To think what this shop assistant said to my DD was weird.

[Lumeevme]

My DD is 4 and we nipped into a local one stop last night and as we’re leaving a male shop assistant said to her ‘don’t you want to stay here for the night’ she said ‘NO’ firmly and got upset and he said ‘why not? There’s lots of sweets here and things to eat’ is this weird or am I over thinking?

Do you have concerns he was part of a grooming gang?

People sometimes say dumb stuff, not front page news or anything to give a moment's thought to

We have no idea why he said it but does it matter?

Do you seriously think he wanted her to say yes and for you to walk off saying "See you tomorrow then"? Honestly. Socially inept person, probably bored out of their mind working in a One Stop shop on a Saturday evening, just so happens to be male, makes a jocular remark to a child and her mother - what's the issue? I'd be more concerned about the fact that my child's reaction was to be upset by this perfectly normal bit of banter.

He was probably sick of moany tired kids and their parents and wanted shot if you both

I’m guessing she took it seriously being 4 and said no as she wanted to go home with me and to bed

Lol a joke by someone that is probably just a bit socially awkward. I have said similar to the children in my class when their parents are late picking them up and they laugh. I best stop though as I don't want anyone thinking I'm some weirdo predator 😅

FFS 🤦🙄

He was just kidding. Some people are very dry in their delivery of humour. Just because he wasn't channeling Mr Tumble doesn't mean he was serious. 🙄

My four year old took a while coming out of school the other day and I joked maybe he wanted to stay the night. It's a pretty run of the mill bit of humour.

If your DD was truly unsettled by his comment you should have just reassured her he was kidding. 🤦

Yes but he probably was trying to make her laugh.

If you can't see that, it's probable you don't find anything involving your child amusing.

Was your mum also an overthinker?

Not all 4 year olds would take that seriously, especially if they're being raised by parents who don't take everything so seriously.

Life will be exhausting for them when they grow up, if that's the case.

So maybe he was just trying to snap her out of it, whilst being tired himself but still wanted to make an effort. You’re overthinking this.

He was probably trying to lighten his long day and have a little joke.
Not all jokes are said in side-splitting humour style ....

🙄

It's a bit weird but was clearly an attempt at a joke. I mean he's not going to seriously ask a 4 year old to stay at the shop, is he?

Indeed. My late dad was dreadful for doing this to small children he didn't know and it got worse as he got into old age. I warned him on numerous occasions that he shouldn't really talk to small children he didn't know at all.

I’d think it was weird. Especially when she got upset and then he kept going with it.

This. I work with children that age and most of them can take a joke or understand when people are not being serious. Those with parents who are being very serious seldom can, they are just like their parents and often generally grumpy kids too.

Why would you do that? There's nothing wrong with what the guy in the op did, it's op's reaction that's odd.

Creepy. Like the Child Catcher

She was whining and he made a bad joke. I don't think there's anything more to it than that.

I wouldn't read to much into it. That would have been my dream as a kid!

She’s definitely not a grumpy child. She loves laughing and joking and we always have fun and a laugh together but in that moment she was very tired and just wanted to go home and go to sleep

It would have been funny to see him backtrack if she said "Hell yes I want to stay!"

I think you're overthinking this personally.

So she was in a grump. That's the issue, not the poor sod trying to jolly her out of her misery fest.

Fair enough. But genuine question then op, can you not see that you are massively overthinking this and do you usually overthink small things?