It's Just GRASS People!!!

[HANNAH ROSE]

Good grief. Several weeks ago I took the baby outside to our backyard. We stuck our feet in the pool, walked around and looked at the trees, and then we sat in the grass. I want to continue to expose him to new things, feelings, textures, etc. It's so hot here in Florida that we don't get outside much. Well DH flipped out because of the possibility of bugs getting on the baby. You think I won't pay attention for a bug or ants? Come on....

Then yesterday I took the baby to the park. A beautiful park with long paved walking trails, huge open grass areas, a small pond, just great. After about 45 minutes of walking with the stroller I took the baby out, picked out a nice, cool, soft patch of grass and I sat down with him in my lap. Not 5 minutes later some grandma-type got out of her mini-van and asked me if I lived here in Florida. I replied yes. She asked if I lived here full-time and I replied yes, smiling, thinking she was going to ask me for directions or something. She then asked me if I was originally from Florida and I told her no. Her next comment? "Ever heard of Fire Ants?"

What? Seriously? Do you think I'd plop myself AND my infant down on the ground without looking around first?

Look, I'm from Upstate NY where children PLAYED in the grass. Ran around, crawled, rolled, all that stuff. I had half a mind to ask her if she'd ever heard of minding her own business! I can just imagine her griping to her friends later: "... and I saw this stupid woman sitting IN THE GRASS WITH HER BABY!!!!"

I swear....

[warhorse46]

I would bet that woman's children (if she had any) played outside in grass when they were young. Geez! Yes we in the south have fire ants, they are a fact of our life but we deal with them. Can't hide inside a house all your life in fear of coming in contact with all kinds of things in nature.

[jewel6]

I grew up in florida and we played outside all the time as children. We had one tv and it had rabbit ears on it. I make my children go out and play and enjoy the outdoors. That was one of my fondest memories as a child. jmo. My mother inlaw swears that children that are not exposed to the outdoors are the sickest. jmo

[warhorse46]

I grew up in florida and we played outside all the time as children. We had one tv and it had rabbit ears on it. I make my children go out and play and enjoy the outdoors. That was one of my fondest memories as a child. jmo. My mother inlaw swears that children that are not exposed to the outdoors are the sickest. jmo


I agree with your mil.

[incidentally]

I would bet that woman's children (if she had any) played outside in grass when they were young. Geez! Yes we in the south have fire ants, they are a fact of our life but we deal with them. Can't hide inside a house all your life in fear of coming in contact with all kinds of things in nature.

*bold mine

My derriere dealt with them a couple of weeks ago. :mad:

[Rucky*Ron]

Aww! :wub:
You and your baby have fun outdoors.
...personally I think it's wonderful to see a child and mama tickling their toes in the grass. :laugh:

Everyone else needs to MTOB and will soon find something else to grumble about.

Enjoy!

[PocketAces]

ah yes, when you are a new mom people think they need to butt in all the time, LOL!
Say this to them : "you might be right"
It validates them and doesn't commit you to anything...you "might" be right but then again you "might" not be LOL!

Kids need to play outside, good for you!

[warhorse46]

*bold mine

My derriere dealt with them a couple of weeks ago. :mad:


Oh ouch! They can inflict a vicious bite that takes days & days to heal & can leave scars. Bet that did not stop you from going outside tho did it?

[incidentally]

Oh ouch! They can inflict a vicious bite that takes days & days to heal & can leave scars. Bet that did not stop you from going outside tho did it?


They hurt terribly but it was my fault for not paying attention. I didn't mean to imply Hannah did anything wrong. As a child, I think I spent more time outdoors then I did indoors.

[warhorse46]

They hurt terribly but it was my fault for not paying attention. I didn't mean to imply Hannah did anything wrong. As a child, I think I spent more time outdoors then I did indoors.


I didn't think you were implying Hannah did anything wrong. Like you I spend more time outside than inside as a child & to this day still prefer outside to inside if weather permits.

[CHITCHAT]

I work in an office and I use a paper cutter 3 or 4 times a week...It never fail that everytimes I use it the guy from around the corner will tell me to be carefull and not cut my finger..everytime...for yrs....I am 62 yrs old...I have used a papercutter for the last 30 or so yrs...I think I know how to use it by now...some people just have to say something.

[kennedy06]

I think she probably said it out of the goodness of her heart really. As new Moms we all have made a few errors we wouldn't want anyone else to make, hers may have been a child or a relative's baby bitten by the ants because they didn't know about them. She probably didn't want another baby to experience that, incase you had't been aware of them, that was all.

I was warned once. I said to my young daughter look at this.. it was on the beach we were visiting. While starring at this almost glass looking thing on the shore, a lady walked by us that morning on the beach and said don't let her touch that it is a man of war! I didn't see any tentacles because of the sand. Till this very day I'm glad she spoke up to me. I didn't live there I had no clue.

[HANNAH ROSE]

I think she probably said it out of the goodness of her heart really. As new Moms we all have made a few errors we wouldn't want anyone else to make, hers may have been a child or a relative's baby bitten by the ants because they didn't know about them. She probably didn't want another baby to experience that, incase you had't been aware of them, that was all.

I was warned once. I said to my young daughter look at this.. it was on the beach we were visiting. While starring at this almost glass looking thing on the shore, a lady walked by us that morning on the beach and said don't let her touch that it is a man of war! I didn't see any tentacles because of the sand. Till this very day I'm glad she spoke up to me. I didn't live there I had no clue.

You make a good point, however, why did she have to ask me all of those questions first? All she had to say was "Be careful for fire ants!" But upon hearing that I'm a regular Florida resident why the "Ever heard of fire ants?" comment?

Regardless. It just rubbed me a little because it was a chance for me to spend outdoor time with William and someone had to poke their nose in. And you know what? I plan on going back tomorrow and doing the same thing!!! :tonguewag:

[kennedy06]

Well have fun!:smile: Oh Hanna that was just the begining of being a new Mom. Wait you will be amazed at the comments and advice you will recieve over the years, most good and complimentary, some really weird, some what the heck! Take Care and enjoy..time flies by quickly.

[warhorse46]

You make a good point, however, why did she have to ask me all of those questions first? All she had to say was "Be careful for fire ants!" But upon hearing that I'm a regular Florida resident why the "Ever heard of fire ants?" comment?

Regardless. It just rubbed me a little because it was a chance for me to spend outdoor time with William and someone had to poke their nose in. And you know what? I plan on going back tomorrow and doing the same thing!!! :tonguewag:



Good for you! And even better for William! Anytime spent in a pleasant setting with someone you love is time well spent. You are building memories with William, don't let anyone spoil that.

[TBIBeg]

should of told her her she shouldn't talk to strangers ;)

This literally made me laugh out loud :thumbsup:

[BorderCollieMom]

Its the bugs you CAN NOT see that scare me.

Fire Ants hurt really bad....for a while.

Chiggers though....Oh Lord, those teeny tiny things can
find cracks & crevices I never knew existed....then they unpack
and stay for a while.

[Casecase]

My DH stepped on a fire ant mound while he was fishing when we were in FL a few years ago. It was not pleasant. I still wonder if the other people around him who were fishing were saying to each, "Hey, look at the dumb guy from out of state standing on the fire ants. Wanna bet on which he does first, cry or swear?"


IMO

[Noahs ARK]

Oh for heaven's sake - my son was born in Florida and played at the local park all the time in the grass.

I don't recall him being chewed up by fire ants and I'm pretty sure that's something I wouldn't forget. :rolleyes:

Enjoy your time with William!! :wub:

[watson]

I work in an office and I use a paper cutter 3 or 4 times a week...It never fail that everytimes I use it the guy from around the corner will tell me to be carefull and not cut my finger..everytime...for yrs....I am 62 yrs old...I have used a papercutter for the last 30 or so yrs...I think I know how to use it by now...some people just have to say something.

I'm a housepainter - can't tell you all the times I heard, "Don't fall off the ladder!" Jeeeeze, some people are so clever with their words (not)...

[PatC]

I work in an office and I use a paper cutter 3 or 4 times a week...It never fail that everytimes I use it the guy from around the corner will tell me to be carefull and not cut my finger..everytime...for yrs....I am 62 yrs old...I have used a papercutter for the last 30 or so yrs...I think I know how to use it by now...some people just have to say something.

Years ago my job had me interfacing a lot with our company's graphics department. There was a guy who worked there who, every time he used the copy machine (a LOT in a graphics department), would say with a snicker, "This isn't going to render me sterile, is it?"

I'm sure most of us would think, "...we can only hope".

[PatC]

Years ago my job had me interfacing a lot with our company's graphics department. There was a guy who worked there who, every time he used the copy machine (a LOT in a graphics department), would say with a snicker, "This isn't going to render me sterile, is it?"

I'm sure most of us would think, "...we can only hope".

BTW, I agree about kids being healthier if they're exposed to nature.

[sinagua]

What is with your husband, though? When is the baby old enough to sit in the grass? Did he want you to put down a blanket or something?

[HANNAH ROSE]

What is with your husband, though? When is the baby old enough to sit in the grass? Did he want you to put down a blanket or something?

He didn't want him in the grass at all but a blanket would have been the compromise. I thought that I would be the paranoid parent but it's definitely him! :rolleyes:

[JazzyBell]

When I grew up in the foothills of the San Fransisco Bay Area, I LIVED outdoors. I was only inside if I was sick or being punished (You can't go out to play...UUUGGG).

Climbing the hills, climbing trees, riding bikes up and down the hills.... What fun we had. Yes, we got bumps and bruises. That's life. Yes, we got stung by bees and bit by moquitos - even got spider bites...no big deal.

To me, there is no better smell (or brings back childhood memories faster) than fresh cut grass.

Bless You, Darlin'. Take your baby out as much as you can.

Just watch out for them ants...LOL!

Jazzy

[BorderCollieMom]

Aw, hubby could put down a blanket while you & baby twinkle-toe & sit in the grass. If after a few minutes, there bugs crawling around on the blanket, tell hubby to shake out the blanket. :laugh:

[Amy]

ah yes, when you are a new mom people think they need to butt in all the time, LOL!
Say this to them : "you might be right"
It validates them and doesn't commit you to anything...you "might" be right but then again you "might" not be LOL!

Kids need to play outside, good for you!

Kind of like what I tell new moms. They are going to get more advice than Carter has liver pills. It's gonna happen, so just smile and say "Thanks for the advice!!!" They don't have to know whether or not you TOOK their advice to heart.

I agree w/the others. We played outside all the time. Only our "grass" was mostly weeds, lol. Even now, I love walking thru the grass barefoot. And, where do you have a picnic, if not on the grass? Now, I probably wouldn't want to "explore" a fire ant but part of playing in the great outdoors is to see all the little critters crawling and/or jumping around. It's more fun to do that in person than to just watch on Discovery channel!!!

[Deb7]

Maybe just say "thanks for the advice, I will be sure to watch out for them."

Then smile and wave, smile and wave. :biggrin: