To worry about taking the £1?

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For context:

• Currently living at home with DM and DF as we are are buying a house and waiting to move in.

• Almost 2yo DS was initially scared of the doorbell but I've been bringing him to answer the door with me and now he gets excited and says hi to all the delivery people etc.

This morning DS and DM answered the door. It was a man saying he'd noticed roof tiles missing and asked if he could do a free quote. DM declined as we already have a roofer in the family. The man was typically 'laddy' but pleasant enough.

I've heard of the scam where people go up on your roof, cause damage and then charge you to fix it, so it may have been that. I don't know. We live near a traveller site and it's not uncommon to get people from there coming asking if you need work doing. We always decline and that's the end of it.

When DS said bye-bye at the door, the man said bye back and then found £1 in his pocket and gave it to DM to buy him some sweets. DM thanked him and he left. DM later said she felt bad taking it but also felt she would have caused offence by insisting that she didn't want it. I watched the exchange and I'm inclined to agree. It would have felt awkward to insist and would have meant pushing the money away quite forcefully.

At the same time it feels weird to have taken £1 from a stranger who came to the door, and my overly-anxious mind is panicking that this could somehow be used as a reason to come back.

Please tell me I am being crazy? I do have a lot of anxiety issues at the moment so accept I could be making something out of nothing at all.

Even a scammer can be nice to children. It is an old tradition to press coins onto small children "for sweets" or "for their piggy bank".

And he might not have been a scammer, but still best not to let him up on your roof.

Put it in his money box and forget it.

Call childline!

I see I'm being silly. Thank you.

It's common practice in some communities to give children money they can take offence if you refuse

Maybe a Traveller thing.

Not just a Traveller thing. When DD was small people liked to give her 50p, apparently it was good luck to pass a piece of silver to young children.

Not just a traveller thing, in my community it is common to give a coin to babies/small children. Taking a baby out in the pram people would stop for a chat and tuck a coin under the pram blanket.

This is good to know. I haven't ever heard of the giving a coin to children thing before so I think it just surprised me.

Very silly. Haven't you ever had anyone give your child money before?

Common in Scotland to place a hansel of money in the pram, or when they're older to give them 50p or £1 and say "here's a wee penny for sweeties"

Older ladies and men were always giving my children coins to buy sweets when they were little and cute.

I agree this is a kind gesture and not sinister. Don't worry.

Really? Never experienced this, I wouldn't like some manky old coins in my baby's pram or hand. It's pretty cashless here anyway.

@Yourethebeerthief No genuinely never. I'm in the north of England. People always just popped their head into the pram and said hello and the only time anyone gave money was family giving a note in a card as a gift for birthday/Christmas etc.

I accept it's odd I've not heard of this though as it sounds like it is common.

Not heard of this before but I love the idea of passing a silver coin to a child for good luck.
One of those traditions that's probably dying out, especially if you don't carry cash.
Unless prams were to come with built in card readers.......😂

Yes, you're over thinking it. It's a traditional thing with lots of people.

it's sweet & sad the tradition is dying out, but inevitable with todays society.

At least he gave it to DM, not DS. (Coins are dirty & at least DM can wash it & her hands & DS didn't put it straight in his mouth!!)

very wise to refuse quotes from door knockers, travellers or not!

The number of people saying they've never heard of this or saying that it's dirty 😮

What a bloody shame. I'm glad it continues to happen in Scotland.

That's because you're a whipper snapper!! 😉

I'm of an age (55) where I remember older generations (in the North) doing it. But not my parents generation.

I'm from Yorkshire, it was definitely something older people did when my children were little (30 years ago) at bus stops or just randomly in the street if you passed the time of day. It was considered good luck for the child to accept it.

Yes, you are definitely overthinking this one!

Why do you think it would make him come back? I can’t imagine what scenario is going on in your head and am intrigued.

I think it’s a regional thing. Happens here (North Wales). Also Cornwall apparently.

I'm an oldie and used to have this happen to me as a kid. I made a mint going out with my Nan when I was little. She used to let me buy myself an ice cream on the way home with all the pennies I collected.
It used to happen my oldest son too.

Must add I thought this was about taking the £1 out of a supermarket trolley, that someone had left for others to use. 😊

He's been cursed with the coin of doom!
The magpies will be after him now for his precious shiny😱