mistertim Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 We had some snow recently. So I'm walking out to my car yesterday and a couple kids are building a little ramp for their sleds. I said hi and figured I would help them pack down some of the snow for it; no harm done, just someone helping out. Then all of a sudden their mom comes out the door and yells "get away from my kids are you some sort of pedophile?". I was like WTF??. I tried to explain that all I was doing was completely harmless but she would have none of it. I finally just walked off feeling a bit disturbed by the whole situation; obviously hoping that she isn't going to call the cops or something. I have no place in my heart for pedophiles. It is disgusting to me. To have someone think that such a random thing was such an act was horrid. But I have to think...has the "pedophelia" thing gone too far? Is it to such a situation where any mother who sees a person even talking or interacting with their kids is a threat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 These people are your neighbors? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panel Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I would have been SO pissed if someone said that to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistertim Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 These people are your neighbors? They are across the street yes. Though I don't really know them personally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Crazy. The fear that drives people is just a terrible shame. Sorry you went through that. I still enjoy getting in snowball fights with my neighbors. Stuff like that should just be part of being a member of the community. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Is it to such a situation where any mother who sees a person even talking or interacting with their kids is a threat? A stranger...Yes that is the world most of us live in. Though too often it is not a stranger that harms them:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dockeryfan Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I think so. Not every adult that talks to a kid is a pedophile, but many parents look at it that way. I mean when you think about it, it's probably a very low percentage of people that are actually attracted to kids. Especially strangers kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forehead Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Though too often it is not a stranger that harms them:( I was going to say, isn't it a high percentage that know the person? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD_washingtonredskins Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I can see both sides of this (no offense to the OP). First off, I have no doubt in my mind that your intentions were good. And, in a simpler and more innocent time you'd probably have been invited in for hot chocolate by the mother. Unfortunately though, we live in a sick world full of sick people and a parent is going to be sensitive to that. So, in short, yes we've gone too far with it...but the cat is out of the bag and I'm not sure you can completely blame parents for being on the defensive. Having said that, I think she could have handled it much, much differently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. Kaos Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 That's so sad to hear. Some people are out of control. As a father I have to say that she is NOT doing such a good job with teaching her kids about being safe. I can assure you that if you approached my kids and they didnt know you, they would have simply walked to the house. "Don't talk to strangers" is one of the first rules a kid learns about staying as safe as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 A suggestion would be to make yourself known to the parents before interacting with their kids....a overreaction on her part ,but not a baseless one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistertim Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 I was going to say, isn't it a high percentage that know the person? That quote wasn't from me. Though I do understand. I don't really know the kids. They live across the street from my townhouse and I just wanted to help them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Guy. Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Yes it has. To Catch a Predator is on everyone's mind. I can understand how it might feel to a parent though... people are messed up and because of this I am generally unfriendly to children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goskinz0721 Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Wow. Has it really come to this? That's freaking sad. Maybe (just maybe) this person has had some type of incident in their family and is suspicious of everyone. That's about the only thing I can think of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 A suggestion would be to make yourself known to the parents before interacting with their kids....a overreaction on her part ,but not a baseless one. I'd say not a completely unreasonable reaction, but I do think that her reaction was baseless (unless the OP was naked or something). She had no basis except her own suspiscions and fears to believe that Misterim was up to anything nefarious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnLockesGhost Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I'm not a huge country music fan (my wife is) but there was a line from a Zac Brown Band song, "feel the touch of a precious child," (talking about the good things in life) that surprised me when I heard it, just because it's so politically incorrect to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD_washingtonredskins Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I'd say not a completely unreasonable reaction, but I do think that her reaction was baseless (unless the OP was naked or something). She had no basis except her own suspiscions and fears to believe that Misterim was up to anything nefarious. Of course not...but faced with this circumstance (a stranger approaching your children) a parent has to go with their gut and probably act rather quickly. I think most would be OK erring on the side of caution. Again, I need to state that I'm 100% sure that the OP had nothing but good intentions...I'm only play devil's advocate here in guessing why the neighbor reacted like this. And, the other caveat is that she overreacted. The exact same outcome (protecting your kids) could have been had by simply going outside and introducing yourself to the "stranger" with your kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chachie Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Her fear was justified in today's landscape. Her reaction was way overboard and slanderous. There's no way to handle a situation like that w/o making things worse. Sucks that it happened to you, dude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Weirdo Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I hate kids so this is never going to be a problem. Annoying ****s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Well for starters, if she is so paranoid, why is she letting them play outside by themselves? Her reaction to you was inappropriate and way over the line. Now that said, if my children were playing outside and I saw a stranger start to play with them, I would certainly go outside and find out whats going on. But what I wouldn't do is just start shouting at the guy :doh: I'm like .Guy though- I am generally unfriendly to children for the same reason he is, unless of course I know them and know their parents well. .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I hate kids so this is never going to be a problem. Annoying ****s. you'll love your own though, trust me on that one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Weirdo Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 you'll love your own though, trust me on that one True. But that won't stop me from hating everyone else's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMS Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 They are across the street yes. Though I don't really know them personally. Maybe you should go introduce yourself.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistertim Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 Well for starters, if she is so paranoid, why is she letting them play outside by themselves? Her reaction to you was inappropriate and way over the line.Now that said, if my children were playing outside and I saw a stranger start to play with them, I would certainly go outside and find out whats going on. But what I wouldn't do is just start shouting at the guy :doh: I'm like .Guy though- I am generally unfriendly to children for the same reason he is, unless of course I know them and know their parents well. .... And that is completely understandable. If she had come out and talked to me I would just have told her that I was on my way to my car and wanted to help them out with their ramp stuff. I just think she overracted and thinking that she might belive such an act makes me a pedophile or something is very disturbing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USS Redskins Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 It does suck but having kids myself and knowing a family that had an incident in the last few years, I can understand, slightly. The woman overeacted but unfortunately there is reason for concern out there. It seems there are more perv's than ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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