To think this was weird?

[MintyBojingles]

Took DD 18 months out for a walk in the pushchair today, was walking along a footpath that goes along the back of fields and woodlands within a residential area.

Saw a bloke, probably 60-70 years old walking with a dog, smiled as he passed by, and suddenly he stopped, got right up close to DD and produced a my little pony toy that he tried to convince her to take. when she didn't respond he stuck it on the bar that goes across in front of her. All happened so fast I was a bit gobsmacked. Got round the corner and pulled it off, and it had some kind of wrapping right around the hair and another round the tail - makes me think it was brand new.

AIBU to think this is a bit weird or was it just some old dude who found a toy and wanted to give it a home?

maybe it had a hidden camera in it!

I thought this, too! :) I bet he buys cases and cases of My Little Ponies and tiny spy cameras then gives them to unsuspecting little girls.

usual because I'm weird like that
He'd be happy he gave it , that's what matters

argarf he once kept, washed & tried to give me some bedsheets that had blew into his garden from next door. Bloody loved him

When DD was born loads of people kept on stuffing money in her pram - apparently its traditional round here, I'm not from round here so took SIL to explain it. Never worried me. Not used to living in such a friendly part of the world.

If that were me I'd want to be really cool with it but inside I'd be paranoid as fuck!

I'd have accepted it then ditched it and run home.

I don't want to think the worst of people but all the shite you read gets to your brain.

It could well be a happy meal one, been years since I bought a happy meal, so wouldn't know the difference.

If a bloke deshrinks and pops out, he'll have a shock - it's in the boot of the car which is deadlocked. Probably be quite hungry by morning, perhaps I should put some bread out just in case.

I remember when mine were babies - seems like a million years ago! it was quite common for an older person to come up to us, give me a smile, give them a tickle under the chin or a hair ruffle, sometimes give them 20p or 50p (score!! ) give me another grin and pootle off. It was something quite normal

I remember those times.

I'm glad you find it odd, rather than creepy, OP.

Ahh, you are in Scotland OP! Was quite a surprise when I took my god daughter out for a trundle and came back with £8.50 in her pram. Lovely people kept stopping me and popping cash in the pram!

Definitely suspicious. There's probably another man hiding inside the my little pony who is going to take a de-shrinking pill when he gets into OP's house and abduct everyone. He'll probably pull the tail in and jump out of the tail hole. Check the tail for signs of tampering.

LOL. Priceless.

Aww how lovely.

Sounds like it might have been stuck to a kid's magazine.

I think it's sweet.

FWIW, DS3 has such an angelic little face that a bloke that works in the carwash near us gave him a helicopter toy. He used to see DH and DS walking by almost every day, DS would give him a wave and shout hi.

It wasn't brand new but DS (and the other DS' truth be told) loved it. I thought it was sweet.

I thought we teach our kids not to take stuff from strangers? Or is that just me? Doesn't matter the DDs age.

Think it's a bit different when the parent is there! Accepting something from a stranger doesn't mean no conversations around stranger danger take place.

(In our case, it didn't for some time as DS was only 2.)

It will be from a kinder egg, they r doing mop toys just now

One day I was walking along the street holding DD's hand (she was two at the time). As we passed a parked fire engine, a fireman opened the door, jumped out on to the pavement in front of us and handed DD a packet of chocolate buttons. Like your experience, OP, it happened really fast.

DD didn't miss a beat - took the sweets and said 'bye' while walking on!

My kids knew if they were with me or their Dad, it would be fine to politely accept.

I would find this odd. We have an neighbour who is regularly visited by the police.
He half shares the reasons for this; usually an exes kids have made accusations, yeah right!
He always produces sweeties for children. Often things live love hearts.
You are right to be wary.

Why big? An elderly man gives a child the toy from his kinder egg, in front of her mother, and goes on his merry way. What on earth is there to be wary about there?

It's sad when random acts of kindness are viewed with such suspicion, mostly I suspect because the person was male.

Don't think it was from a kinder egg, was a full sized mlp, unless giant kinder egg?

I'd find it kind of creepy if I'm honest. but I've probably watched too many scary movies where paedophiles and serial killers use tricks to gain the confidence of innocent kids

So he was just wandering around the field backing onto the woods with a brand new my little pony in his pocket in case he bumped into someone who might like it. Hmm....

That said, he was clearly not being a threat to you or your DC. Maybe he was just being nice and liked making little kids happy.

A strange over familiar bloke on a train once insisted on giving my DD (then nearly 1) a key ring. It was really awkward for a few minutes as it was a grubby wooden thing that I didn't want her sticking in her mouth.

I think it's weird. I have an anxiety disorder. I'd never walk there again for fear of old men with my little ponies stuffed into their pockets chasing me home.