How would you view this situation?

6 Comments

Yesterday I was standing outside a supermarket in a mall waiting for my friend to finish what he was getting and exit and I saw a young boy of 4 years old, unattended, playing on one of those coin operated ride on rides and I began to watch him, daydreaming about my own childhood. After about 5 minutes, I snapped to, and realized by standing relatively close to, and gazing at someone elses kid, could appear threatening to the parents of said child. I realized that this thought was probably pretty paranoid or irrational, but in today's world could be seen the way I feared it could be seen. What do you think? If your child was unattended (but still in your field of view) and a stranger was standing within 2 metres of the kid, just watching him, would you feel like your kid is endangered, or would you regard the stranger to be nonthreatening?

non threatening 0
kid is in potential danger 10
would depend on the physical appearance of the person 6
we should ignore other people's children when they're unattended 1
other 2
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Comments ( 6 )
  • [Old Memory]
    8 years ago

    I'd like to think that I wouldn't be iffy about it but I'm guilty of this inflated "danger stranger" within society.

    I've done this myself although went up to the child when they were alone outside in the city near a bunch of shops. She seemed a bit confused and I can't tell what age she was. She wasn't a teen though. I asked her where her parents were and she said her mum was in the shop three to four buildings down (I can't recall if it was three or four, she basically pointed and said in there). I have to admit I was a bit scared of doing anything incase I was seen as a predator. So I told her to follow me and I held her hand and went to the shop and found her mother. I felt like saying something to her (the mum) but I knew it would just cause issues. She thanked me, atleast.

    It's kind of scary how helping a child can make you on the virge of crapping yourself due to the stranger danger thing but then you have to consider what could happen if the right people don't keep an eye out for a child that's alone, yano?

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      8 years ago

      that's a good answer thanks mate.

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  • Short4Words
    8 years ago

    Yes I would. But if you said what you just said and seemed genuine I would believe you. I still wouldn't let you near my kid, though.

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  • megadriver
    8 years ago

    I don't have kids, but if I did, I would be near them. I would never leave my children unattended. So if you were looking at my children and you don't look like some weirdo, I wouldn't care. I'm near them, they are safe.

    Tho if I thought there is something wrong, I would tell you to stop looking at my kids and, or go away.

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  • howaminotmyself
    8 years ago

    Not sure how i would feel. My kid is pretty adorable. I let strangers talk to him without worry. It would depend on your body language. Id most likely smile and say hello then go pay attention to my child.

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  • Pseodonihm
    8 years ago

    You can't go around assuming everyone is a pedophile. So as long as you are a normal person in appearance, I would perceive no danger. Now, if you looked like a homeless person high on crack. I might intervene.

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