Want my son safe. Is this mold?

[D.T.]

While I agree that some parents may be overprotective these days, the instance you have written about does not strike me as having fallen into that category. Rather, I'd regard the father's conduct as a sensible expression of parental responsibility, rather than over-protectiveness.

He was clearly making you aware of the allergy so that not only would you not offer a nut, but that you'd also perhaps be very careful with the wrapper, the crumbs, your greasy fingers etc. In fact he was probably hoping you wouldn't open them at all. Rather than offend you by cramping your peanut rights or suggesting you'd be careless or messy or touch his son, he asked you not to offer a nut, because offering a nut is the nicest possible way you could have caused a problem. It's pretty smart and respectful.

Yeah, it seemed like the Dad made a simple request, maybe they just had an incident, so he's a little reactive, maybe they needed to travel by air so they had to accommodate the situation. Doesn't even sound at all like he was trying to make it somebody else's responsibility (what does that even mean?), sounds like a reasonable parent to me.

We let our little G do her thing, she's already on a surf board, she bikes, skateboards, we're pretty casual, and not particularly "over protective", but if I was in a situation, like the scenario described, where she had some severe peanut allergy (I've read about people dying in short minutes as a result), I'd sure as hell do the same thing when someone went to shove peanuts in their face.

... and I suspect, the person in question would just nod in quiet agreement like I'm sure they did on the plane (and save the ranting for an anonymous message board )

 

[A.Goldberg]

I'm not a parent but it sounds like the parent on the plane was simply being proactive. I "don't think a comment of don't give my kid peanuts" is over parenting, it's being cautious.

I grew up with the biggest helicopter parent I know, my mother (aka momma-copter according to my address book). The poor teachers that had to put up with her. I turned out just fine... Maybe a little neurotic and a bit of perfectionist... But otherwise alright I think. Despite having to be involved with everything I'm more self sufficient than most people I know.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Beware when peeling away walls and ceilings as old Artex contained asbestos. That's not something your family want floating around in the atmosphere.

 

[0388631]

Oh my god. I knew I'd read the peanut argument before. It's like a nightmare to read it again.

 

[npolly0212]

Any update?