...to be automatically afraid and suspicious when a stranger approaches me?

[Boomerwang]

Walking back from my child's grandparents' house I was approached by a man speaking to me. After a few seconds it transpired he wanted to know about my pushchair as he has a pregnant daughter and wanted to get a good one for her. He'd never seen my type of pushchair before.

I was suspicious as to whether this was a ploy to get closer to my handbag, which was dangling off a hook on the handles. When he tried to put his foot on the brake I had a load of thoughts shooting through my mind, front and foremost that he'd steal my purse and the next one was that he was going to grab the pushchair off me and walk away with my baby.

When we departed I breathed a sigh of relief that we were unharmed, but it didn't stop me wondering if perhaps he'd changed his mind or got scared off by something.

It's not that I think everybody wants to hurt me and mine, it's just not knowing anything about a person that makes me afraid before relaxing, rather than the other way around. What a shame :(

Wow amazing story!

I've just remembered another instance when I was so grateful to a 'stranger' - I had recently moved to a new area and walked to meet my DS from school, but I got hopelessly lost. (I obviously have no sense of direction - see my comments at 17.55) - I realised I would be late to meet my DS, had no mobile phone with me so I stopped to ask someone directions and asked them to drop me back at the school, it wasn't that far and they seemed happy to do so. In my experience, most people are kind & friendly .

How fantastic and brave of them! I don't mind being approached by people in the street and would never be automatically suspicious or afraid. I would assume they had a genuine reason for it unless their manner was definitely odd. But I teach teenagers and therefore don't freak at groups of them.

I feel like this, never ever did before I had children but they make me vulnerable as I don't know how I would physically cope if someone harmed them or them me iyswim. But then I did have pretty bad post natal anxiety and still don't think I'm quite right.

Laly I got shivers reading that. That was so good of them, very brave.

Putting his foot on the brake would seem like crossing your boundaries, OP.

I recommend The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker to help you understand your instincts/subconscious responses to these situations.

Putting his foot on the brake would seem like crossing your boundaries, OP.

I recommend The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker to help you understand your instincts/subconscious responses to these situations.

Well, I did try to make a grab for my handbag. Not sure if he noticed or not. I guess he didn't know how to ask about it in English.