to ask people not to touch toddlers not related to them?

[evalyn]

Out yesterday with DGC. DGC walking, within grabbing distance, but not holding hands. Middle aged woman, 'Aah, gorgeous!', gently ruffles DGC's hair, smiles broadly at me. DGC shrinks away. I say to this woman, 'Yes, but you shouldn't touch, please.' Woman sniffs, nose in air, walks off in huff.

AIBU to think that even 2-year-olds have the right not to be touched at all, however affectionately, by strangers? And to be really annoyed that this woman thinks she has the right to ruffle my DGC's hair like that?

Why would a child be any different?

You seriously can't work out why people behave in different ways towards children and adults?

dear god, where will it end? Casts eyes to heaven in disbelief

selinasupreme this what I've been saying but apparently we're wrong
I've made the same point of saying that most adults wouldn't want to be touched by random starngers in the street, why then is it ok to do it to a small child?
Funnily enough no one has come on saying that they would have no problem with their hair being ruffled/being tickled by a stranger...funny that.

Starngers = strangers

Funnily enough no one has come on saying that they would have no problem with their hair being ruffled/being tickled by a stranger...funny that.

I think we established some time ago that most people would have a problem with that because it bestows a childlike status on the recipient.

However, I have never had a problem with someone I don't know tapping me on the shoulder or putting their hand on my arm or shoulder in a moment of crisis as these are both age and culturally appropriate forms of social communication.

if an adult was subjected to the same it would be called abuse.... seriously? , a bit weird and patronising to ruffle a strange adults hair yes, but hardly abuse. OP I think you need to get over yourself a bit, I doubt your GC is scarred by the experience, you may not like what the lady did but telling her off was a bit OTT.

Are we talking about moments of crisis? If my DS was bolting into the road I would have no problem with someone grabbing him, no matter how upset he got, and I would be eternally grateful but I'm not talking about something like that.
And as for "bestowing a childlike status on the recipient", that sounds like a child is a lesser person with less rights than an adult.

No wonder some children are fearful of any interaction with members of the public.

Are we talking about moments of crisis?

Err not particularly It was just an example of appropriate social communication via touch.

that sounds like a child is a lesser person with less rights than an adult.

Really? Does a child also have fewer rights because we use different types of language to address them?