies! You don't know who the person is or where their hands have been. And in these days it takes only a matter of seconds to snatch a child.
LSJ 6-18-2008 @ 1:06AM
I am not a mother but I agree with the comment from parents who hate it when some stranger just walks up to their child and touches them! That shows no respect for the parents or the child, so I agree.
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amharkey 6-19-2008 @ 11:44PM
Sorry, but I live in the south and I know better than to touch somebody's kid. I had 2 preemies and their immune system was weak and I didn't want strangers breathing all over them. That would send us on a one way trip to the hospital. Something minor like the sniffles could send a preemie to the hospital with full blown RSV. Good rule of thumb, LOOK DON'T TOUCH! Apparently people don't know how terrible it is to have a child sick.
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Don 6-18-2008 @ 7:21AM
I enjoy the smile that my child has when interacting with strangers, I highly doubt that he will become infected with some horrible disease, a cold sure but that will only make him sick for a few days and then he will be better off for the future.
Children are everyone's future, a lot of people see the importance of that and admire them for it. I have no problem with random people touching my child with my supervision.
I am put off more by people that consider children an annoyance.
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