Toddler dad picking up and touching other people's kids at playgroups

Same. It's getting ridiculous. I don't blame men for not helping and staying away from certain jobs. Why risk being accused? Fuck that.

Did it occur to you that your children may actually enjoy interaction with other people and that you don't actually own them?

Definitely!!

I am so grateful to have grown up when I did, before the world went completely mad!

Complain to the "nursery" about something that "could" happen? Complain because a man lifted a child onto a chair and touched another child's hat? Ridiculous. What a dreadful, soulless society devoid of human touch you seem to want to create.

We have instincts for a reason. If you think something is off with this man, then you are probably right.

Men, however they identify, commit around 99% of sexual crimes. In fact it's so rare for women to commit sex crimes that the recent rise in numbers of men identifying as women is skewing the crime statistics because over 70% of men who identify as women who are incarcerated in the UK have committed sex crimes or other violent crime.

This is literally the government figures: More than 70 per cent of transgender prisoners are in for sex offences or violent crimes

You’re the reason men are fearful of going into primary teaching and volunteering for primary age children’s groups. Get a grip.

Good grief.

He’s being human. The problem is not with him.

So, this man was showing kindness to the littles ones in full view of other people, in a park and at a toddler group. At the toddler group presumably there was a room full of other people. No suggestion that he was attempting to remove the child or do something sneaky.

How do you get from that to 'he must be a weirdo?' I am sorry if you have had bad experiences that mean your brain is wired this way but it doesn't make you right to jump to this conclusion.

If the world is becoming a more hostile place to live in, this is one of the reasons why. We all need kind women and kind men in our lives and our children need good role models. This man is sounds like a really good father, involved with his child (brave to turn up to toddler groups which are more often full of mums and childminders) and taking his child to the park.

When I was a child, one of my friends had a really fun dad. I can always remember being very cheeky to him at my friends parties. This is a warm memory from my childhood. I suppose nowadays, this man might feel that he couldn't be fun or involved at his kids party in case of speculation that he is a 'weirdo.' It's the reason that some men decided against teaching or becoming a scout leader or playing Father Christmas. Sad times.

The behaviour is a little unusual - but over-reacting to it instead of just keeping an eye is why good men may not help a child in distress. My husband would always send me to say, talk to a lost looking child about where their parents are if I was present. Do you really want him to be scared to take a child with no visible parents around out of the sea? He was closer than me so he acted.

I don't. They're protecting themselves. People get accused of all sorts.

50/50?
No.
No it isn't.

I wish all men were safer around children. And yes I wish they would interact safely with children. Sadly the fear (and sometimes overeation) around men and children is based on experience. Personal or otherwise. And you don't want to send the msg to a child that all men are safe and can touch and pick them.

Having said that, @Babycatsarenice the greatest risk to children is familiar men; family, friends, partners, religious leaders that families trust etc. But You do you.

What part of his behaviour is “not observing normal boundaries around children” or “not quite right”?

Nothing he’s doing seems inappropriate or not normal.

Most parents would not think twice about touching someone else’s kid, especially when it’s helping them to do something.

Oh God I always touch peoples kids! I didn’t think it was an issue at all.

I think especially when you have a little one yourself, it’s just second nature to touch other kids.

What are you worried about?

Oh please fuck off with your lies.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0145213417303320

1-3% of csa convictions being women. Estimates that around 11% of perpetrators could could be women. Even the most extreme estimates suggested are 15-20%. 20% falls far short of 50%.

Your misogyny is gross.

Edited to add:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0190740920309646
This study found 4% of perpetrators of cas of children under 8 to be female.

If he's touching them to help them (ie sounds like he's adjusting a hat, helping onto a chair etc) I see no problem. Would you feel this way if it was a woman?

My husband is from Madeira (Portuguese) and adults interact with strangers kids constantly- it’s cultural, my kids really like it and it’s only ever when a parent is right there.

Regarding stats....

We know that the vast majority of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is committed by the male sex. The annual Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) published Office for National Statistics (ONS) in 2019 revealed 96% of adults asked about their experiences of child sexual abuse said it involved a male perpetrator. It is unusual for a lone perpetrator to be female.
https://fairplayforwomen.com/sexdatawrong/

This is normal interaction with kids in a public place. He’s not enticing them into the bushes alone in the park or taking them off to change their nappies FFS.

Where on earth did you get these statistics? Can you refer me to the relevant source

How freaking sad!!

Poor little boy, I'm glad you were there! Why was his mum laughing at him? Very odd reaction to him hurting himself.

Maybe because some woman treat any man who enjoys innocently playing with children as a paedophile, and consider any woman who doesn’t share their view to be guilty of child neglect.