Policy on touching other people's kids? OPINIONS!

So, i just want to know what you'd do as a parent being asked for help,
or how you'd feel as the parent of the child asking for help.

Today at the park I was there with my 2.5 & 7 yr old.
My 7 yr old starts off playing with his sister but of course ends up going off 'n doing his own thing.
Every time we're at the park, some random little kid will 'adopt' my daughter 'n just play with her, try to keep other kids from playing with her- weird kid stuff.

Anyways,
today it seemed like
1. There was an odd ratio of parents to kids
2. The parents that were there- were completely disconnected from their kids.

I had several kids ask me for help on part of the big toy
It's a dangerous toy (the hanging "stepping stone" type things)
And they were young/too small for it
At first i suggested they asked their parents/whoever brought them to the park
One parent literally told their kid they were "too busy"
And the others just ignored

So..i helped them.
But i felt kind of uncomfortable..handling someone else's kid?
And i felt like it could be upsetting to other parents.
I mean, it's not like i was some kid-less person who showed up in a windowless van with a fanny pack of candy..
And at the same time, the parents were ignoring their children asking for help on a dangerous toy

So what would you have done?

I feel like i wouldn't be happy with someone else handling my kiddo..
but i'd also never be in a situation where i wasn't there helping them myself...

I totally know how you feel. That has happened to me far too many times at the park, & it's never any less awkward...

uhhh.

I can't imagine that a parent who was disconnected enough to tell them they were too busy would be bothered by you helping them, it's definitely an awkward situation though. If I were in your shoes I probably would of helped because I wouldn't want the kid to get hurt, as far as if I saw someone else helping DD it would definitely bother me but I would also never ignore her to the point where she needed help from someone else.

I would feel weird on a stranger touching my son, so i don't touch other peoples kids.

I don't get the whole "don't nobody touch mai baby!!" thought process. I mean, what is the big deal? If you are clearly not paying attention to your kid and they need assistance with something, I'm going to help them. What kind of prick just walks away from a kid asking for help, you know?

Lazy parents! I'd just help the kids, you're not being a pervert or anything lol.. I've had kids ask me to help them get into the swing and I help them.. They ask me to push them so I'll push them too haha.. You're not doing anything wrong

As much as I would want to because I would feel bad that their own parents wouldn't play with them, I wouldn't touch them. Obviously those parents don't realize how dangerous it is especially since technically you're a stranger and these kids just went right to you.

I also would get mad if I seen someone handling my kid but then again, I wouldn't be ignoring them to the point they ask someone else for help.

Quoting ma ♥:" I totally know how you feel. That has happened to me far too many times at the park, & it's never any less awkward... uhhh."

right? haha
so awkward

Quoting ma ♥:" I totally know how you feel. That has happened to me far too many times at the park, & it's never any less awkward... uhhh."

      

The kids always run to me and ask me to play with them.

I'm VERY hands on at the park, I play tag with my girls, play hide N seek, run around chasing them, and other kids always wanna play too.

I always include them but when playing hide n seek I do get nervous that a parent might not like having their kid out of sight, or I'll be unsure how far the kid is allowed to go from the actual playground to hide.

I would help but encourage the child either to ask their parent or play on a safer toy. I personally wouldn't like another person handling my child but then again I am usually right there with him, helping and playing with him.

Quoting saageex3:" As much as I would want to because I would feel bad that their own parents wouldn't play with them, I ... [snip!] ... mad if I seen someone handling my kid but then again, I wouldn't be ignoring them to the point they ask someone else for help."

Can I ask you why you wouldn't someone helping out your kid on the swing or something?

I know how you feel. I feel like.....what if they got hurt, it would be my fault! I've been in similar situations when taking my nephew to the park.

I just don't understand some parents. When I take my nephew to the park, I watch him and I'm no more than 15 feet from him at all times. I would never trust my child or my nephew to be watched by other strangers or...to play by himself.

Quoting Nigel Thornberry:" I can't imagine that a parent who was disconnected enough to tell them they were too busy would be bothered ... [snip!] ... DD it would definitely bother me but I would also never ignore her to the point where she needed help from someone else. "

yeah that was the thing, it was the kind of "i'm going to do this anyways, but can you help me so i don't fall off and break myself" kind of help.
So had i not helped, they'd just get hurt.
what sucked is my youngest had no interest in that part of the big toy but stood there with me while her new little friend did it and i didn't want to just walk away cos she had the mom who told her she was 'too busy'.

What would happen if the child where to get hurt while you where helping them?

<blockquote><b>Quoting bbbt:</b>" Can I ask you why you wouldn't someone helping out your kid on the swing or something? "</blockquote>




I guess I'm a freak lol I just always hear these weird stories and crazy things that happen that I'm just so paranoid. I'd want her to come straight to me first before ever thinking of talking to a stranger even if I'm in plain view.


Does that make me weird?