Please don't spray my child.

Today while I had my kids over at my neighbour's house playing in the back yard, there was a man on the other side of the chain link fence spraying the perimeter of his property.  They have a beautifully manicured yard and always keep it pristine.  Now I know how they keep the edge along the fence so neat and orderly.  Spray.  I don't know what this man was applying to his lawn, but I did know that my child was right up against that same chain link fence playing with a cat.  As this man started to walk the distance of the fence I could see that he was not going to stop when he got near her, so I called out  to her, "You need to come away from the fence because someone is spraying chemicals and it's not safe to be there." 
The man, who was a polite man, was kind enough to inform me, "It's okay,  it's safe!"
"It's chemicals."
"Yeah, but they're safe.  Believe me, Ma'am, if they weren't I wouldn't be using them.  But yeah, that's probably a good idea to have her move away just in case."

Oh dear.  He really wasn't going to stop for her.  Some of you who know me might be wondering if I gave him an earful about how harmful chemicals (of any kind) can be to a precious child.  Well, I did not.  I didn't say another word after he spoke because I knew if I did, they might not have been gracious words.  A kind old gentleman is not going to change how he has done things for decades.  Not because some crazy lady yelled at him for nearly spraying her kid, anyways. 

Parenting requires diligence.  I have to protect my kids until they can learn to protect themselves.  I can't imagine how nasty it would be to have pesticide sprayed a foot away from my face, and can't imagine how awful I would feel if my negligence let that happen to my little girl.

How many times have children walked in on their parents while they were cleaning their bathroom?  Fan on, trying to suck out the fumes while they try to breathe through their shirt because the chemicals make them light headed,  "Stay back, I'm cleaning!  You can't come in here!"

Why are they in there?  Don't they value their own health?  Why is a toddler not allowed in the toxic fumes, but a teenager is forced to clean with them every week?  If it's not safe for everyone, it's not safe for anyone.   It's a stupid saying but it makes my point.  No more double standards.