Whether your baby is a newborn or an adult, there is an innate need to want to protect your child. You will not feel comfortable with who is in contact with him or her for awhile or maybe not ever. There is nothing right or wrong with being protective, but overprotection coupled with controlling actions can cripple your baby (son or daughter) emotionally and physically as well as cause a disconnect with others. Consider the many children who speak openly in the media about childhood and how some were not permitted to visit relatives or enjoy the company of those who may have been a different ethnicity, social class, etc. With social networking, this is changing and children are finding out the good, bad and ugly about relatives all by themselves.
Some children have great relationships with extended relatives because parents took the time to connect with them. They invited family out to the home or visited with children. They asked for assistance when they needed someone to watch a child. They also made the time to entertain loved ones over the phone, email, or social networking sites. There was always some kind of family involvement. Therefore, a relationship was built with kin. However, those who didn't do these things due to any number of reasons including being protective of children, didn't bother to create a meaningful connection with relatives.
When one refuses to share babies, doesn't like or trust relatives, or even wishes to be alone on an island with a child, you have to wonder what personal issues are happening within? Although they might be justified, one will need to strongly consider what might be the short or long term impact on the child when he or she is being isolated from others.
As parents, we must choose who are the good guys and who might be the bad guys and act accordingly. However, we also must be mindful not to allow our past issues with others dictate our children's present and future for we are not promised to outlive them all. Bridge the gap where you can before it's too late!
Nicholl McGuire
Some children have great relationships with extended relatives because parents took the time to connect with them. They invited family out to the home or visited with children. They asked for assistance when they needed someone to watch a child. They also made the time to entertain loved ones over the phone, email, or social networking sites. There was always some kind of family involvement. Therefore, a relationship was built with kin. However, those who didn't do these things due to any number of reasons including being protective of children, didn't bother to create a meaningful connection with relatives.
When one refuses to share babies, doesn't like or trust relatives, or even wishes to be alone on an island with a child, you have to wonder what personal issues are happening within? Although they might be justified, one will need to strongly consider what might be the short or long term impact on the child when he or she is being isolated from others.
As parents, we must choose who are the good guys and who might be the bad guys and act accordingly. However, we also must be mindful not to allow our past issues with others dictate our children's present and future for we are not promised to outlive them all. Bridge the gap where you can before it's too late!
Nicholl McGuire
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