She came home from school one day a couple of weeks ago and told us that no one was allowed to touch her without permission. I think they learned this in the context of "how to treat your friends and classmates," not in the "stranger danger" context.
That's a real gut-check moment for a parent. On the one hand, yes, absolutely. On the other hand, I reserve the right to pick her up bodily and move her away from something she shouldn't be doing. I reserve the right to wash her hair. Et cetera. So, um, it's not so absolute after all.
We wound up telling her that Mom and Dad could touch her without permission because we are her parents, but no one else is allowed to touch without permission and no one at all is allowed to hurt her. In another few years, I will agree that even her parents shouldn't touch her without permission... but not when she's three.
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Date: 2008-09-18 09:31 pm (UTC)That's a real gut-check moment for a parent. On the one hand, yes, absolutely. On the other hand, I reserve the right to pick her up bodily and move her away from something she shouldn't be doing. I reserve the right to wash her hair. Et cetera. So, um, it's not so absolute after all.
We wound up telling her that Mom and Dad could touch her without permission because we are her parents, but no one else is allowed to touch without permission and no one at all is allowed to hurt her. In another few years, I will agree that even her parents shouldn't touch her without permission... but not when she's three.