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I was standing in line at the grocery store behind a couple who put their 1 yr. old daughter in the cart so she was staring at me the whole time. Normally, I'm too busy looking at my phone to care, but this little girl was cute as a button and just kept staring at me. So I decided to be a clown and make funny faces at her, and of course she smiled and giggled and it brightened my day.
I wanted to give her a pat on the head or pinch her cheeks or tickle her nose, but would this be considered rude and inappropriate without asking her parents first ? I didn't want to cause a "scene".
I would think most rational people would consider this OK, but I know we live in a fear-mongering society where every stranger is considered a violent child molester until proven otherwise.
I think it's rude to touch any stranger , no matter the age. Smiling at a baby, or making funny faces? Fine. Hands off please.
I tend to agree.
Nice thought, OP, and I can see your intentions in the urge to reach out and touch the baby were good, but I also try to avoid touching strangers - as cute as little babies can be! I'm also not a very touchy person at all, though, so that may influence my opinion.
The parents would probably not have liked you patting her on the head or anything like that. I'll touch strangers' kids to help them (I've been asked by kids to help them sort their gloves and boots out, help with bicycle helmets, that kind of thing) but otherwise no. I do make funny faces at babies in the shop though - love doing that!
I was standing in line at the grocery store behind a couple who put their 1 yr. old daughter in the cart so she was staring at me the whole time. Normally, I'm too busy looking at my phone to care, but this little girl was cute as a button and just kept staring at me. So I decided to be a clown and make funny faces at her, and of course she smiled and giggled and it brightened my day.
I wanted to give her a pat on the head or pinch her cheeks or tickle her nose, but would this be considered rude and inappropriate without asking her parents first ? I didn't want to cause a "scene".
I would think most rational people would consider this OK, but I know we live in a fear-mongering society where every stranger is considered a violent child molester until proven otherwise.
Let me know your thoughts.
Sorry to be a bummer, but most moms would prefer you not engage with their kids at all beyond a smile. Touching in any way is a total no-no. It's probably less egregious if you're a woman, but for a young man we automatically think creepy stranger danger. I know that's sort of unfair, but it is what it is.
People couldn't keep their hands off my son, there were times it felt rude and sometimes it didn't. He personally found it rude after infancy. Id stay on the safe side and not touch
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