Unpleasant old man in the park, yesterday.

[tedebear]

Being a new parent it was my first and only time where I have felt the need to act as I did

How old are your kids? I thought you had two? Just interested in why you class yourself as a "new" parent..

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Nope as in this case I don't feel in anyway wrong.
Being a new parent it was my first and only time where I have felt the need to act as I did, so I put it up on here to gauge opinion.
It seems to be proving an interesting and lively debate, is that not what an open forum is for?

Indeed it has. Even as a parent though I hope I'm treated with a bit more consideration when I'm old, scruffy, frail and smelly than you did with that gentleman.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I find this thread disgusting. Bensgrandad has the right to spend as much time in the park as he likes and talk to whomever he pleases.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I do think you should have chatted to the old man. You were there, so the kids weren't in any danger, and chatting to him would have hopefully put your mind at rest or, in the worst case, maybe decided that a call to the local police was in order. I believe you would more likely have found the former, but i always look on the positive side.

 

[daveybgtt]

Reminds me of the time I went on holiday with my mate to *cough* benidorm *cough* we were in a bar listening to the awful karaoke singer, can't remember what they were dressed as, but we thought the situation called for a dark, grainy barely visible mobile phone picture of said individual and my mate.
About 2 minutes later, this northern hambeast comes waddling over asking us if we were taking pictures of her bastard offspring, never been so angry in my life. Why would anyone want a picture of her feckless little shits, stupid fat mess. But that's the society we live in nowadays.
It seemed perfectly acceptable to drag them to bars til 3 in the morning, smoke around them and let them watch the adult orientated shows though?

 

[Stat Brother]

How old are your kids? I thought you had two? Just interested in why you class yourself as a "new" parent..

6 and nearly 5, we've been their parents for 2 years, as we are an adoptive family.

 

[Hillian1]

I commend your sense of protection over your kids.

But as a new parent you will learn that there is not always danger in these situations. That will come over time.

 

[Stat Brother]

Hmmmmm , Mrs Stat here. Just so as not to be left out! Having read this isn't the theme about going with your gut feelings sometimes and trusting your judgement. Obviously I know my hubby and know he is not usually one for pre judging or being harsh, he's more the gentle, jolly empathic kind, (he will hate that bit being on here) but it's true. I think there are always clearly differing opinions on these sort of things, as with most things to do with parenting I guess. We certainly don't go round warding the kids off strangers of any age who initiate a conversation or whatever. We encourage them to be sociable, think of others and 'play nice' etc. But at the end of the day protecting your kids is an strong instinct and perhaps something that is very difficult to describe in words alone.

 

[bhaexpress]

I find this thread disgusting. Bensgrandad has the right to spend as much time in the park as he likes and talk to whomever he pleases.

Nasty but sorry I did laugh

 

[moggy]

I've already said my piece at the beginning of the thread but I just wanted to add that it may have helped to have chatted to the guy albeit briefly, an old man such as this could've served the country, maybe fought on the Normandy beaches, perhaps liberated holland or something else truly amazing......being in a park chatting to kids or anyone else for that matter, surely isn't a crime?
and yes, I have kids myself

 

[Stat Brother]

Indeed it has. Even as a parent though I hope I'm treated with a bit more consideration when I'm old, scruffy, frail and smelly than you did with that gentleman.

I was perfectly respectful, but I didn't stop, and didn't want my children to stop.
I don't feel that far away from being old, scruffy, frail and smelly, and when I do that man could just as easily be me.
All I hope is I don't set off another parents gut/knee jerk reaction that this man did with me.

As said we have 2 happy and gregarious children, barely a day has gone by when they haven't stopped to talk to someone, young/old/smelly/smart. Plus if the kids don't stop people our lumbering hounds do, but this was the first time it's ever felt anything other than completely natural/normal.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

You have no knowledge of this man or his aspect on life, he's entitled to exist in a public park, but you have decided on the strength of his staying in the same place that he's dodgy. It's actually unlikely that a pervert would express out loud to a parent that he thinks their children "lovely at that age", and more than likely he said that completely innocently.

Think NMH has called this one just about right.

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

I do NOT look 70

 

[Man of Harveys]

I find this thread disgusting. Bensgrandad has the right to spend as much time in the park as he likes and talk to whomever he pleases.

 

[finlaych]

was it this man?