New baby. Honestly terrified.

Because breeders and pet shops want to make money. Parrots of any kind are generally not good pets for small children, in my opinion, though there are always exceptions. 

Parrots are not mean, but any one of them will bite if provoked, and the key is understanding what provokes them. They're usually very good about signaling displeasure and warning you to stop what you are doing, but you have to learn to read them, and that is something young children are not equipped to do.

When they're young, parrots tend to be very open to everything around them, but most will eventually develop preferences, and won't respond well to any sort of coercion. They can be a little cantankerous during breeding season once sexually mature. You have to try to understand their behavior, and adapt yourself accordingly. 

Since everyone is in place and you're all bonding to each other, I recommend you do some serious reading on parrots, and Quakers in particular. Many people with small children are able to happily integrate their Quakers into their families with no problems, but remember that anyone who handles any parrot must be prepared to be bitten without reacting violently.

Good luck to all of you. Don't panic - they really are great little birds. We'll help any way we can.🙂

I just wanted to share our story. We have a child in the house... She is 11 now, but was barely 6 when we got Cupcake... We have generally kept them at a distance, but as she has gotten older, they have grown closer and have more contact with one another. Cupcake is an unbelievably sweet bird, who loves all of us. She is very affectionate, has a different relationship with each of us, and loves it when we all hang out together. She is definitely not mean-spirited, at all. It's taken time and energy and flexibility, but it can be done, and we can honestly say she has been a wonderful thing for us. She's totally captured our hearts, and been a beacon of goodness in our lives. It has not always been easy, and will continue to have its challenges. We've all been bitten many times... that's part of owning a Parrot... But very worth it. And she's never mauled any of us. Her bites are mostly a form of communication, and breaking the skin is uncommon (but it does happen).

When it seems like a bird is being mean, it's important to remember that they are birds stuck in a human world, for which their highly tuned instincts and evolved skills are of little use. They are very smart, so it takes a lot for their lives to be fulfilling in this context. For long term success, these birds need to be respected members of the household. They need to feel loved, and included, and important... they need lots of attention. They get jealous, and they try to make nests and execute various other birdly behaviors... They are birds, and they behave like wild animals, because that's what they are. They can be amazing companions, but they are not pets. Far too many people see them as little more than an opportunity to make money, and as a result there are thousands of abandoned parrots that need homes. People rarely know what they are getting themselves into. The successful cases are ones where the caretaker of the bird is willing and able to adapt their lifestyle to the needs of the bird, on an ongoing basis.

We've learned that when it comes to modifying and influencing parrot behaviors, you need a plan, patience, and consistency... and it really helps to have the whole family on board. For best results, everyone should be ready to cooperate and adapt. It often takes longer to see changes than it feels like it should, but you generally do get there eventually, if you are consistent and taking a good approach. You'll also need a very solid understanding of the bird's hormonal behaviors and how to minimize them, so you don't accidentally cause problems by sending the wrong messages, once sexual maturity comes. Behavior definitely gets more complicated at this point, but it is fairly manageable in most cases. Good to learn as much as you can, as early as you can.

But I really can't stress it enough-- All of this complexity and restricted flexibility in our lives is completely worth it to us, and we'd never have it any other way. We love this bird so much. It was not a well-informed decision we made when we got her, either. It was a little more than an impulse purchase, but not much.
Nonetheless, it was meant to be. She's a wonderful and charming little creature that loves her flock and we're very grateful for her being in our lives.

Good luck! Stay calm. Keep us posted, and ask any questions you might have!

Thank you all for your replies. I was pretty upset that day! Lol Our baby Milo is quite the little stinker. He's already decided he goes where he wants in the house and takes things apart. I'm on my second watch since he's got here. Man do we love him.

The only issue we have really had is jealousy. He hates when we talk to our cockatiel and will come over and push the cockatiel off what ever he's standing on because he knows he can't fly. So no play time.

Oh yes Quakers love to take things apart and have no idea how to put them back together... lol. As you may have read many of us have had to replace our keyboards as they are quick to pull the keys out or chew the wires. Be sure to give yours some things that he can take apart.. such as a Kleenex... or the roll from the empty toilet paper... or shoes laces tied in knots. Most of us have found the home made toys are more of what they enjoy than store bought ones. I have a huge box full of store bought toys and Oscar will not play with any of them.

But give him a little plastic ball and he will throw it... and I fetch... and he throws it... and I fetch... lol... ok I am a slave and proud to admit it.

I'm glad to read you're getting on so well! If you ever come to think Milo's bites are too painful, I advise you to visit a friend with a cockatoo, African grey, or macaw, and invite a nip. That's the smash-your-elbow-with-a-hammer-so-you-forget-the-pain-in-your-head theory of relativity.