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AIBU?

stranger giving my child money

246 replies

trackies · 15/05/2013 22:09

Was at a toddler group with my 3 yo. There was a professional photographer there taking pics as approved by lady who runs it. They sit on a seat infront of a white screen. My child had a turn. My child is very chatty and friendly and likes posing for photos, and he found him easy to deal with. Bit later on my child, who likes attention and chatting to people, chatted to him for few mins, whilst i was there. Photographer was saying how lovely he was and he'd made his day, and then he gave him a gift of £2 and told him to buy some sweets with it. This freaked me out. I was a bit stunned. I tried to politely say that we can't take his money (i didn't want it!) but he insisted on me taking it. As i was leaving i tried to prize the £2 away from my child but he was clinging onto it so i left cos i just wanted to get out there! Got home and explained to small child that should not take gifts from strangers, but it wasn't his fault. I should have done something at the time. I was just caught off guard. Told my DH who said this man should have not been giving money to my child, and agreed that it's weird, but it could have been just someone being nice. But he was not happy. I told couple of Mummy friends who said it was weird aswell. DH said i definitely need to talk to the women who runs the group just to say that it made me uncomfortable and give the money back. Do you think it's weird ? or an act of kindness ? what would you do ?

OP posts:
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pocketcucco · 05/06/2019 16:05

I think it's just a kindness thing. I would do this sort of thing and not think much of it to be honest. I used to get given money for sweets from older people when I was little :)

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SnowyAlpsandPeaks · 05/06/2019 16:08

Zombie 🧟‍♀️This thread is 6 years old!!! I’m sure OP doesn’t care anymore now her child is in juniors 😂

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Isithometimeyet0987 · 05/06/2019 16:24

This happens all the time when my DD goes out with her grandad a lot of his friends would give her 50p or a pound and tell her to buy some sweets. I’ve had women give her a pound at bus stops and in supermarkets aswell. Quite common here but I’m from Northern Ireland dunno if where your from makes a difference?

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Nameisthegame · 05/06/2019 16:26

The Africans in my area often give my DD a euro I think it’s a cultural thing it’s very sweet and kind of them

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KarmaStar · 05/06/2019 16:26

Ffs.grow up!!

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Nameisthegame · 05/06/2019 16:27

Didn’t notice it wa a Zombie thread wooooo....has the kid made any more cash?

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Troels · 05/06/2019 16:29

Yeah it's a old school thing. I used to come home with a load of coins as a child and I remember my oldest son looking amazed when he kept getting coins from older people when we'd come back to UK in the summer holidays.
I think it's quite a nice thing.

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Troels · 05/06/2019 16:30

Whoops sorry Zombie alert

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HiJenny35 · 05/06/2019 16:31

This is ridiculous, it isn't a north/Welsh/London/south/Scottish thing it's a NORMAL nice thing. Your child was pleasant, he wanted to praise that and gave him a token of money to get something with, how is that weird. What a world when a nice gesture is totally misconstrued. I would have been delighted and said "thank you, how lovely of you". Once a lady in a coffee shop paid for our drinks as the children had been so polite, it's not weird it's lovely. What a shame that you feel the need to make this into a nasty thing.

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Corrine81 · 05/06/2019 16:57

I tend to do that as well , didn’t even realised is a bad thing , where I come from is very usual, especially to small kids to get a sweetie or two . I must stop before I get reported 😂

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Waveysnail · 05/06/2019 17:00

Its common in few places iv lived. My Mums always popping sliver coins into prams HmmGrin

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MaiaRindell · 05/06/2019 17:14

This happens a lot in Glasgow

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omione · 05/06/2019 17:20

Happens all the time where i live, most adults are nice and normal something OP needs to learn

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ChocChocButtons · 05/06/2019 17:20

I gave a little boy a pound. I was putting my trolly back and dropped the pound and it rolled under the trolleys. A boy with his dad ran and got it back for me. So I said you have keep it as a reward for being kind and helpful.

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KurriKurri · 05/06/2019 17:20

My Scottish MIL always used to give any kids she saw 'a penny' (actually usually a pound coin) for their piggy bank. When I lived in Scotland I had people put money in the babies pram.
Just an old custom - and quite nice actually.

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elizalovelace · 05/06/2019 17:22

How sad you and your husband thought horrible things just because someone was being kind to your DC. Lots of folk pop coins into prams or little hands 'for their money box' or to 'buy sweeties'. It's a nice thing to do!

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Beautiful3 · 05/06/2019 17:36

When mine were little they often get given a pound to buy sweets. It was always older people. I would say thank you and get on. It's a generational thing.

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SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 05/06/2019 17:39

ZOMBIE THREAD

The OP’s child is 9 now.

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londonrach · 05/06/2019 17:42

Happened to us. Meant to be good luck. Usually 50p. I thank the giver and put in dd pig. Its rude not to. Your reaction was ott.

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SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 05/06/2019 17:45

OTT and six years ago, @londonrach.

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maddy68 · 05/06/2019 17:46

Its a northern thing I think, it's very usual to give a child money to buy some sweets. Its a nice thing

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