My 6 year old was at the top of the escalator

[Workinthemorning]

Shopping the other day with my 6 year old, she gets lots of treats, but has become a bit over the top about it recently, asking for things constantly in shops and not being happy when I say no. We were walking to go to the escalator to go downstairs, she was stopping at every window and begging for something. I told her to come on and she stroppily (not a word) came next to me. We went to go on the escalator and I turn around and she’s by the shop window and i’m heading down. She then wouldn’t get on the escalator alone and starts getting upset, but I can’t go up the escalator i’m coming down. Man is waiting to go on the escalator, seems very nice, I ask him ti please take her down and he does very kindly, i’m right at the bottom waiting and there are security outside shops etc.
I thanked him, he smiled and said no problem and off he went,
Thinking about it later I realised I could have told her to wait at the top whilst I went down and quickly then went up on the other one to go and get her,
What would you have done?
Feel bit weird/guilty about it

You could’ve quickly climb back up the escalator? It’s quite slow, done it once or twice.

I don't understand the dilemma. You asked someone to bring her down. He did. Nobody was upset. What's the problem here?

@OchonAgusOchonOh Was just wondering if it was the right thing to do, ask a complete stranger

Non issue. Dont overthink it

@curlywurlymum Too hard to get back up it 😂

Why are you still thinking about this. A kind person helped your daughter at your request.

There are some pleasant men out there you know!

I don't get it either. I've had DD stuck st the top of the escalator because I thought she was right behind me. A stranger helped her down to me same as a stranger did for you. I didn't have anything to feel guilty about. Really no idea where you're coming from.

What is your concern? That it was strange to ask an unknown man for help? Would you also feel strange if it had been a woman? Were you worried that he would grab her or something?
For what it's worth, I would have done the same as you and would have expected the same result (ie a positive one). Although I live in a country where people are generally very hands on and interactive with children, women and men both. It's happened plenty of times that men have carried DD in the pram, or lifted her off the bus, or otherwise interacted in a helpful way, and I'm (almost always) grateful for the help.

It’s fine don’t give it anymore thought

Sounds perfectly fine. She obviously went with him willingly enough and you could see her the whole time.

If she hadn't gone with him he wouldn't have forced it and you would've gone back up.

It's all good.

Well. Apart from willful 6yos. I have one of them too.

Ok thanks everyone, just me pondering it, good to see others would do the same

Either/or. Honestly don’t worry about it.

Non-issue. My DH would’ve been happy to help and I assume most dads or kid-accustomed men as well.

Maybe she is behaving like this because she “gets lots of treats.” That’s really not good for kids. She needs to learn a treat is a treat, not an every time we leave the house occurance.

Nice man helped you. Most people are nice. Your daughter would have been in much more danger wafting around at the top an escalator in a, presumably, busy shopping centre whilst you went round.

Something happened to me a while go. I arrived at an escalator just as a mum realised as sailed down the escalator that her little girl wasn't with her. She was scared of the escalator but I think seeing her mum departing was more scary so I said 'why don't we go down to mum together' and, thankfully, she let me take her hand and restore her to mum.

You were standing at the bottom of the escalator. What could be the issue?

You asked him, he did it.

End of story 🤷‍♂️

You did the right thing. It would have been more chaotic and risky to either attempt to climb back up it or run round to the up escalator, leaving DD on her own at the top.

Most people are just people and are happy to help. There will be other occasions where both you and her need help from someone and it will also be fine.

Treats aren’t treats if she gets lots of them.
Personally at that age, I think they still need to hold hands on escalators.
But yes, obviously it was fine to ask someone to help.

I'm a sen parent - honestly, I've had to rely on the kindness of a stranger a couple of times and this sounds like one of those split second times

At some point this year, dd and I were queuing to pay at lidl. I keep an iron grip on her hand usually but needed two hands to get ready to pay. Seizing her opportunity, she RUNS full speed to the back of the shop, where the donuts are (😅, she loves them)

I had to chase her, and when we returned, the staff member had scanned my shopping at what must've been record speed, even for lidl

The female security guard took hold of my daughters hand and went to talk to someone giving me space to pack and pay

So grateful to her, even if she did seem like she was following me around while i was shopping 😄 - I've seen her a few times and always have a smile for her

All you can do is pay it forward when you're in that guys situation x

Edited to add, I've now bought one of those wrist tethers - I anticipate some weird looks but as she's autistic, I've got to keep her safe

My mum did that years ago when my sister's friend wouldn't come down the escalator. She tripped and cut her knee right open, blood everywhere. Got to the bottom and sister's friend had decided to come down on her own 🙈 She's still got quite a bad stripey escalator step scar.

It was fine because you were there. Just explain to your DD that it was only because you were there too.

My daughter decided to not get on the escalator behind me, had developed a fear of them - let go of my hand. I went down and a very nice man held her hand and brought her down. I just thanked him a lot. Many men are fathers and understand these situations happen. A PERSON with ill intent would have taken her away from the escalator not straight down toward me.

How odd
Why are u still thinking about this