From a reader:
Mr. G. Don’t know if you’ve had this experience: I took my 8 year old boy for a physical yesterday. Normal stuff, height, weight, eyes, and ears, etc. Then the pediatric nurse (I guess the doctor was too busy) starts in with the questions. To my son: What do you eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner? How much milk do you drink? Fruits and vegetables? Do you wear your helmet on your bike, skateboard, or scooter? (It is a state law here.) Do you talk with strangers or walk alone in the neighborhood? What would you do if your best friend brought a knife to school in his backpack? If your best friend showed you a gun in his house what would you do? Now I know I live in a huge nanny state in New Jersey, helmet laws, cell phone and smoking bans, child car seat laws, and on and on, BUT WHO THE HELL IS SHE TO ASK MY KID THESE QUESTIONS? I am sure it is a law or something, but isn’t this my job? Can’t I raise my kid the way I see fit? I was stupefied and didn’t respond as the questions were aimed at him, When does it end? But I guess it does take a village.