Unbelievable...

Valdosta, Georgia
March 12, 2013 4:26pm CST
So, we were at my sister's house the other day. It was my sister and I, our cousin and her son. Her son gets into a LOT of stuff all the time so my sister put him in the pack and play so we could work on wedding stuff. My cousin did not want him in there because he was crying, he doesn't like being contained... My cousin kept taking him out of the playpen every time he cried. So, we were at the table working on things and her son starts gagging. I went over to see why and he had scissors in his mouth with the pointy part in his mouth!! His mother just sat there and said can you take those from him, calm as anything! I was shocked. If that was my son I would have been freaking out!! But then again, I would have been watching him if he was my son also, or had him in the playpen where he was safe if I was busy... I would rather have my child crying because he was annoyed rather than crying because he was hurt badly! Some parents really amaze me...
9 people like this
33 responses
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
12 Mar 13
I was pretty calm with my first also.. but neurotic with my others. I probably would have been more ticked at the cousin. If she kept taking him out of the playpen, she should have been responsible for keeping her eyes on him.
2 people like this
• United States
12 Mar 13
Say that again Kat! I hear ya and I agree 100%.
• Valdosta, Georgia
12 Mar 13
Not me, scissors in a child's mouth means RUN QUICK to get them! And that is what I did. I don't mean freak out like scream, I mean freak out like DO SOMETHING not just sit there on your A$$!!
• United States
12 Mar 13
Wow! She hasn't much patience has she? She takes him out so he will be quiet and not get on her nerves. I wonder how permissive she will be when he REALLY gets on her nerves. That baby could have been hurt. I'm just shaking my head.
1 person likes this
• United States
12 Mar 13
That and shouldn't always give in when they cry or can you imagine what they'll be like at 12 or 13?
1 person likes this
• Valdosta, Georgia
12 Mar 13
No she has no patience at all. And she does not know how to watch her son for crap! The scissors were on the table at first because we were using them, so my sister moved them on the counter and told my cousin watch that he does not reach up here for these, make sure you watch him... So much for that one! No she should not have given into him, she is just not a good parent...
1 person likes this
• United States
12 Mar 13
I was thinking that but didn't say it.
@bellis716 (4799)
• United States
15 Mar 13
I hope your cousin survives raising her son. It appears that she is teaching him that he can always have his way. I do not believe that she is the ideal mother. I have read of teenagers who actually killed a parent because they couldn't get what they wanted otherwise.
1 person likes this
• Valdosta, Georgia
16 Mar 13
Oh I constantly tell my cousin your going to be sorry doing that to him. He will always expect whatever he wants given to him and it is crazy! I know she will regret it once she matures a little bit...
• United States
13 Mar 13
I see no problem with not locking children away in playpens. However, if you're going to leave them to be free-range in someone else's home, you really need to check for dangers first--and take actions to move the sharp stuff up out of reach and such. Freaking out isn't a good reaction--no matter what the situation is with the child. If you freak out, you make poor decisions as to how to handle things. That is true whether a child is trying to chew on scissors or has just managed to wedge a pencil into a body part. Personally, I would have left the child at home with his daddy though. I wouldn't want to have to watch a child while trying to focus on helping (and actually being helpful) with someone's wedding stuff. I know that if I were the bride-to-be, I wouldn't want to have a young child underfoot while working on wedding details. It's simply too much of a distraction.
1 person likes this
• Valdosta, Georgia
14 Mar 13
Well yes the scissors were put up on the highest counter my sister could put them on. It was his mothers job to be watching him which she was not doing obviously. I am not talking about freaking out like screaming, I am talking about freaking out like doing something other than sitting there on her a$$ while someone else helps him! I have three children who have gotten into plenty of dangerous situations and I did not freak out in a bad way, I did what needed to be done. I know how to care for children. I freaked and moved-quickly! He doesn't have a father. Not in the picture anyway, he does not want anything to do with his son. She is a single mother. If he was in the playpen while we were working with the toys he would have been just fine. She just did not want to hear him cry, which is ridiculous.
@kprofgames (3091)
• United States
12 Mar 13
Well I typed a response to this and it disappeared, hope it doesn't post again. Anyway. I feel for your cousin because she wanted to be there for adult time with wedding prep, but sometimes children just need to stay home and adults have their adult time. As a parent I've been calm on the outside and screaming on the inside before. For the most part because I didn't want to startle the kids and make the situation worse than it already was.
1 person likes this
• United States
13 Mar 13
Reading through the rest of the discussion and your responses I see the bigger picture. I feel sorry for the baby to be honest. To be given to a parent that can't care of them because of their own immaturity.
• Valdosta, Georgia
12 Mar 13
I don't feel bad for my cousin AT ALL. Her baby could have been KILLED because she was too lazy to parent correctly! She cannot afford a babysitter. I was not talking about freaking out like screaming, I was talking about freaking out like DO SOMETHING!
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Mar 13
This really is something that will never cease to amaze me. I mean I know that I'm not a perfect parent, but when my children were very small I always did whatever I could to keep my kids out of danger. This was not limited to asking people at their own homes to move items that I knew one of my children could have possibly hurt themselves with. That said, if it wasn't possible to do a quick childproofing, I had no objection to either holding my child in my lap or putting them in a pack and play or play yard for their safety.
1 person likes this
• Valdosta, Georgia
16 Mar 13
My sister put the scissors on top of the highest counter she has. But the child climbs-not my sister's problem. It is his mothers job to be watching him or put him in the playpen! It is not that hard! I have 3 children and none of them ever got into anything dangerous like that because I watched them or put them in a safe place if I was busy... All it takes is a little bit of common sense...
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
12 Mar 13
I see that you have changed your avatar my friend, is that your hubby? I dread to think what could have happened if he had picked something up and swallowed it! Luckily he was caught in time, and you really do need eyes at the back of your head. How anyone can be that calm? Makes you wonder doesn't it, if she is that calm about it, as to whether this isn't the first time he has done something like that, what happens if next time it's more serious? Did you voice your concerns to her? Or is she the kind of person that won't be told?
1 person likes this
• Valdosta, Georgia
13 Mar 13
Yes that is my husband. =) I know! I am so glad I was there to take them away from him because his mother just sat there and did nothing. She was just watching him and asked me to take them away from him! I have no idea why she could not get up and get them away from him, actually I do-laziness. She constantly LETS him chew on soda cans too! He is going to cut his tongue open one day from chewing on those! My sister and I both told her, this is why we told you to watch him and why he belongs in the playpen while we are working on this stuff!
• United States
18 Mar 13
Your cousin deserves to be smacked upside her head! How on earth did he manage to get the scissors anyway?
• United States
18 Mar 13
I wouldn't allow her to come over anymore, unless she's alone. Some people have babies but just don't get that they need to be cared for constantly! How are the preparations coming along for your sister's wedding? Is she excited?
1 person likes this
• Valdosta, Georgia
18 Mar 13
I agree with you! He climbs on everything. He was supposed to be watched by his mother but she was not paying attention to him. So he climbed up on a stool and got the scissors. Then, she just sits there and does nothing! I had to get them away from him... She is such a bad parent.
@BarBaraPrz (45498)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
12 Mar 13
That's a sad story. Good thing it wasn't any sadder. She's not doing him any favors by attending to him every time he cries because he doesn't like being in the playpen. He'll grow up constantly expecting everything to go his way.
1 person likes this
• Valdosta, Georgia
12 Mar 13
I know. It would not even have happened at all if she was either watching him or had him in the playpen! He is already starting to act like a spoiled brat and she will be sorry later down the road...
1 person likes this
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
12 Mar 13
yup and as soon as he got used to being in the play pen and doing something he would have forgotten he was unhappy! And I would have freaked out too...its a mother's thing..for most of us!
1 person likes this
@jalucia (1431)
• United States
12 Mar 13
Another perspective would be to say why were the scissors where the baby could get them. Because had something happened, that's a question that would have been asked of all of you. I have had enough kids to know that you have to be vigilant in watching them, but you aren't going to catch everything. You can be emotionally high-wired, but that usually doesn't help the situation. You want to give your baby a chance to self soothe (cry it out) but you also don't want them to feel as if you have abandoned them emotionally. Parenting is tricky. It's like when you see your child headed toward the street, what do you do? If you run after them, they may run faster towards the oncoming cars. If you don't run after them, you may not catch them before they reach the oncoming cars. I guess, after having so many kids, I try really hard not to judge. One thing is for sure though, a baby should not be sucking on scissors. :)
1 person likes this
• Valdosta, Georgia
12 Mar 13
The scissors were on the table at first because we were using them, so my sister moved them on the counter and told my cousin watch that he does not reach up here for these, make sure you watch him... So much for that one! It was the MOTHER'S job to WATCH that he did NOT get them. She could not even do that much. I am not talking about freaking out like screaming or crying. I was saying freaking out like GO GET HIM, DO SOMETHING! Don't just sit there on your A$$ and ask someone else to get them away from him! I have 3 children, I react when something is wrong. I don't just sit there and do nothing. I move and I move FAST!
2 people like this
@celticeagle (159058)
• Boise, Idaho
13 Mar 13
I think that the child is crying for attention. The child knows he will get what he wants if he cries. Her calm attitude tell me the poor child doesn't get any attention or any reaction from his mother. Poor kid!
@celticeagle (159058)
• Boise, Idaho
14 Mar 13
What's her problem? Her mom was that way or-?
• Valdosta, Georgia
14 Mar 13
Yeah he doesn't get much attention from her. He does get a lot of attention from everyone else in the family but not his own mother... It is sad.
1 person likes this
• Valdosta, Georgia
14 Mar 13
She is the most lazy person I have ever seen in my life! That has a LOT to do with it. She relies on everyone else to do everything for her son.
1 person likes this
@Raine38 (12257)
• United States
12 Mar 13
Wait, what? Is he hurt, did the scissors cut him? If that's my kid I would have never let him out of the pack, or at least I will make sure he is busy or napping before I occupy myself with something else entirely.
1 person likes this
• Valdosta, Georgia
12 Mar 13
He was not hurt, thank God I got up and got them away from him. His mother just sat there and did NOTHING at all! He should have been contained...
1 person likes this
• Philippines
12 Mar 13
There's soo many ways in developing a child. Cying make the vocal chords nice and a probavility for developing good voice. Letting the child do what he want including a scissors is next to insanity for it is a pointed object a child can hurt himself before we know but I think your sister knew what she was doing that we called calculated risk. Sometimes too much love is a deterren for a baby to develop his natural talent on the very early stage
1 person likes this
• Valdosta, Georgia
12 Mar 13
Yeah crying cannot hurt a child, he would have been fine crying it out for a little bit...
@kalav56 (11464)
• India
13 Mar 13
This is unbelievable indeed! Scissors in a child's mouth! God! I would have been shocked and so distressed that only the thought that the child would hurt himself even more than what he was doing at that time would have stopped me from screaming.
• Valdosta, Georgia
14 Mar 13
Yes it is crazy. His mother should have done something but instead she just sat there and I was the one to react and go get them from him. I didn't mean freak out like scream, I meant freak out like do something.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
13 Mar 13
Wow! I raised 4 children and babysat a lot of them. Kids do get into everything and things do happen. That being said, I was always on high alert to keep things from them that could hurt them...like sissors for example. I get it...she was busy and all but those sissors would of been out of that child's hands before they stood a chance of reaching the mouth.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
14 Mar 13
it is parents like that that cause nightmares. You see things like that and then just wonder what is going on when you ae not around to save the kid.
• Valdosta, Georgia
14 Mar 13
Yeah I have 3 children myself and a childcare business that I run and NEVER has any child gotten scissors to their mouth, not on time in 14 years that I have watched children. His mother was supposed to be watching him or she should have put him in the playpen and let him cry! The scissors were on the highest counter my sister has, and my sister told her to watch that he did not get them! And he still ended up with them in his mouth and his mother just sat there! I was the one to get them away from him and make sure he was not bleeding or anything...
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
15 Mar 13
That's terrible! Clearly, that was a cry for attention. I don't know, but I don't think that being calm about it was the right way to deal with it. I would be freaking out too if it were my kid.
• Valdosta, Georgia
16 Mar 13
Yeah it was pretty crazy. My cousin just sat there while I went and got the scissors from him. She should have done something! It is her son, not mine! So annoying to have someone that immature around, especially seeing her with her child... Gets on my last nerve.
@jenny1015 (13366)
• Philippines
12 Mar 13
Odd as it may seem, but, I still remind my son, 8 years old to always be careful while walking down the stairs. I constantly tell my second son to hold his youngest brother's hand when crossing the street. I worry, coz I am a mother who always wants her children to be safe. With the way that your cousin acted, I feel it is kinda weird that she is not alarmed with the scissors in the mouth of his son! I wouldn't even allow my son hold the scissors without me beside him.
@jenny1015 (13366)
• Philippines
13 Mar 13
We can never know what these kids are up to the next minute, right? Coz of their curiosity, they tend to pick up all things possible and try using them no matter how and without any fear of getting themselves hurt. Better be safe than sorry......
• Valdosta, Georgia
13 Mar 13
Yeah I am so careful with my kids as well. I don't care that I am overprotective. I would rather that than them getting hurt! I am a mommy too and I love my kids and want them to be safe. I agree with you, I am paranoid when my 7 year old is using KID scissors! Lol, I have to be right there with her or she is not allowed to use them at all. They are dangerous.
@inertia4 (27961)
• United States
16 Mar 13
That was not very smart on your cousins behalf. You were right to panic. I just hope the baby did not hurt himself with that scissors. Some people just don't think. I am sure your heart was jumping seeing that.
@inertia4 (27961)
• United States
21 Mar 13
I would have went ballistic actually. I don't like ever seeing children get hurt. If the baby was older like 10 or 12 then you could be more relaxed. But a child like that needs constant attention and always be watched.
• Valdosta, Georgia
18 Mar 13
No it was not smart at all. I would have thought she would have at least gotten up and gotten them away from him since she was not watching him in the first place...My heart was racing!
1 person likes this
@ShyBear88 (59283)
• Sterling, Virginia
13 Mar 13
Oh my I think I would have smacked and asked what the heck is wrong with her because he. Old have seriously hurt himself. I know babies out things in there mouth but I always make sure it's safe for my children to have around them.
• Valdosta, Georgia
14 Mar 13
Yeah we both felt like smacking her! It was her job to watch her son and she didn't. It was her job to get the scissors away from him and again she didn't do that either. Really bad mother...
@ShyBear88 (59283)
• Sterling, Virginia
14 Mar 13
You can say that last part again.