Thanks for the help, I think.

As a parent, when do you want help and when do you find it an intrusion?

On Sunday I took a load of CDs, a baby, and a five year old to Half Price Books.  It was raining.  I had the baby in the stroller, the five year old trying to push it, and a crate of CDs in my arms.  There was a man standing outside the door who made no attempt to open it for us.  I did a one-legged flamingo move to balance the crate, pull open the door, and get the stroller and girls inside.  He looked at us but did not help.  I was a little peeved that it did not occur to him to open the door (I would not have expected or wanted him to carry the crate).

The day before....we're at a baseball game and the baby crawled under the bleachers and found someone's trash to nosh on.  I took the trash from her mouth and walked it over to the trash can maybe 10 yards away.  She screamed.  Other mothers took pity on this poor, dirty child abandoned under the bleachers and they tried to console her.  When I got back I was a little peeved that people were touching my kid and in their actions indirectly saying that I was not doing a very good job at keeping my kid content and safe since she was crying and I was not with her.

So who is the hypocrite?  Me for being annoyed at both situations?  Probably.  Do I want help or not?  Is it fair to want help only on your own terms?  How do you decide when and how to help others?