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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

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

107 replies

NCForNow · 03/09/2012 08:12

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?

OP posts:

Thumbwitch · 03/09/2012 14:11

I remember watching one episode of the Apprentice, where they had to sell sweets at a zoo or some public park place - one of them offered the sweet to the child, actually handed it over, and the parents were then obliged to part with the money. They were pissed off and the person who did it got ticked off for doing it.

YANBU - the performer should not have offered the lollipop to any child without checking with their parent(s) first.

TheEnthusiasticTroll · 03/09/2012 14:12

I did tell her they where not really laughing at her and she shouldnt be embarrased as he frigtened her. though it was one of those silly moments when you could cry for you dcs.

We did later sit on the wall and watch every one elses reaction to him with a bit of a giggle our selfs.

She didnt want to go any where near him again.

RedHelenB · 03/09/2012 14:12

OMG! Don't take your dd to Italy they were all ruffling my sons hair!! Let's get a grip shall we!!!

limitedperiodonly · 03/09/2012 14:17

I hate living statues especially when they're cluttering up the view at the world's greatest monuments. Even more if they play a CD of pan pipes.

JambalayaCodfishPie · 03/09/2012 14:18

I don't want to 'get a grip'. I like that my children won't take sweets from strangers. I'll happily pass that issue on thanks.

SoupDragon · 03/09/2012 14:20

I like that my children are able to think to look at me for permission and are able to know the difference between a street performer when they are with a parent and the child snatcher.

Sparklingbrook · 03/09/2012 14:21

I wouldn't want strangers to ruffle my Dc's hair either. What's that all about?

ThePigOnTheWall · 03/09/2012 14:22

I think you might need to unclench a bit OP

TheEnthusiasticTroll · 03/09/2012 14:25

me get a grip?

JambalayaCodfishPie · 03/09/2012 14:26

And FWIW, I hate that 'get a grip' has become the new stock MN response to any scenario where 'leave the bastard' won't fit. Ridiculous.

Original poster

NCForNow · 03/09/2012 14:26

RedHelen now I do not mind a hair ruffle so much, I have spent time in Italy and like the way they are with DC there...I couldn't keep hold of DD1 for two minutes in restaurants there...people would just expect a hold and she liked it as a sociable ten month old...but offering shitty sweets in the middle of the street as I shop and expecting money? Nah...not on.

I don''t need to "unclench" Pig....I'm chilled by nature....but I don't like the tactics.

OP posts:

limitedperiodonly · 03/09/2012 14:28

I went on a school trip to Rome sporting a disastrously short hair cut. About two inches all over except on the nape of the neck where it was wonky. It was meant to be a tribute to Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday.

Everyone ruffled my hair. I was 17 and hoping to impress Italian boys

RedHelenB · 03/09/2012 14:33

Fair enough NCT but I think in this country we are getting as bit too over the top in some ways about stranger danger, to the point of someone being screamed at as a bad man. I agree that children shouldn't take sweets from strangers but you were holding your child's hand & were right with him. I would just have said no thank you, not yanked them away like he was Satan!

TheEnthusiasticTroll · 03/09/2012 14:38

A 6 year old was frightened and reacted FFS she has not bought into the whole OTT stranger danger . She shit herself and he was a bad man for frightening her, in her eyes. It was not a learnt responce to alert people to her being in danger.

WildWorld2004 · 03/09/2012 15:08

If they were selling them then thats wrong but if they were just being given away i dont think its a problem. If you didnt want your dc to have it all you needed to have said was 'No thank you we dont need that'

I also think stranger danger is getting over the top.

Original poster

NCForNow · 03/09/2012 15:23

RedHelen but my whole point of this thread wasnt about stranger danger...but about begging and using DC as an excuse to con money. I did wander off into "And I told her we don't take sweets from strangers" but that was because at 4 she'll not understand the ethics of busking versus begging and cajoling/

WILDWORLD....they were being "given" only as a way of engaging children...once the lollipop has been taken the statue will freeze and indicate it's money pot...so the child or parent is meant to put money in to make it move again.

OP posts:

WildWorld2004 · 03/09/2012 17:03

If the statue didnt actually ask for money i would have taken the sweet & walked off. Standing and waiting is not asking for money.

Leithlurker · 03/09/2012 17:20

NC this is what you said:
A: You don't take sweets from weird painted men strangers

So male =check
Weird = check
Painted = check.

So any male wearing starnge clothing make up is to be distrusted and avoided. Especialy if they should be trying to sell something.

TheSmallClanger · 03/09/2012 17:27

Was this in Manchester?

If so, I know the statue man. He is a crap living statue who doesn't keep still very well, and always looks very grubby and disreputable.

Original poster

NCForNow · 03/09/2012 17:33

Leith and had it been a woman I would have said "Weird painted woman"

Se had nothing to do with it.

Not Manchester no.

OP posts:

limitedperiodonly · 03/09/2012 17:45

smallclanger love the description 'grubby and disreputable'.

I wonder if there's a website where you can post pix of living statues and ratings?

Wingedharpy · 03/09/2012 17:59

No views on taking lsweets I'm afraid but.......
I simply love, love, love living statues.
In Las Ramblas in Barcelona I could have stood all day watching the various statues as they did their thing.
Brilliant.
It's the main reason I want to go back.
But keep your eye on your handbag as pick-pockets abound.

Original poster

NCForNow · 03/09/2012 18:00

This one isn't grubby...he's a bit crap but I've seen worse. He wears a white hooded cloak.

OP posts:

Maat · 03/09/2012 18:02

TheSmallClanger - I was just going to post about the crap living statue in Manchester. He can't even be bothered doing his face now and wears a mask instead. He also stands on what looks like a JML blue step that you can see through his robe.

I've seen some fantastic living statues in other cities (mainly abroad) that I had to admire - but he isn't one of them!

Original poster

NCForNow · 03/09/2012 18:06

Winged then look here there are some AMAZING ones...I'm all for art...but I can't see some of the guys in the link resorting to tricks such as this idiot did...that's because they're done SO well they don't have to!

People just stare and give to say well done for the effort.

OP posts:

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