Should Parents Use Yard Signs to Announce a New Baby?
Thursday September 21, 2006
When my son had his days and nights mixed up and I didn't want even the slightest interruption in sleep, I remember posting notes on my door that said "sleeping baby, please don't ring doorbell." Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine such a sign could make me or my child a target of violence.
Child Care Guide Robin McClure was alarmed when she heard about the Missouri mother who was attacked and her child taken from her home after someone saw a sign in her yard announcing the new baby. Robin has written an article on whether or not to use these signs at all and precautions to take to protect you and your child in similar situations.
Comments
Back in 2002 our hospital gave out info (in birth class or with the admission packet) that advised against yard signs, balloons, newspaper announcements, etc. I followed their advice. I didn’t want to be an easy target.
I’m so glad to hear that they are including this information in birth classes (and that moms like you are following the advice).
Covering it in those classes will certainly reach a large number of families and help keep them safe.
my child is due in jan. and after this ..for shure no signs or anything like
This incident makes us really recogonize that having a child is very personal and should be kept that way. This day in age we have to be very street smart.
I believe these sort of crimes are so rare that every one of them is a national headline. Don’t lock yourself into a prison over something more rare than being struck by lightning.
There are wackos everywhere, but to be realistic about this, the chance of something like this happening to a particular mother are like WB said. Unless you’re in a high-crime area or for some other reason are especially vulnerable, if you think it would be fun to put up balloons, then do it.
No- I think a pink or blue balloon is more than enough to announce the arrival to your neighbors.
Also- after reading Eric’s comments- it really DOES matter which neighborhood and/or section of town/city you reside in. Too many babies are STILL being swiped- it should be a quiet family/close friends affair.
Crime can happen anywhere, anytime. I’d rather be safe than sorry. Or slightly paranoid.
I believe in always locking my doors in my safe neighborhood. I try and keep any kid related items out of sight. I see no reason to make my family a potential target. Bad things happen to good people sometimes. I’m not going to be naive or blase about the risks.
It’s not the yard sign that’s dangerous. It’s allowing a stranger into your house whilst you’re alone. That was the real mistake.
I imagine the next steps will be no more baby announcements in the newspaper, or no more hospital websites, or maybe we should order our baby accessories online because someone might see us purchasing them, or have baby formula mailed in a UPS package? I’m sure these have all been flags for a nutcake to target a family. I don’t know the answer. People have to do what makes them feel safe. I just hope raising paranoid babies is not our only alternative.
I personally think now days, no matter what neighborhood your in you can be a target…you might not think it but you just never know!!
and putting up signs its a boy girl twins whatever can make you an easy target and yeah it happens alot more then what is announced..here in wichita,ks where i am a mother was killed she was 9 months pregnant etc. but yeah i think it happends you just dont hear about it and of course companies and ppl are going to say no dont put signs up of course they are goin to say yeah its okay…but I dont think its a good idea, i think a baby shower is enough and ppl bringing gifts maybe to the hospital is good enough.. the whole damn world dont need to know everytime a baby is born cause if someone says well the voices in my head told me to do it..then they get a slap on the wrist!!!! so think before you act!!!!!!!!!!!!
mother of 3 girls!!!!!!!
Let’s be realistic. Just because you live in a nice part of town doesn’t mean that someone in that nice part of town isn’t desperate enough to steal a baby. The only requirement for a suspect in this type of crime is the desire for a baby and that desire can be found in women and men of any social or economic class. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that because you live in a nice part of town that you couldn’t be a target.
I believe that you can not hide the beautiful gift that you were blessed to have. Not for the first few days but ulitimately for the rest of your life. You can not lock yourself and your family in your home with the fear that someone might be aware of any of your existance. Posting an outside notice of the birth of your new child is the same as putting mail in your mail box. Turn the porch light on every night if you have to. Live your life-you only have one. And stop being so scarry.