Saw these headlines come through on CNN last night – “Parents try to sell baby on eBay”, and my immediate reaction was;
“Brilliant, What a FAB idea!”
Apparently the baby was 7 months old and labelled as ‘Nearly New’. I laughed so hard. The Germans however did NOT. They immediately sent the mother for psychiatric help and took the baby into care!!
I mean, Yes, I do believe it takes a special kind of person to actually go ahead and advertise their baby for sale on eBay, and for just one Euro do you mind, but please tell me of one parent in this world who at some time or another in their child’s life – even if it was just for a split second – didn’t think that they may actually even pay someone to take them away, and to gain one whole Euro in exchange would be a bargain actually!!
"Toys included".
Like I said it probably takes a slightly warped person to really carry it off, but the parents did try to explain that it was done as a joke and they really would never have gone ahead with it. But Oh No, the German authorities would have none of it.
Don’t tell me that people who do deal in any form of child trade – which I will be the first to condemn wholeheartedly let me tell you – would ever in a million years genuinely traffic children by advertising on eBay for goodness sake.
Now this is headlines on every news channel, and all I can say is I hope eBay is making some great marketing sales out of this. My first retort as 'Marketing Director' for them would be to put out a great ad amplifying the fact that you would be bloody amazed what you can buy on eBay these days!!
You're probably all jumping up and down at your computers by now going "Oh My God, what type of woman is this Mzungu Chick", but perhaps you might look at the fact that ALL parents in the entire world probably need a little psychiatric help from time to time when it's all going pear shaped at their house, and yes, more than likely they'll never dare say it OUT LOUD, because of course to all of us, our own children are the most perfect little darlings that ever walked this earth, and we'll all be the first to tell you such. But once in a while, the thought of jumping off the fridge freezer to get away from the noise, the guilt and the continuous heartache known as 'parenthood' doesn't seem like such a crazy idea.
At least this has taught me one small lesson in life;
For Goodness Sake, whatever you're thinking, don't let those thoughts escape out of your head!
Personally I think we should all get a grip, and SMILE ! :)
10 comments:
ati- 'nearly new'',how many KM mileage?consumption?...lakini nimecheka,very funny.I live in tashkent,my neighbors cannot understand why i am laughing too loud!.Was the payment through paypal or what card?. mutua
I saw a woman in New York shout "child for sale" when her toddler started playing up in a store. It was treated as a joke.
My own mother once told me she would exchange me for a loaf or bread or something more useful at the supermarket. I did not dare go shopping with her for the next five years lest she carries out her threat.
Mutua - Only 7 months mileage on the clock although most probably consumes far too much, makes a lot of extremely loud noise and is generally kind of smelly!!
Mr Bananas - Glad to hear they at least have a sense of humour in New York.
Anon - I know the feeling. My mother always said that one day when I was out she would move house and leave NO forwarding address! That kept me in....
HI MC
here was a similar case, in Scotland I think, where a boy was giving his father a lot of grief. The father told the boy he was going to put himon eBay and when the oy scoffed at the idea, he had to watch as father posted the entry for auction. It apparently had the desired effect, but father forgot to cancel the posting and was visited by the powers-that-be.
I don't think the lid was taken into protective custody, but the father did have his knuckles rapped.
It's a sad world
Dad Mzungu
PS, if anyone is interested, I have two orphanages full of kids, all reasonably priced ... only joking - they are far too precious.
DM - er... didn't know you actually owned kids - ??
Okay, LOL, mzungu chick, coming from someone whose baby was such a horrible sleeper, let's just say he learned to smile just in time to save himself from being traded in...
On a completely different note (and forgive me please for the randomness), but- do you have any interest in chatting with an American anthropologist interested in Anglo-Kenyan lives and perspectives? I have been following your blog with much enjoyment and I am going to be in Nairobi June 4-27. Normally I work on Giriama and Swahili but am hoping to do a brief project (NOT another "Happy Valley"-type smear job, I should add) on how wazungu born and raised in Kenya understand their roles. Based on what my friends there tell me, it's a complicated story. Have you any interest? If you like, you can contact me at janetmc@brandeis.edu; I could tell you more so you can decide whether it's your cup of tea? Thanks for humoring me, if you do :)
-Janet
Or you get the kids who threaten every once in a while to call the authorities about some inhumane treatment they are receiving, like not being able to stay up late, not getting the I-pod they want etc. Any time my kids think about doing that, I will pick up the phone and dial the number for them! :-)
Janet - luckily for babies, they do learn to smile nice and early otherwise I'm sure a few more may be up for sale on eBay!
Expatmum - I think I might leave a list of numbers on the fridge - bargain, the authorities can look after them :)
Hi MC
This seems to be a trend - not the lack of humour, but selling babies on auction.
"A Canadian couple has been arrested in what Canadian police said on Tuesday was an apparent offer to sell a seven-day-old baby girl on Craigslist for C$10,000($10,100)." - Reuters
The couple said it wa sa hoax, but they were arrested anyway - hey ho!
DM
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