I agree.
One of my sister-in-laws has passed her own irrational phobias and fears onto her son and daughter, meaning that the pair of them are terrified of all flying creatures, all dogs, all cats, anything that might contain the potential for a bad microbe or germ to enter their systems, etc.
For instance: Miles (named after Miles Davies, bless 'im
), 8 years old and an enthusiastic footballer with potential and speed to burn is rarely allowed to play anywhere not screened by his mother beforehand for dog-shit, unleashed dogs, errant cats, menacing crows, belligerant budgerigars, worrisome wasps, brazen butterflies etc. He's not even allowed to eat anything he's cooked at his school - you know how kids love to come home with Cornflake Cakes, Blueberry Muffins and Gingerbread Men that they've baked - his mother went absolutely apeshit at him the other day for eating a cake he'd baked because she believes that the school is full of germs and won't take anyone else's word that it is not the case.
I just keep my mouth shut, but seethe silently about the kid being denied a proper childhood.
It's all wrong
