Respect my daughter’s space

Am I the only one who gets a little creeped out when a stranger touches their kid, especially their face? Am I just being silly?

I’m finding more and more people keep coming up to my daughter and touching her hands, toes, and face. Sure you mean well about “gushing” over my kid, and saying “how cute is she!”. Why do some feel they can shove their fingers into my daughter’s mouth to see her tooth. Yes my daughter has her first tooth… all the better to bite you with. Where is the line?

I don’t know you, I don’t know if you are sick or not, I don’t know when you last washed your hands, I don’t know if you are a smoker or not. My daughter is eight months old she cannot speak up for herself yet. I feel it is my place to be more assertive when it comes to my daughter’s personal space. To be more confident in speaking up when this happens, or is about to happen. I tend to get awkward around strangers and try to just be polite.

Now, I am not someone who is a germaphobe. I will gladly let my daughter be passed along with friends and family. I find they are all respectful of not holding her if they are sick. Everly has had a cold or two already, and she has eaten her share of dirt, grass, leaves, and much more. It just seems to be something that is happening more and more now that she is older, and not in an infant seat anymore. Now that she can sit in the stroller, or shopping cart it is like she is free game for people to touch her hands and face.

At this age, little ones are always putting their hands in their mouth, and they are into everything. I do make a point of washing my daughter’s hands throughout the day because of this. It’s not just a concern over the potential for her to get sick, its about wanting people to respect her personal space. I’m about ready to snap at the next person who does this, I’m sure it would not go over well if I were to pinch the cheeks of an adult in return for them pinching my daughter’s.

Please respect my daughter’s personal space.