I taught my kids to stay away from strangers. And I'm sure that other parents do the same thing at some point. I'm sure the "stranger danger" phrase is logged in most people's memories, even if they don't recite it; so why do handfuls of strangers just start talking to my kids?!
When the cashier scans my daughter's pack of gum and says, "Ohhhh, is this for you?" That doesn't bother me. When the greeter at the store says, "Hi" to my son, that doesn't bother me. When I'm buying bananas and a woman we have never met is buying bananas and for some reason just starts talking to my kids and asking them how old they are, it makes me uncomfortable. We usually just walk away.
Every generation goes through the "Don't Talk to Strangers" phase. People teach their kids, and adolescent relatives not to talk to strangers. Even if you don't have kids of your own, you have probably had this conversation with a niece or nephew...So why do people spend their childhood trying not to talk to strangers only to become the stranger carrying on the conversation?!
I imagine myself as one of these people, and I wonder, 'How do they not realize it's weird to strike up a conversation with a child?!'
What's worse, is when we go somewhere, and some random person thinks my kids are so cute, and then gives them some loose candy! No matter your age, isn't, "Don't take candy from strangers," a common phrase? So why be one of those strangers?
If you think my kids or any kid is cute, then compliment his/her parents, "Aww, your son is so handsome." And be on your way! Don't carry on a conversation with the kid that makes me wonder if you're shopping for a kid to steal!
When the cashier scans my daughter's pack of gum and says, "Ohhhh, is this for you?" That doesn't bother me. When the greeter at the store says, "Hi" to my son, that doesn't bother me. When I'm buying bananas and a woman we have never met is buying bananas and for some reason just starts talking to my kids and asking them how old they are, it makes me uncomfortable. We usually just walk away.
Every generation goes through the "Don't Talk to Strangers" phase. People teach their kids, and adolescent relatives not to talk to strangers. Even if you don't have kids of your own, you have probably had this conversation with a niece or nephew...So why do people spend their childhood trying not to talk to strangers only to become the stranger carrying on the conversation?!
I imagine myself as one of these people, and I wonder, 'How do they not realize it's weird to strike up a conversation with a child?!'
What's worse, is when we go somewhere, and some random person thinks my kids are so cute, and then gives them some loose candy! No matter your age, isn't, "Don't take candy from strangers," a common phrase? So why be one of those strangers?
If you think my kids or any kid is cute, then compliment his/her parents, "Aww, your son is so handsome." And be on your way! Don't carry on a conversation with the kid that makes me wonder if you're shopping for a kid to steal!
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