Public Property ?

[lakeland27]

today i had an incident occur involving my 3 and 3 quarter year old son . its something that happens reasonably often.. and i wonder if it is rude of me to respond in the way i do.

I take him with me to the local shopping precinct in order to run some errands , and he tends to attract a bit of attention from some 'ladies' there as he is rather a cute little chap (its in his DNA 🙂 thanks tone).

anyway, the first lady drops down to his level and says 'i'd like to take him home .. what a gorgeous little boy.. etc'' i say 'yes , a lot of people say that' (or something similarly bland) and the woman ignores me totally and continues to annoy him with tickles and other unwanted attention. I take his hand and walk on only for the same thing to happen again... lady talks to my son and ignores me totally. dont get me wrong, i don't want the attention of these people.. but i do get annoyed with the ignorant behaviour so i asked the 3rd person not to talk to him, and told her to 'retreat' in no uncertain terms as the boy gets tired of it himself. needless to say person No3 gets irate and calls me various things .

am i being unreasonable ? it seemed a fair number in the crowd there thought so.

[i-need-a-martini]

Are these women single? If so, it isn't about your son - it's you they are hitting on. 😉

[lakeland27]

Are these women single? If so, it isn't about your son - it's you they are hitting on. 😉

but wouldn't they want to talk to me if that were the case martini ? i'm showing signs of wear and tear too .. getting on a bit. i have a few grey hairs in my samsonesque locks . . besides, they seem to have males in tow mostly 🙂

[cherry*135]

I am imagining these adoring women are elderly ( the cheek pinching type) not young hip single women?

[lakeland27]

People should know their boundaries around children.  I was at an airport in Australia, having just got back from the UK.  My son was little (in a pushchair) and tired.  I was tired and stressed and just wanted to get out of there.  So, we were waiting for the luggage to get released and it was a long wait.  As the suitcases started to appear, my son was behind me, and he was crying.  I wanted to get the luggage and go as quickly as possible, so I focused on the luggage.  

Suddenly, he stopped crying.  I turned around and some woman had given him a large chunk of chocolate and he was eating it.  He was allergic to peanuts.  Most chocolate "may contain traces of peanuts".  She didn't ask me or talk to me, just gave it to him.  I was furious ... I grabbed the chocolate and threw it towards a bin (you'll all be impressed to know that it landed right inside, I should have played cricket).  Another woman spoke up and said "She was only trying to be kind".  

I can't remember but I may have used some bad language 😉  

It's  important to ask parents BEFORE giving a child food or drink.  It's important to read the signals that children and parents are sending.  Children may be cute and lovable, but, no, they are NOT public property.  

i've had that happen too (but another child , years ago) i would have loved to see that throw :^O

[i-need-a-martini]

but wouldn't they want to talk to me if that were the case martini ?

No. It's easier to talk to chat up a child than it is to chat up the father. 😄

Their behaviour just doesn't seem normal to me. A bit of cooing is normal. Touching, prodding, lingering is not.

[lakeland27]

I am imagining these adoring women are elderly ( the cheek pinching type) not young hip single women?

yes mostly AM3. but not always, some are definitely still of 'childbearing age' (excuse the expression) 🙂

[lakeland27]

but wouldn't they want to talk to me if that were the case martini ?

No. It's easier to talk to chat up a child than it is to chat up the father. 😄

Their behaviour just doesn't seem normal to me. A bit of cooing is normal. Touching, prodding, lingering is not.

well i hope you are wrong. i don't need that kind of attention (or the problems it brings ;\)

[katydidthat]

i've had that happen too (but another child , years ago) i would have loved to see that throw 

It was a fluke, but I think it might have given me a bit of street cred :^O

[green.fields]

Touching the child is not on, next time just gently pull him away from them or politely ask them not to touch him as he doesn't like it.

Going off at the 3rd woman was a bit unfair as she probably had no idea why you did, she shouldn't have reacted they way she did.

[kengillard]

o dear LL...not a fantasy...?  my idea of you from your posts is a man really past child bearin 

sorry if I've made a mistake