About Rebecca Eckler
Since becoming pregnant with her daughter Rowan, Canadian journalist and author Rebecca Eckler has penned three hilarious books, including the best-selling Knocked Up. Catch Rebecca’s weekly unique perspective on motherhood and single parenthood.
I’ve been wondering about this since I first became a mother. Now, seven years later, I’m still wondering. Perhaps you have insight?
Is it OK to dump your child with another family? Likewise, is it OK for some other parent to dump their kids on you?
I first noticed this when I used to take my daughter, Rowan, to the park when she was just a toddler. I’d be sitting at the sandbox while she played, and next thing I’d know, I’d have two or three other kids in the sandbox playing with her. Which was nice.
Except the other kids parents seemed oh-so-eager to just let me babysit their children, while they talked or texted on their phones. This pissed me off. I WOULD NEVER leave my daughter under the care of another parent while I went off to talk on the phone or sunbathe.
Except, recently, I did leave my daughter under the care of another family, while I did sunbathe.
I was at a resort in the Caribbean for winter break, and my daughter became fast friends with two other little girls.
Of course, I watched the kids play. But I was AMAZED when the mother invited my daughter to go out on a banana boat ride with her family.
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” I asked.
“No, my kids would love it,” she responded.
“OK, well she’s at the kids' club right now,” I told this friendly mother.
“It’s OK. So are mine. I’ll go pick them up,” she said.
So, there I was, in my bikini, getting some sun, relaxing and reading a book, while this other mother not only was going to take my child on a banana boat ride, but ALSO go walk up a hill to the kids' club and pick her up.
Now, my friends, I tell you, this is a good mother! She seemed more than happy to do this (again, really good mother/person) but I couldn’t help but feel guilty.
Was I pawning my daughter off for some relaxation time? Had I become one of those parents who are only more than happy when someone else looks after their daughter?
I thought about this, as I lay in the sun, relaxing. (HA!) And the thought came to me. SOME parents like looking after your children, either because their kids love your kid, or because they are really, really, really good people.
I’ve found that as Rowan gets older, I don’t mind looking after other people’s children, even if they’re on their phones. Possibly this is because I’m pretty certain I don’t have to make sure they’re not eating sand anymore. What are your thoughts? Do parents who dump their kids on you annoy you? And what do you do in these situations?
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