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'Leave your child at home'

There are certain events and places that children should not attend.

By Masanda Peter

Article originally in Parent24

Gallery

25 toddler dangers at home

2012-09-19 15:42

There are dangers all around your home but these tips can protect your toddler.

As a mother I know that I need to look after my son and know that being with him is wonderful but I need to tackle the issue of people taking their children everywhere. Taking children to places where they might not be the best guests for that particular time or event. I understand that some people do not have the privilege of having family close by or full time domestic help to look after their children when they need to go somewhere and they are forced to take their kids everywhere they go and I mean everywhere.

Weddings

Lets start with weddings - some invites clearly state that children are not allowed because they can be a nuisance, make noise and disrupt the programme of the wedding because children will be children. You get to the wedding and what do you see, the invited mother with their child because there was no one to leave the child with and she wanted to attend the wedding. A tricky one indeed but then again the wedding invite said "no children allowed". Of course we love them to bits but do they need to go everywhere with us. I am tempted to say that if you cannot find someone to look after the child when you need to attend the wedding then stay at home with your angel rather than go and disturb the ceremony. I doubt if any bride wants to hear a crying child in their video. Children have cried before and its just not acceptable.

Funerals

I also see children at funerals these days. Growing up I was told that "abantwana abayi emngcwabeni" (children do not go to funerals) but these days they do. The children can disturb the whole service when they cry.

Church

The bible says "Let the little children come to me, and stop keeping them away, because the kingdom from heaven belongs to people like these." Some of us take our children to church to start with the Godly foundations for them. In churches though we have mother's rooms where there are speakers and the mother can enjoy the service and still attend to the child without disturbing the whole service but some moms insists on sitting on their chairs while the child is wailing. Yes you want to sit with everyone but parenthood comes with a few sacrifices.

Oh yes I love children but there are certain places where they do not fit. As a mother I've had to sacrifice going to some events because I had no one to look after my child, I'd rather do that that disturb the event which to me is disrespect unless it is family. Maybe other parents need to think this through as well.

Do you take your children with you wherever you go?