is unaware?

the scenario is you're in public, and the child notices you - and then decides to be social, while the parent is pre-occupied and/or doesn't notice.

im always cognizant of the parent's preference.

are you?

do universal social-rules supercede the parent's list of hang-ups?

Poll question: how do you interact with a stranger's child? especially when the parent is un-aware?

Poll result (19 votes) i don't. no wrong impressions. it's safer that way. kid might even think im an asshole. (2 votes) Vote i respond in-kind. they gaggling, smiling and waving? im gaggling, smiling and waving. (13 votes) Vote i only interact when it's sanctioned by the parent. i wait until they notice me being noticed. (2 votes) Vote "i dont like shit, i dont go outside" (2 votes) Vote

not to reply to a child looking dead at you doing the "HI!!!" thing kids like to do at a certain age. Like, sort of Scroogish and mean. But that happens to me maybe once every year and a half, or so. So, like 99.99% of the time, it's red.

even before I had a kid...

If they are crying the store I usually say something like "aww don't be a sadface!" and do something to make them smile like make a face.

**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson


"One of the most important things in life is what Judge Learned Hand described as 'that ever-gnawing inner doubt as to whether you're

I wouldn't play with a kid in a toy aisle by himself but if a baby is waving I wave back, they giggle. or say hi, I say hello...

that is it.

but I look good as fuck so that has to be acknowledged

I've seen strange women deeply engage with a child for a few minutes (which is kind of long, in that type of situation.). Granted, usually the mother is totally involved in the whole thing too, but I've never seen a man take it to that level.

say hello and keep it moving
lol
people parking up next to my shopping cart to like have a conversation with my kid
i hate that. it has happened a couple of times and i will legit roll out and nervous smile
so they get the picture that its not cool
its always women in this case and i feel like its being a bit too extra
saying a few words to a babbling kid cool
stopping everything you're doing to engage a kid and idk try to get his life story or whatever
idk what that's about and i don't like it
its probably innocent but meh just say hi and keep pushing lady

and i haven't felt weirded out about any dudes saying hi to him *shrug*
as long as you're not being or looking creepy most times the parent feeling funny about it is in your own head
and i don't blame guys for feeling weird about it but i guess this is just a little bit of reassurance
that not all parents are all skeeved out by men simply saying hello to their children in public

does that matter to you?

Women can go up to any kid tho and get all goo goo gaga


Not complaining just sayin

funny story tho, back in college I just got a digitial video camera so I was hype...

we are at the beach and I'm filming and this little white kid into the frame, I didn't stop filming.

all a sudden my friend screams out "Michael, oh Michael Jackson.."

and it was at that moment i realized i looked creepy as fuck.

wants to reach out and touch, its always near my thigh/crotch area. I'm supersensitive about that. One time I stiff armed a kid in his forehead bc he was coming towards me with his arms outstretched for a hug. The parent didn't see but my wife was shaking her head at me.

I dn't like that ish at all.

my son is very much into greeting damn near everyone he comes across and most people handle it very graciously with an enthusiastic hello. most folks seem to get a kick out of it lol
my son also rolls up into people's personal space in which case i'm usually right behind him
pulling him away
people be like 'its ok' but no it's not lol please don't give my child permission to do some shit i don't want him to do. i hate that. just because YOU don't mind doesn't mean i don't.

is the way it feels. ugh. something changed and made it weird and made it so all grown men are a threat to children in any way

it's 2015 and entirely too much shit gets twisted these days. Better for me to be safe, fuck that kid and his/her happy face.

---------------------------

"Where was the peace when we were getting shot? Where's the peace when we were getting laid out?
Where is the peace when we are in the back of ambulances? Where is the peace then?
They don't want to call for peace then.

There was a two year old girl there, and I'm thinking she was one of the girl's friend's daughter. Everyone there was 24-26...and she walked by and waved, so I smiled and waved as usual. I figure I was the only one who paid her attention, so she came to me and just laid on me, and I didn't wanna push her off, but it was weird. Then, she climbed up on my lap and would not leave, even after I tried to pick her up and put her down. I had no idea who's kid she was at all, or if her dad was friends with anyone there, but I didn't know ANYONE there except my friend who brought me.

You're lucky you didn't catch a molestation charge.

shoulda elbowed that kid and yelled "WHO'S CRUMBSNATCHER IS DIS???!!!"

Ain't no way in hell some random ass lil kid gettin on my lap. that's just a setup to get you branded a chomo and beat down, raped, or murdered in prison.


---------------------------

"Where was the peace when we were getting shot? Where's the peace when we were getting laid out?
Where is the peace when we are in the back of ambulances? Where is the peace then?
They don't want to call for peace then.

it's sad that parents are so suspicious, it's sad that occasionally they have reason to be and it's sad that there are sometimes negative consequences for innocent acts

if a kid waves or smiles or makes a face or something, yes, i do it back. if he/she has a question, i answer it. i refuse to live in fear when it comes to simple shit like this.

make sure to tell us before going in so us OKP's can put money on your books.

It really IS sad that we live in a time where all men are perceived as a potential threat to children.

---------------------------

"Where was the peace when we were getting shot? Where's the peace when we were getting laid out?
Where is the peace when we are in the back of ambulances? Where is the peace then?
They don't want to call for peace then.

shouldn't be any problems.

I will say 99.9% of my interactions come from that fact that i have kids of my own, so if I'm at the park or something then I have an obvious reason for being there, which goes a long way towards not being perceived as a skeevy perv or something.

So - I talk to kids, help them out on the playground if they eat it, throw a high five, include kids who are interested when i'm playing with my kids... whatever.

Talking and interacting shouldn't be an issue. Just be real careful about keeping your hands where they belong. Picking up other people's kids is a line i generally don't feel comfortable crossing unless i know them really well.

If some random parent wants to overreact because a grown up treated their kid like a human, though, i can live with that.

>I will say 99.9% of my interactions come from that fact that i
>have kids of my own, so if I'm at the park or something then I
>have an obvious reason for being there, which goes a long way
>towards not being perceived as a skeevy perv or something.

Nah bruh, these days they'll suspect you of using your kids as a cover for being a pedo on the lookout for new victims.

>So - I talk to kids, help them out on the playground if they
>eat it, throw a high five, include kids who are interested
>when i'm playing with my kids... whatever.

Nope, not even once.

>Talking and interacting shouldn't be an issue. Just be real
>careful about keeping your hands where they belong. Picking
>up other people's kids is a line i generally don't feel
>comfortable crossing unless i know them really well.

Nope, even talking to kids brings scrutiny.

>If some random parent wants to overreact because a grown up
>treated their kid like a human, though, i can live with that.

Not when the cops get involved you can't.

---------------------------

"Where was the peace when we were getting shot? Where's the peace when we were getting laid out?
Where is the peace when we are in the back of ambulances? Where is the peace then?
They don't want to call for peace then.

you think they're really out there hemming up large numbers of innocent victims on pedo charges?

Also - It's not suspect to take your kids to the park and play with them, wtf?

Just never be alone with other peoples kids, and keep your hands to yourself, and you'll be fine.

>you think they're really out there hemming up large numbers
>of innocent victims on pedo charges?

It's not that you're getting hemmed up, it's the suspicion a lone male with children gets.

I guess I should have prefaced this with the following: You wouldn't get that level of scrutiny in predominately Black or Latino neighborhoods; this is almost exclusively a white thing here. Black and Latino fathers regularly have their kids at the park by themselves and will interact with other kids without incident. The problems arise when you try to do this out of your element, so to speak.

White folks are inherently suspicious of not only Black and Latino men, but they're really suspicious of white men being around children alone and particularly when they're chatty with those kids.

>
>Also - It's not suspect to take your kids to the park and play
>with them, wtf?

See above: Not if you're Black or Latino and going to the park in a Black or Latino area.

>Just never be alone with other peoples kids, and keep your
>hands to yourself, and you'll be fine.

If only it were that simple.

---------------------------

"Where was the peace when we were getting shot? Where's the peace when we were getting laid out?
Where is the peace when we are in the back of ambulances? Where is the peace then?
They don't want to call for peace then.

i cant help but to make a face @ the really cute ones...& ill scowl @ the bad ones.

but other wise i pretend they dont exist


does it really matter?

wonder what bin's doing?
http://i.imgur.com/phECCMp.jpg

I usually just say "hello" (but don't hug back..)
I talk to children but usually just a "Oh hello!" But no full on convos

i don't mind strangers saying hi to my son, i just don't like them touching him.

and take them for ice cream, but i'll respond as a reasonable adult would.

http://orig14.deviantart.net/80af/f/2011/244/7/1/kick_the_baby_animated_gif_by_fartoons-d48hw0q.gif