A policeman in the supermarket ,would you do this?

Not great parenting but not really different to telling them Father Christmas won't bring any presents, or the Easter Bunny won't bring any chocolate eggs. We might think that's very mean, but we wouldn't worry they might be teaching the child that Father Christmas and the Easter Bunny are vengeful and cruel, and that it might mean the kid develops fear and loathing of both for the rest of their lives. So equally I don't think this interaction is probably going to convince the little girl that the police are vengeful and cruel, and make her wary of them forevermore either.

Plus I'd personally say all the above are nothing like as bad as telling children they'll burn in hell for all eternity if they say/do/wear the wrong thing, yet we're fine with that! Parents have been threatening dire consequences for unwanted behaviour since time began.

And what did he tell the child the handcuffs were for?! For when people are naughty/badly behaved I assume!?!

Tosser dad

Neither does a child being naughty.

Even more awful. Abusive imo.

Why was your car being stopped? Drugs searches? You weren't being stopped randomly all these times - what was the reason?

You think threatening your child with the police is normal?

Slightly different but I say that to my little dog. I say here's the doggy police coming for you 😂.

But if you're lost or scared you aren't being 'naughty' and you have no reason to fear arrest?

Poor little girl, having a moron for a father.

Why are you even taking them there?

There are plenty of criminal cases against firefighters, paramedics, surgeons. Plenty of people are criminally abuser within the NHS - see the recent investigation of midwifery, the heart surgeon who was sexually abusing staff around him, the psychiatrist who was sexually abusing his patients.

The most dangerous men in our lives are actually the ones we have close relationships with.

Not all men, but always men.

I can remember being told this in the 1970s 😂
I am not or ever have been fearful of the police.

I am however generally law abiding 😁

Ok. When I was doing the food shopping with my two and a police man or woman were in there, maybe getting their lunch, I'd say "look a policeman like your Papa!"

I wouldn't say "and by the way, if you don't do exactly what I tell you, they'll take you to jail".

That's is way beyond "tip-top A+ parenting.

It's appalling parenting.

I’m sorry, but this is just as confusing for children! It’s just simplifying it the other way.

Youre equally teaching ‘if someone is naughty or doing something bad, the police won’t stop them, they’re only there to help people’

I’d like my child to know that the police do stop people who are being very naughty and that is why you can go to them for help!!!!

Why? It's best to avoid the police at all costs. Best way of going it is to not do something illegal.

But sometimes they can still be arses even if you haven't done anything wrong

At one stage I used to cross Dartford tunnel in my car and without fail would be stopped before a few miles down the A2. Then questioned by police ( and they did have attitude) often had the car searched etc Had us in police car more than once while car being searched All my own and car documents were legal

Id never been in any trouble with them in my life. The attitude of them was very u friendly and my young daughters were scared of them

It got to the stage when they didn't want to visit Grandma due to the police

Not sure in what world that my daughters would think the police were there to help

I think it’s awful that parents say this to their children to get them to behave.

I tell my daughter if she is ever lost or scared and she sees a police officer, she is to tell them.

Kids need to not be afraid of the police.

@ThatLilacTiger why did you think the other emergency response people were safer. Do you allow your DC to talk to friend’s parents?

I used to be scared to death of the rag n bone man I would hide under the stairs. Someone must have me something for me to be so scared but I can't remember just remember hiding and being scared to death 😂

I'm astounded that you're astounded. Takes all sorts... which may also astound you to grasp.

My father was a police officer and he hated when parents did this. He was concerned that if the kid got lost or hurt and saw a love officer they would be afraid of them instead of going to them for help.

Yes it is a weird thing to do. I’m not in the police, and once had a random stranger in a supermarket tell his child that if they weren’t good I would tell them off! (I said no I won’t to the children btw!)

Stupid thing to say because the policeman won't take her to prison. The policeman will wrongly arrest her on trumped up charges and invent evidence, then the court will send her to prison.

Honestly who cares? Such a minor thing, I don’t see the point in posting here about it. No one’s parenting is perfect but ultimately it’s a dumb thing to get upset about.