It’s impossible not to be excited about a baby being born. If you’re becoming a parent, your entire life changes overnight. And if a loved one has welcomed a new baby into the world, you’ll have the opportunity to spoil the child and perhaps even give Mom and Dad a few hours off from parenting every now and then.
But parents have to be extremely cautious about who they invite around their kids. After all, the safety of their children should be their number one priority. That’s why one father decided that a friend of his girlfriend won’t ever be allowed near their son again. Below, you’ll find the full story that he shared on Reddit, as well as some of the replies concerned readers left him.
New parents are usually thrilled to introduce their baby to friends and family members
Image credits: RDNE Stock project/Pexels (not the actual photo)
But after hearing a creepy comment, this dad decided that one person would never be allowed near his son again
Image credits: Laura Garcia/Pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Substantial_Swan5806
Later, the dad responded to several comments and shared more details
It’s important to take precautions before letting anyone visit your newborn
For those who have always dreamed of becoming parents, having a baby is one of the most exciting things they will do in their lives. So once the little one has finally arrived, it might be tempting for parents to invite every single friend and family member they have to meet their newborn. But Johns Hopkins warns that it’s important to take precautions before having any visitors over.
Newborns haven’t had the opportunity to develop their immune system yet, so they are at a higher risk of developing infections from bacteria and viruses. And every person that they come into contact with will be bringing germs along with them.
Anyone who’s going to be visiting the baby should be required to wash their hands before ever touching him or her. It’s also a good idea for them to remove jewelry from their hands, and while holding the baby, they shouldn’t bring him or her too close to their face. Wearing a mask might also reduce the risk of passing on any potential infections.
Visitors should also make sure that they are up to date with all of their vaccinations and that they haven’t had or been exposed to any illnesses within the past few weeks. It’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to visiting a new baby.
But health concerns aren’t the only things that parents have to take into consideration before inviting someone to see their child. Unfortunately, there are some people in the world who cannot be trusted around kids, and it’s important for parents to protect their little ones from these individuals.
Parents can never be too careful when it comes to protecting their children
One disturbing study found that one in six, or 15%, of Australian men over the age of 18 acknowledged that they had inappropriate feelings for a child or teen who was still a minor. What’s even more terrifying is that over 9% of Australian men admit that they’ve even behaved inappropriately with a child.
Because it can be difficult for parents to determine who their children are safe around, it’s best for them to take all precautions possible. They shouldn’t ever leave their kids alone with someone that they don’t trust, and they shouldn’t ever let anyone see their kids while they’re changing clothes.
It’s also important to be careful about what they share on the internet. Most parents have camera rolls full of adorable photos of their kids, but these pictures don’t need to make their way onto social media. It can be hard for loving parents to comprehend, but predators and even stalkers might be looking at photos and videos of kids online for nefarious purposes.
Leah Plunkett, faculty member at Harvard Law School and author of Sharenthood: Why We Should Think Before We Talk About Our Kids Online, warns that the internet is not a safe space for our children.
“Other people don't need to have information about the ins and outs of your child's emotional and personal life,” she told NPR. “Parents should be aware that they're not going to know at the moment where a piece of information, photo or video, might go.”
We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Do you think this father made the right choice by setting boundaries with his girlfriend's friend? Feel free to weigh in, and then, you can check out another Bored Panda article discussing similar issues right here.
Many readers validated the dad's concerns and told him to trust his gut
However, some thought that the new parent was overreacting
Later, the father thanked readers for their input and shared a brief update
Image credits: DC Studio/Pexels (not the actual photo)
