To have yanked DD away from the "Living statue"?

[NCForNow]

One of those living statues in our town...he's doing his thing as we pass...he's holding a lollypop....a cheap and nasty one...he sees my 4 year old close to his feet and bends slowly down towards her whilst proffering the lolly...she naturally reaches out for it.

I yank her away a bit too quickly because of the following

A: You don't take sweets from weird painted men strangers

B: He has not asked my permission

C: He'll expect a pound in his bucket for the lolly

My Mum said "Oh that was a bit rude of you..."

I was annoyed and wanted to tell him to bugger off.

WIBU?

He has been called a creepy looking peedo man by about 2 posters on this thread.
Also what would happen if you did walk away with the lollipop?

I just think statue man is only trying to make a living. But actually thinking about it, I wouldn't let my dd accept a lolly from him. I would still give him some money though.

I think perhaps yanking her away was a slight overreaction, he wasn't posing any immediate danger.

I wouldn't allow my children to take sweets from anyone without my permission first, either, so I don't think you're being entirely unreasonable. I think I'd have just told her not to take it rather than pull her away, though.

went to a touristy small town recently and a usual relaxing grassy area by the river has now been invaded by balloon sellers street entertainers didn't like the atmosphere at all could work out if it is put on by the council or not anyway didn't like it so moved across the river to a more relaxing area

Geez. No-one really thinks paedo. They think since when was I supposed to be telling my kids 'Dont take things from strangers unless they're playing dress up because you know they're only trying to make a living"

It's begging. Using a kids naievty to pressure adults to put money in the begging bowl.
Not far removed from those who parade the seafront on the continent with animals, knowing the kids will pester parents to have a photo taken with the eagle/lizard/monkey.

I don't think this is an over reaction. The OP has taught her child not to accept sweets from strangers. YANBU.

YANBU to think that giving out sweets without asking permission first is wrong, I wouldn't have let my DD have the lollipop either.

Those statue things aren't too bad creepy wise but I was in Edinburgh for the festival and was walking up the royal mile where they have lots of street performers, felt a tap on the shoulder and turned round to be confronted with a ventriloquist's dummy right in my face, I nearly shat myself those things are bloody horrible.

Jambalaya at least two people have used ths word paedo on this thread

I know. I said no-one REALLY thinks paedo.

Nobody really thinks the man is using it as a rouse to get at their children.

How do you know? And if that is the case I think saying a man looks like a paedo is really bad.

The paedo thing is a massive over-reaction, but the OP didn't use that word. AFAIK she's objecting to a stranger giving sweets to her daughter - which is fair enough. You teach them not to take sweets from strangers, statue man is a stranger! The sweets thing is also designed to pressure you to put money in the box too, which I don't like. They're supposed to be a statue, not a sweetie vending machine.

I think that kids don't have the freedom to go out without an adult in the same way as they used to and so wouldn't be unsupervised anyway.

By the time they are old enough to be unaccompanied they are old enough to know about 'stranger danger'.

As far as giving sweets without permission, what's wrong with 'no thank you' and then moving on?

What's all this about balloon men? Have I missed a trick?

Fwiw I have never plied my trade in the street, I can't imagine it is very lucrative, but stick to childrens parties and restaurants. In both cases I work for a fixed fee, no matter how many balloons I make, and never ask the parents for a penny (let alone 300 of them!)

I also pay tax, so please don't tar us all with the same brush! :)

some people need to lighten up, seriously.

"we don't take sweets from strangers" I presume none of you will be taking your dc to see father Christmas this year then ey?

It was a lolly ffs not a joint. If you don't want it just say "no thank you" all this hysteria/talk of "strange men" (note how it's only men being referred to here) is just a bit pathetic. Way to pass on your issues to your kids.

Get a grip.

Living statues should be rounded up and shot made to stand in a room full of mirrors until they accept how annoying they are and renounce their ways.

I wouldn't want a lolly from a Statue whether male or female.

You should be free to go about your business without having to avoid all these people in the street that want money from you whether chuggers, statues, balloon people or whatever.

Last week I had to take a screaming DD out of her pram, carry her on my hip while trying to put my groceries in the pram and at the same time attempt to soothe her. I was clearly frazzled and struggling with a red faced hysterical child who was flailing her limbs everywhere when a woman approached me, and I thought for a second she may be offering to help me with the bags. 'excuse me, would you have a second to answe a few questions about...?'

Errrrr.... no!

I never once mentioned peados or "predators"!!!

Others did. My issue is the sly way of making people feel they HAVE to throw something in the bucket.

Giving kids sweets is a sly way of approaching things.

That was for Leith and others btw.

wannabe Father Christmas is Father Christmas and he's in a grotto which parents CHOOSE TO VISIT>...he doesn't pounce on you in the street!

Not taking sweets from strangers has been a pretty basic rule for children certainly from my early childhood in the 1970s. He must know this.

You just need to teach your dd about statute men really. I think offering sweets is a bit off, but then what about carnivals, theatre shows - we let our kids take sweets from strangers then, so it not a huge deal. And if they don't do it with balloons or sweets, they still manage to captivate children in some other way.

I told the dts from a young age that those statute people just want to steal all their money, and they keep a wide berth now

My dd was at weston super mare pier and one of those living statues bent forward and stroked her face.

My dd is 6 and reacted fantasticly she screamed and then shoved him shouting very loudly "You are a very bad man, Do not touch me" and turned with her hands on her hips and was sadly very embarassed at the crowed who then laughed at her.

Did you tell her they were laughing in surprise at her brilliance Troll?? I would be so proud if I were you...little children are too often taught to "respect" adults in WHATEVER they are doing...and I hope my DC would have the self assurance yours did.