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One of my kids is below average height. People always notice her because of how well spoken she is compared to the age she appears to be. She's gotten extra attention because of her tiny size ever since she was old enough to walk. By now she's used to the people who smile at her...she prefers that to the ones who want to pat her or the ones who just stare at her.
My son is very small for his age (1st percentile) and very advanced in language. It's gotten him loads of attention. He hates it. All of it. He is 10 and if someone smiles at him like he is "cute" he looks away and storms off. If someone patted him I bet he would kick them in the shin. If you call him cute, he screams at you. I have talked to him over and over tried to make him feel ok about it. Not working. He hates it. So...well not all short people are ok with the attention.
She said she thought of her as a child. Little and cute just like a child. Ummmm. The woman was grown and deserves respect and dignity. I don't think smiling at someone is so bad. But her rational that she was little and cute is offensive.
Does she look at pity at all people who use wheelchairs too. Because sweet as sugar thinks their lives must be sooooooo hard.
It's just not ok.
Smiling is fine. Holding on to "i am right for doing it because was is little and cute" isn't.
Yeah, you're still taking it too far. I didn't say that I thought of her as a child. I said that I'm used to smiling at small people who are children. This woman was not a child but my natural reaction was still to smile. I'm done explaining it to you, so take it however you're going to take it.
Yeah, you're still taking it too far. I didn't say that I thought of her as a child. I said that I'm used to smiling at small people who are children. This woman was not a child but my natural reaction was still to smile. I'm done explaining it to you, so take it however you're going to take it.
That is NOT what you said. You said:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sweet Like Sugar
..., but I know that I just naturally smiled at her because she was cute and small. I did catch myself and stop smiling because I didn't want to offend her.
You asked for people's opinions than you get all "offended" because you don't like people's responses.
I get it, it is a tough gig when you post something here and everyone shockingly does not agree with you. I have learned you have to have pretty tough skin to post something here. I was traumatized once on here and learned my lesson! Don't post unless you are willing to be subject to something you don't want to hear.
Well, of course I realize that adult little people aren't children, but 99% of the time if I see someone cute and small, it's going to be a child, so my ingrained response is to smile.
^No, actually that is what I said. And my post count is a lot higher than yours, so I don't need any advice on how to navigate the forums. Thanks!
I was out today and saw a Little Person, and I smiled at her. Not a huge, toothy smile but just a little smile like I do when I walk past a cute kid. The problem is that this was an adult, and I probably wouldn't have smiled at her had she been normal sized. Not to say that I don't ever smile at other adult strangers, but I know that I just naturally smiled at her because she was cute and small. I did catch myself and stop smiling because I didn't want to offend her. Do you think it's rude to smile at Little People? Is it better to keep a neutral expression so that they won't be offended? I don't run into Little People very often, but it'd just be good to know for next time.
It is quite proper to smile at babies. It helps socialize them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HighFlyingBird
It's rude to look at an adult and say/react like they are "cute and small". Good lord grow up. If your eye catches someone, smile at them. But...little and small. Good lord
Unfortunately people make mistakes. Lighten up a bit.
^No, actually that is what I said. And my post count is a lot higher than yours, so I don't need any advice on how to navigate the forums. Thanks!
7500 vs. roughly 3000? That's like saying that because a 58 year old is older than a 51 year old he's more mature. Different from an 18 year old vs. an 11 year old. Or someone with 3000 posts vs. 20 posts.
7500 vs. roughly 3000? That's like saying that because a 58 year old is older than a 51 year old he's more mature. Different from an 18 year old vs. an 11 year old. Or someone with 3000 posts vs. 20 posts.
My son is very small for his age (1st percentile) and very advanced in language. It's gotten him loads of attention. He hates it. All of it. He is 10 and if someone smiles at him like he is "cute" he looks away and storms off. If someone patted him I bet he would kick them in the shin. If you call him cute, he screams at you. I have talked to him over and over tried to make him feel ok about it. Not working. He hates it. So...well not all short people are ok with the attention.
My short daughter (3rd percentile) is the same age. Maybe we just raise girls to be more accepting of someone smiling at them, I don't know. Usually the ones who give the most attention to my daughter are small kids...they want to follow her around in stores or they ask her to play or they just stare and stare at her. She says the reason they are so interested in her is that when you watch a movie with a very verbal young child, it's always an older child who's small in stature who is playing the role of a younger child. (Her example was the Stuart Little movies, those really fascinated her when she was younger because the baby sibling was older than a baby but still baby-sized, like she was back then.) She can't stand small kids and she will avoid gatherings where there will be a bunch of kids younger than herself.
My daughter has gotten more accepting of her small stature than she used to be. I point out adults of small stature to her (discreetly, of course) so she can see that they're doing all the things other adults do, like working, driving and having families.
Thanks, it's not really bothering me. She smiled back so she didn't seem offended, but I'm sure she's gotten reactions and stares during her lifetime, so I just didn't want to make her feel self-conscious.
I'll bet you $20 she has no recollection of "The Smile" - that elicited several pages of bizarre opinions and criticism for something so absurdly mundane.
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Don't post unless you are willing to be subject to something you don't want to hear.
