To tell this child I am a weirdo?

[Namechangeareeno]

Have new pup who is toilet training so spend a lot of time in the garden.
Group of local kids have walked passed a few times making 'oooh puppy' noises and I've said hello.

Yesterday they came by again and this girl, about 8, asks if she can stroke puppy.

I lift pup up to the gate and she says 'I'll come in the garden' and before I could respond she ran round into the garden.

She held pup for a minute then said 'can I come in your house and see her bed?'

I said 'well, no. You can't go into random people's houses. It's dangerous

Her friend says 'there's weirdos about!'

I say 'yep there are

The girls asks if I'm a weirdo and I tell her I am!

She looks rather shocked and I said 'well no I'm not really, but there's no way to tell. That's why you shouldn't go with anyone you don't know

I'm shocked that she's allowed to wander about and hasn't been given the stranger danger talk

I think you were right to say something, though I don't think I would use the word weirdo unless you want the local vigilantes round ( remembering the story of the paediatrician hounded because some idiots thought it was the same as a paedophile, never knew if this was an urban myth or not). If you know which school the child goes to I would phone up and speak to the headteacher, I did this when kids came knocking for sponsorship, I suggested they did an assembly on not knocking on strangers doors etc etc.

And shouldn't there be a puppy picture with your thread OP?

I think it s more likely she has been given the stranger danger talk but in her enthusiasm, she ignored it/forgot it.

My DD is like this, even at 13. I have to constantly remind her. There are specific local adults who she has to stay away from and those she is pretty good about, but strangers, she is convinced all the world is as nice as her. Also, as she has a pretty high up karate belt, she says she could deal with anyone who tried to hurt her. She is pretty strong and might be able to, but she is still a 13 year old girl!

I refuse to believe you’re a genuine poster, unless you post photos of your puppy. Bloody troll, coming on here and pretending to have a scrumptious puppy, but no photo. please please please post a photo of pup

Proof I am a genuine pup owner

I probably shouldn't have said it but I was trying to drive it home that ANYONE (even a mum with a puppy) isn't 100% trustable.

Awwwwwwwwwww! Puppy!

Misses point of thread, goes off to google dog breeders.

I hadn’t heard about that (probable) urban myth.

I can tell you that my (quite religious) primary school did such a good job of terrifying us about stranger danger that a bunch of us took it upon ourselves to dole out vigilante justice to the work vehicle of a poor innocent school handyman. We’d spied a big torch in his back seat, and surmised he was a Dreaded Flasher.

Perhaps a few more practical details rather than vague tales of bogeymen out to harm kids would be helpful, hey?

Oh goodness. I think I'd probably wander into a random persons house for a cuddle with that little fluff ball!
On a serious note I think you handled that very well and hopefully the little girl will remember your wise words OP. I've been trying to teach our children the same.

Completely missing the point of the thread but your puppy is seriously cute! What breed?

Given that 'weirdo' was the term the children used, I think your response was entirely appropriate. Well done!

(And squeeee....awww)

YANBU I think you handled it well.

Takes me right back to the 'Charley says' adverts

There is a viral Facebook video where a man asks parents for permission to attempt to get their child to leave with him. The parents consent thinking their child will say no. However the man has a puppy and so every child happily skips away holding his hand on the promise of seeing more puppies. I think that maybe 'people with pets are still strangers.' needs to be included in stranger danger education and from parents.

Baby spaniel all swaddled 😢 oh goodness he's beautiful

Stranger danger talks are all well and good but they are almost always forgotten fairly quickly afterwards. Our local council send in people to do role play in local schools with that message and, after they have finished, they have different people walk near the school with dogs and/or sweets. Even just half an hour after the talk, a large percentage of children show no concern about being approached by a stranger.

Although I never really did "stranger danger" with my two. The message I wanted to give them was that they went nowhere, with anyone, regardless of whether they knew them or not, without my express permission first.

Yanbu. I was like this till I was about 30 and fuck knows how I never ran into any serious trouble! Hopping into people’s cars as soon as they offered a lift, confronting random drug dealers in the middle of a city etc etc. Jesus.

Anywho, I worry my dd will be like this. She would go off with anyone who she liked the look of and I am trying to drill it into her not to even think about it, while also jot scaring her or making her antisocial.

@viques
Not an urban myth.
www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/aug/30/childprotection.society

My neighbours 14yr old talks to strange men who chat her up on the street, (she looks her age, not older) despite me & her Mum having kittens & warning her. I've warned the 28yr old builder down the road off:he asked her if she wanted a boyfriend. It's an attention thing, she wouldn't go off with them , but as I told her, they could drag her off, abduct or stalk her. She thinks she's invincible tho.

A very naughty Springer spaniel. She's wonderful though.

Baby Spaniel 😍😍😍

I actually think you did a great job. That little girl will always re,ember what you said. It is frightening how puppies and kittens tots
You override the stranger danger message.

Just remembered OP the man who kidnapped & kept 3girls for 10years in US, told the first girl (21 but tiny & looked 15 ish) he had puppies she could go see.