Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Mind your business, watch your mouth

I need to get some things off my chest regarding this whole incident with the baby not wearing a hat. I've been having a very difficult time sleeping because I have a lot I'd like to say to the person who called the police on me, but she filed her complaint anonymously and I have no way of saying these things to her.

Quick backstory: Monday I went to the Walmart after taking the boys to school. The baby, who won't wear a hat, was wearing a blanket sleeper and was wrapped up, covered from head to toe, inside my coat as we walked inside and back out to the car. He spent maybe a total of a minute and a half outside. As I was pulling out of the lot, a cop car pulled up behind me and pulled me over. The officer explained that someone had called in a child neglect complaint against me because the baby wasn't dressed appropriately for the "winter weather". I endured a lengthy lecture on having the baby properly attired and what would happen if the car went off the road (mind you there were blankets, coats and hats, all over the backseat and trunk). The cop explained that she needed to file a report with DHHS and they may follow up with me. We'll see what happens. This is what I'd like to say to the woman who called the police:

Dear Miss BusyBody,

I appreciate your concern for my son. I do. However, your concern is unfounded. I am a damn fine mama and my boys are safe and happy and healthy and cared for. The baby was wrapped up in my coat and was, most likely, warmer than anyone else in that store. As his doctor confirmed later in the day, it wasn't so cold out we had to worry about him freezing to death in the 45 seconds into the store and the 45 seconds out of the store, despite what the nice officer tried to say to scare me. Two things about this particular incident upset me most. 1) Valuable resources are being wasted on whether or not my child is wearing a hat when it's 35 degrees outside and his head is covered by my coat. You hear it all the time: "Social workers are overloaded". Now someone is going to have to, at the very minimum, read a report on my "case" and give it at least 30 seconds attention to decide if it's worth following up on. Assuming they dismiss it (which, I'm given to understand, is the most likely scenario), that's time they could've spent on a child who is starving or abused or actually neglected. 2) I waited a long time and tried real hard to have this baby. I endured surgery, hormone injections and years of infertility just to hear we would not be having any more children. I spent a good 6 months grieving my stupid, uncooperative womb. When I was finally blessed and told that I would, despite what the doctors had said, be having another baby, I was overcome with joy. I deeply, profoundly wanted this baby. The idea that I would ever put him in harm's way or treat him as anything other than the miracle he and my other son are is extremely offensive to me. The ironic part in all this? The baby was fine until this incident and then his Mama go so upset that she couldn't calm down and he, feeding off her emotion, got upset too. So Miss BusyBody, I hope that you have gotten what you wanted. I hope that you are happy you've stuck your nose where it didn't belong and put a good mama on the radar of the police and DHHS. I hope you rest easier tonight knowing social workers are policing the hatless babies of the world instead of children who are being beaten half to death. I'll be thinking of you the next time a baby is killed and DHHS bemoans their lack of resources again.

Sincerely,
Mrs. The Viking

2 comments:

  1. I am so outraged for you! Please do not let this self-righteous asshole ruin another day of your life. Whoever called obviously needs to validate their own worth by "anonymously" lauding their faux-superiority over others. Now listen carefully: the universe/God/Karma will show this person (probably pretty soon) that you don't do sh*t like this. Period. Now let it go and take heart that you have everything you need to make your life complete. The asshole who did this...I guarantee it's an entirely different story.

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  2. Oh Marianne. It's so helpful to have a mama army that spans the country. Thank you for what you said and for havin my back :) You're the best.

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