Is it reasonable for an adult to say this to a kid?

[Goawaythen]

In a play centre type place, rammed as it’s holidays. Kid trying to talk to adult and adult responds with ‘go away, I don’t want to talk to you.’

Not really, where was the parent of the child to stop it pestering other adults?

It is a bit blunt. Once I was with DNephew at a play park. This child of about the same age kept on annoying him and not playing properly with him, and was goading him into hitting (with a stick). The boy kept on approaching him and shouting etc again and again. DNephew wanted to play but wasn’t allowed to as this kid was everywhere! I tried to get them and another child to play nicely but this one kid wasn’t having it.

The parent was sat nearby on a bench on their phone and I’d already looked at her to see what she’d do (nothing, she caught my eye). So I said something similar to this to this boy. Child went away and played with someone else.

Depends what the child was doing as to whether it was a rational response.

Last time I took the kids to soft play another child came up to our table, knocked my bag off the remaining chair, sat down and started helping herself my son's lunch whilst he was eating it. So yes, I told her to go away. It wasn't a particularly good reaction, but I didn't exactly have time to think of the best way to deal with the situation

But sometimes (unusual) parents don’t get involved!

there were kinder ways to put the message across, so it wasn't necessary

A random child? How old are they?
Yes, I’d probably say something like that if the interruptions were continuous and I’d already done the nice talk. How else do you get them to go away?
If it’s calm and clear, rather than snarled or yelled then it’s fine IMO.

I don't know the voting
I also don't know how old etc this kid was. Some kids need it spelt out.

I mean context is everything. If the child just came and said hi and was told to go away then that’s mean, but if they’e been a pest then it’s fair enough!

How do we vote? It's a tad abrupt but we don't know how long the child had been pestering.

I would assume the child was pestering a random adult who wanted to be left alone, and that the child’s parents should have kept an eye on their kid and told them not to bother strangers who are trying to have a grown up conversation

If it was a random child trying to talk to an unknown adult, said adult may not wish to engage for fear of being labelled a paedo/pervert/child murderer.
Just one picture posted on FaceyB titled
"Beware of this man/woman, just tried to talk to my child. Must be a paedo"
And Bob's yer uncle, an innocent person life funked up because people can't keep their nose out

Hasn't this been posted before?

I understand kids can be pests but surely we can at least speak to them much nicer than that?
"Where's your grown up, pal?" And if the kid is really getting on your tits go see said adult.

As PP poster pointed out you don't know if parents of random kids will make out you engaging with chat may make you look predatory, or people just may not like children engaging with them, fair enough, but we don't need to upset them to get them away.

I always indulge random kids because I enjoy their little conversations but fully appreciate not everyone does and I keep mine away from other adults, for that reason. But I'd be quite pissed off if my kid was told to go away just for being friendly. Kids are navigating the world and their social skills, it's not fair to expect them to understand social Norms with an adult brain.

@LakeTiticaca years ago my wonderful grandfather gave up his seat in the theatre to a family (mother and children) so they could sit together, and sat at the back whilst I sat at our appointed seats with my nana, she had to get him to come and sit with me on his knee as all she could see was one old dude sat alone at a kids show getting weird looks, bless him, least offensive man ever, I dread to think how viral he'd have been on fb for that nowadays!

It's blunt but personally I hate when parents let their kids bother strangers

Well it’s quite blunt but was it the first time the child had spoken to them? Some kids relentless come back and try and talk to you, get you to play with them when you don’t want to or are busy with your own kids. I wouldn’t say ‘go away I don’t want to talk to you’ if it was the first few times but sometimes kids don’t get subtle hints and if it was the 50th time they’d tried to talk to you maybe it needed a blunt, direct response.

I wouldn't say it so bluntly to a child that wasn't my own but it is annoying as fuck when random kids mither you in play centres when you're just trying to concentrate on your own child. I can't stand it, so many times I've been trying to play with my youngest whilst some random child is going "watch me watch me watch me, look at this, look at me do this etc.." I wish their parents would come and move them on.

I would never be so mean to a child even if they were frustrating me.

I think it’s very harsh indeed to say that to your own child. But if the child was going up to and being annoying to a random stranger repeatedly, then that would be OK although still quite harshly phrased!! If the adult is that child’s trusted guardian then yeah that’s pretty mean.

Just say ‘go and find your parent/grown up’ and then ignore them.

Without knowing the context its hard to tell.

I have said it to our DS before. He has said something i deemed unkind, so i explained that if he was unkind, i didn't want to play with him.

Awww sorry. To a random child.

It depends how long the parent had allowed the child to mither a stranger. I would not be upset if someone said that to my child after a bit of mithering

I think telling your own child to go away is understandable if they're whinging or constantly trying to talk to you after being told 'no' gently. Because, you may well be fed up after however many days on end. Not great, but meh.

I cant imagine someone being wound up by someone else's child to that extent. But strange.

Depends how long the child had been talking at me.

I'm sorry but I'm too busy to chat to you now, pop off and play.