What should one do if you see a grown-up irritating, teasing or annoying your little baby? What some elders perceive as fun can be excruciatingly torturous for a child. What to do if the grown-up is a close friend or family member? Should we bite our tongue and maintain silence in fear of hurting their sentiments and tell ourselves not to overreact? Or should we step in and support our child?
In Pooja’s case, the octogenarian had genuine affection and he didn’t mean any harm. In Rachna’s case, it appears that the sister-in-law thought of little children as toys and that she could do anything to them, that included mean things. In Tina’s case, it’s an old family custom that no one has objected to. But in all three cases the child is bothered or his best interest and safety is compromised. Irrespective of the intention of the adult’s act, I feel if anything hurts a child, physically or
