to think the counter of a burger van is not a great place to leave a baby?

[LittlePickleHead]

I really honestly don't usually try to be judgey. But I was a little bit tonight.

We were passing through the little fair that had set up at the entrance our local firework display tonight, and walked passed a mobile burger stall. On the counter, to one side, in a bouncy chair, was a baby boy, of around 5-6 months (not really too sure, but he seemed quite big). The mother was obviously serving at the (very busy) stall with two other people. The baby was awake, and facing the crowd, didn't have any toys or anything to look at, just all the people coming to the stall. He wasn't really doing much just wriggling a bit and looking at his hand. This was about 7pm. At about 8pm when we left, the baby was still there, still not doing much :(

Perhaps it just shocked me because at that age there is no way DD would have sat still not making a noise for that long, but also it was so busy and loud (there was a ride right next to the stand intermitantly sounding a foghorn) and he was only about 1.5 metres away from the chip fryer.

Am I being weird for feeling uncomfortable about this? I know that perhaps the mum has no choice, no childcare available, and needs the money. And perhaps it's a one off and not a regular occurance. I know it's probably not my business, but I can't stop thinking about it!

So AIBU??

sound very dangerous!

YANBU. I would have donned my judgey pants too.

YANBU - odd

YANBU for feeling uncomfortable about it at all. I would also have felt uncomfortable too because it would have brought home to me how incredibly hard some people's lives are as they try to feed and provide for their children.

OH FFS!

Kids for centuries kids have been raised in caves - a few hours looking at a crowd of people isn't going to hurt him.

Unless you went and did a massive examination of the kids and his chair then you have no idea how safe it was. He's a few months FFS looking at his hand is probably the most amazing thing he's ever experienced.

Better that lock him in a car where he is "safe". My parents used to let me sleep in a pushchair on the drive to our house while they were out back.

Just let people raise their own children the way they want to do.

Hope the baby was well clear of any deep fat fryers or anything?! There's also the chance of the chair being knocked off the counter accidentally! There's also the hygiene issue as well.

I don't have a problem with what the baby is doing, or not doing, i.e looking at people/own hand etc as that is fairly typical but would be more concered about the risk to the baby tbh, I have no problem with someone bringing their child to work as long as they don't present a hazard to themselves or anyone else.

People watching is much more interesting (and stimulating!) for 5-6 month old babies than any toys. I would probably have been worried if he was really close to the cooking facilities but it doesn't sound that much like he was. He sounded happy to me, no judging here!

I would probably have judged TBH but if you actually think about it the only issue is safety, bouncy chairs are not supposed to be left up high as they can become unbalanced and esp with hot stuff everywhere.

Other than that though seems like it is just one of those things that have to be done to make a living.

Is it dangerous to put car seats up high as well, for example on a table?

It would have been safer than having the baby in a sling - and that's pretty much the best place for non-mobile babies as they get loads of adult interaction/opportunity to observe human behaviour. Of course a sling isn't practical at all times, and some people find them restrictive, but a bouncy chair on a counter sounds fine, as long as the adults are being sensible.

car seats on high surfaces probably about the same - dangerous if they are in danger of being knocked off, or if the baby is at the age where they kick the seat to rock themselves and it might perhaps move the seat closer to the edge before the adults realised.

being on the couter is the bit I'd think was odd, but then if he wasn't there he wouldn't be able to see out and watch all the people, which is probably what keeps him entertained so his mum can work.

My DD has come to work with me from 5 weeks, and has been in many less than ideal situations, it's the way life is sometimes, you just have to get on with it.

Maybe the mum has no choice. Maybe she needs money and has nobody to mind the baby.

I have spoken to so many people who have known babies in bouncers fall off counters (it happened to me when I was little too). I wouldn't be concerned about a baby watching people at their face height, that's how they learn to interact, but I would be very concerned about falling off, or onto the grills or whatever.

babies love looking at people, there's nothing more fascinating than faces when you're 6 mths old. 'not doing much' indeed. We don't have to be 'on' all the time to bring up kids, you know; sometimes just being there in the background (serving chips) is enough.

As long as the seat is well seecured and the baby couldn't grab anything hot around him, I think this is fine. My DD loved looking at people could easily have spent an hour or two starting around at people milling about, lights and noises of the fair. She would have loved it. Also people being served probably would have interacted with the baby too. Probably quite good for his development. IMO YABU.

Seeyou - just because babies were raised in caves it doesn't mean this is ok nowadays. We have progressed for a reason and leAving a baby in a chair at that time of the night for so long was wrong so don't be so bloody ridiculous and say just because we lived in Caves once this is ok! It is not!

"at that time of night"

erm...8pm isn't exactly late, and if mum and dad work late then maybe keeping baby up late means they get to sleep then spend some time all together in the day.

babies don't have to be a sleep at 7pm on the dot, mine never has.

Just caught up with the thread!
In reflection I think I probably was BU aside from the high up bouncy chair issue (it did look quite solid though) as baby did seem contented enough.
I suppose it was just a suprise as it's not really a common sight, but yes mummy2bookie as I mentioned in my OP, the mother probably didn't have any choice over it