To think that if you are going to stare at ds, at least have the decency to smile at him when he waves to you.

[hazeyjane]

To the woman who stopped and stared as I walked dd's and ds back from the bus stop. Ds is 4 and has a genetic condition, I was pushing him on his little push along bike, and he was making happy noises and blowing raspberries and waved at the woman as he does to everyone, but rather than smiling or waving back, she stopped and just stared at us. It seemed to me it was a stare of curiosity, but she could have bloody smiled as ds waved frantically at her.

I'm as vague as flipchart. I often realise I've been staring at someone, when actually I'm off in my world thinking about some shit I can't even remember. If I notice in time, I give them a sort of embarrassed grin and look somewhere else, but I must have done it millions of times without realising. I blank people I know in the street/shops as well. Can't help it

Obviously not saying your woman wasn't a rude so-and-so, but unfocused staring is actually quite common so it may have been meaningless :)

He is lovely! Getting stared at is horrible and I am constantly surprised how rude people can be. Sympathy.

Thankyou, you are all lovely. I get the unfocused staring, I do it myself, but then if I catch someone's eye I would smile.

Now if it had been the day that ds had taken dd1's 'fart cushion' key ring (an ill thought out stocking filler), and he sat in his buggy pressing it at every passerby, I could understand a few stares.

We live in such a stranger/paedo/abduction obsessed society that sadly sometimes I think people are scared to interact with children they don't know.

Is it very wrong of me to want a fart cushion keyring?

It is particularly satisfying to press when someone bends down to pick something up.

(Not that I would ever do that, oh no)

Oh hazey, he is adorable. I bet he is really squishy and lovely to cuddle.

oh definitely good to cuddle, in fact he has just woken up! So off for a cuddle now!!

I have a fart keyring. It's fun to press in time to steps.

I'm hoping lots of people are reading this thread and vowing to wave next time

I personally was not talking about unfocused staring but turning to look focused staring.

Also I didn't mean looking for a second too long but looking for about a minute

Yes Fanjo, if this had been unfocused staring then I wouldn't have thought twice. This was stop, look at boy who just looks a bit different to the norm and is making funny noises and stand and stare, even when the mum (me!) stops to look at you to check you are definitely staring!

I know it will happen more, and I know I will grow a thicker skin, but I don't want to have to, and I don't want ds to stop being happy, raspberry blowing, waving at everyone like the queen ds. I just want people to be nicer and kinder (I know that is a big ask)

tallwivglasses - I hope so too.

Something happened today to restore my faith in people..hopefully it will yours too, hazey.

In fact I wonder if the people were MNers who had read this thread..

We are on holiday this week and I was feeling fed up as people hadn't waved to DD etc..then we went to a busy beach.

DD was obsessed with a spade a girl was playing with and kept trying to take it although we were both hanging on to her.

At first the family of the girl with the spade were quite annoyed at Dd. We were embarrassed and apologised.

Then a really lovely woman came over and offered us her kids bucket and spade to play with. She was talking to Dd and asking her name and playing with the sand with her, and asked us about her holiday.

Then we were about to leave and the original family came over and gave us a windmill for Dd to play with. They just hadn't realised at first that DD had SN. When we went away they insisted she kept the windmill.

I almost felt teary. It made our day.

If anyone involved is reading this, thank you so much.

I said to Dd they were kind people and she signed 'yes' and was super excited all the way back in car.

dawndonna can I borrow that one?

I'm glad I can't see how many people stare at me.

girl I met on the MRT told me everyone was staring at me reading with my loop. She said next time I should wave.

Fanjo, that's lovely. :)

Gosh what a beautiful family you have hazey.
I'd have waved and smiled, even though I'm a grumpy old biddy

mini-hazey is indeed gorgeous which is why he is betrothed to my little bluechick. hazey and I have bought hats and have a colour scheme and everything!

Let's hope she was merely staring in awe. But I do like the idea of standing in between your DC and the starer and staring back. bluechick gets quite a few stares due to an aspect of her condition (although she is impossibly gorgeous too) so I may have to start doing that.

Fanjo, that is lovely, and I wish it was more commonplace.

A lovely old lady was chatting away to ds today, and being very sweet to him, whilst he blew raspberries in her face, so we met a good one too

Picture for Bluechick (everyone loves a boy in a kilt!)

Adorable picture hazeyjane.

I always smile and wave when children smile and wave at me. It seems so rude not to. Staring pisses me off no end, but I know it is sometimes unintentional.

I love anyone in a kilt

Yep, she still loves him! Excited grabbing of the laptop!

bluebird.

Beautiful children!