Neighbour

[daycarelady2]

So I'm pretty sure one of my neighbours drove by a took a picture on a cell when we were all outside. I'm totally could be wrong but that's what it seemed like.

I know this guy from our boys both being on an intro to hockey team. I don't really know him well. He and his wife know one of my daycare moms really well. So I'm assuming if he had any questions/concerns he would ask that daycare mom???

I'm always within my allowed numbers, the only thing I can think is sometimes when we walk to and from the bus stop and he goes to the bus stop to get his son we see him, maybe he thinks I have too many kids when actually I don't???

I find it so strange but I'm sure it was just my imagination but if not....it's odd. Like just openly ask oh how many kids are you allowed to watch at one time. And I would answer you honestly, I'd tell you alllll about bill 10 changing the rules, I'd give you websites you could look up info on about home daycares, and I'd let you search my name to show you image never had any troubles and am currently a registered ece. I'm very open about the correct info, so I just don't know why (if he even did) take a picture of us outside. Unless it was to count how many children I had and/or to have photo evidence I'm over my numbers which I so was not. Actually today when he "took the picture" I happened to be way below numbers because of an absent and my son not being home from the bus yes and a child just leaving.

So I sound crazy, but just wanted to vent LOL

[Lee-Bee]

I would highly doubt it had anything to do with your being in ratio or not. if he knows one of your DC families then I would assume he was taking a picture for them, either because he though they might like it or because they expressed some concern to him. Or he liked the flowers you have in your garden, or a toy you have out front...or he's just a creep.

I would think it could be many many things before I would assume he feels you have too many kids and he wants to report you!

[daycarelady2]

I know. I over think way too much! And the daycare mom he knows and I are pretty good "friends" so I feel like if she had concerns she would totally tell me or if he expressed concerns to her than I really feel like she would say something to me about what he said....

[3rdtimesacharm]

Since you and the daycare mom who is friends with him, then I would mention to her "I saw your friend, my neighbour drive by the other day. It totally looked like he was taking a pic from his phone of us on our driveway! Any idea why he would be doing that!? Maybe I am wrong, but that's what it looked like! Weird!" and just see what she has to say. Maybe she will mention it to the neighbour friend and maybe there is a really good explanation. And if there issnt, I would be eyeing him like a hawk next time he drives by and definetly wave to him, just so he knows you see him watching you.

[daycarelady2]

Good idea. I will mention it. The daycare moms son was off yesterday and today. So I'll mention it tomorrow.
*if* he did take a picture it definitely would have just been me staring at him so confused lol

[5 Little Monkeys]

I was going to say maybe he was taking a pic of the child he knew or was "spying" for the family but if that child wasn't there and you're friends with the family, than maybe not.

It is kinda weird.....but in reality, people prob take our pictures lots of times without us realizing it and have no ill intent behind it. It's a strange world were in now.....lol

[bright sparks]

Lets be clear ladies, it is completely unacceptable for any reason to take pictures of children without the prior permission or consent of the child's parents. I would be confronting this neighbour ASAP and telling them in no uncertain terms that should this happen again I would be reporting him. Okay, so I am coming from a very different upbringing in a different place where this is not okay behaviour, but don't be so naive to think this is innocent behaviour. This man should know better. Why would he be taking pictures of another person child even if he knows them?? That is odd and shouldn't be played down as trivial. We don't live in the world people think we do and if this is trivialized for Joe Blogs on the street, it leaves the kids vulnerable to all sorts of things. I have a permission to photograph consent form for a reason just as a lot of public places do including schools. So why exactly would I be okay with a stranger driving by snapping pictures of the kids?? Do you think the other parents would be okay with this? I think not. I'd be dealing with this head on and not downplaying it. If in fact the guy was snapping at the request of a daycare parent, I would be speaking to them too.

[daycarelady2]

I definitely agree with you. But what if I'm wrong what if he reaching for his seatbelt and it made the flash that I thought was him taking a picture? I don't want to leave a sour taste in his mouth. But I guess I could say something along the lines of 'oh I thought I saw you snapping a picture the other day. Or am I crazy hahahaha' when I see him at the bus stop next time?

[bright sparks]

I definitely agree with you. But what if I'm wrong what if he reaching for his seatbelt and it made the flash that I thought was him taking a picture? I don't want to leave a sour taste in his mouth. But I guess I could say something along the lines of 'oh I thought I saw you snapping a picture the other day. Or am I crazy hahahaha' when I see him at the bus stop next time?

I hear what you are saying. If he was driving though wouldn't he have already had his belt on? I get your position if you didn't actually see him snap a picture. You need to be sure what you saw before making a rushed move.

[5 Little Monkeys]

Hmmm, until she knows the true intent of why he took a picture (or if he even took one), I don't think it's naive to think it may indeed be innocent. I personally know of some of the horrible things that can happen in this world but we can't jump to terrible conclusions all the time or we'd go insane.

Ask him and/or the dc family what happened and than go from there. You may be getting yourself stressed out for absolutely no reason. Or he may have been taking a picture of something completely different or etc etc etc....the only way to know for sure is to ask!

[playfelt]

Just ask him if you can get a copy of the picture he snapped the other day when he was driving by since you don't get a lot of pictures of you with the kids as it is usually you taking a picture of the kids. His expression should tell you whether he is total dumbfounded by your request or if he acts sheepish at having been caught or nervous or whatever.

Since we do live in a world we would rather we didn't the first thought that came to my mind was the fact this neighbour knows - and has access - to the child through his relationship with the parent. I would be thinking of some vary not acceptable reasons why he would want a picture of the child that he felt he needed to take and not get from the parents.