To want to tell the local addict to step away from the kids?

[dilemmaemmaemma]

There was a classic multi substance addict hanging out in the park yesterday. Can of cheap beer in hand, gaunt, toothless, incoherently chatting to themself, I don't know their name, so let's just call them LA. LA had a speaker playing fairly loud music, and my 3 year old and her friend went over and started dancing to the music and running rings around LA. LA seemed to genuinely be enjoying the fact the kids were enjoying the music, so it was kind of harmonious. Me and the other mum kept trying to tell the kids this wasn't the right person to play with, but they kept running over. Eventually I went over with the kids and I really didn't feel comfortable getting too close to LA, and didn't want to strike up conversation because they were just to in their own world and I didn't know what would happen if I tried to chat. So I told the kids we were going to play musical statues and took them back to where the other mum was and played a game with them there and that kept them from running back to LA. I genuinely wanted to have a word with LA to say I don't want my kid playing with a stranger who is clearly not sober and could they listen to their music elsewhere. Am I being unreasonable? And what could I have done differently to keep the kids safe and not be a jerk in front of LA?

And you sound like someone who would sacrifice children to keep your ego intact.

one can have empathy for addicts while still recognizing they can and sometimes do cause harm because addictive substances alter people’s behavior.

15th drip feed and the kids will be running a drug enterprise, a dodgy casino and several brothels 😂

Go to a different park.
But report the person hanging round this one.

In that case all the more reason to control your own child and don't try to engage with the drug addict. Nobody has suggested OP let the man interact with the kids in any way.

The poster she was quoting did…

What exactly will she report them for? There was a person doing absolutely nothing wrong sitting listening to music in a public park. I can just see the police blue lighting for that one.

@PhilippaGeorgiou
It can be rung in as information - to help the police build a picture of what's going on.
This person's behaviour has been odd enough to make the OP feel funny. We have instincts for a good reason.

How do you know they are an addict?

Oh, give over.

You're right, you can't ever be sure.

Yeah, this needs to be defined.
In my opinion, unless the addict is behaving in a way that might endanger your children or is doing so, which is possible, I think it's an unfair judgement.
I live in a residential area that has drugs hostels within it and those from a hospital drug/alcohol ward often frequent it.
To be perfectly honest, the addicts here can be and are erratic and reactive (one tried to beat me up but didn't succeed) and I wouldn't want my children around that. It is also very obvious when they chase after the car to get their deal.
However, if the person you are referring to isn't endangering your children and is not in the playground area, then I don't think it's fair of you to judge in the way you have.
I might well encourage my children to play somewhere else, but you have no right in my view, under the conditions to think that the person you have detailed should remove themselves from the park. That's horrible and judgmental and peak entitlement.
You shouldn't allow your children to play in that area if you are that concerned and it is your job as a parent to herd them somewhere else.

Report to who and for what? Genuinely interested. If you mean the police, what crime has this person committed?

So for context: this happened after pick up time from nursery, and the kids always rove between the field outside nursery and the playground (which doesn't have a fence) during that time. There's a ton of open space going for acres around here, and it's almost all pedestrianised so we have the privilege of letting the kids run about over a fairly wide area. It's lovely that the kids all play together after nursery, and I think the reason they didn't feel stranger danger is normally the only people around are parents and kids, many of whom we know, and it's pretty usual for one of the parents to run some kind of activity with the kids in that window of time after nursery but before going home, so the kids probably thought LA was a parent who'd brought some music to make the afternoon more fun. Picking another park isn't an option because there's no way for us to actually get home without going through this one. But I take people's point about just telling my kid we're going home if I feel iffy about someone interacting with her in public and she's not listening.

Just like whether they are male or female?

This field is NOT an extension of Nursery, lovely for the little one's as it sounds though, and hence public land. Its nice that parents congregate and the kiddies can play for a bit etc but its not private, nursery land is it .
As for you don't know if "LA" is Male or Female, yet a well known local addict, I find that hard to believe.

Stop trying to sanitise a public area.
If the addict, who you seem to be exaggerating about (correct me if I'm wrong) was endangering your child or displaying violent behaviour and perhaps enticing your child I would be more on your side.
LA might have a reason why they currently at home or vulnerablities you aren't aware of which shouldn't be an excuse for aggression or anti social behaviour of a certain level if that what is happening, but if it's not like that and they are not affecting you or your children, then just direct their play somewhere* *else or take them home if they won't comply.

When my DCs ignored me they got one warning. If (occasionally when) they ignored me a second time they were taken home. I only had to do it a couple of times. This involved hauling them out of the park kicking and screaming on one occasion.

Never let your DC run rings round you. Tell them before you go and when you get there what behaviour you expect. Frame it in a positive way (so ‘we will do … ‘ not ‘don’t do…’). Give one warning and then remove your DC. If you’re with a friend you need to be clear that you will take your DC home if they misbehave. Make sure you can get home on your own if she’s not on board with this.

I would speak to the police if the person is actually in the designated children’s area. But there’s not much you can do if they’re in the park.

This field is NOT an extension of Nursery, lovely for the little one's as it sounds though, and hence public land. Its nice that parents congregate and the kiddies can play for a bit etc but its not private, nursery land is it .
My thoughts.

Just stop existing by you. They had as much right to be there as you did.

You full on said you'd rather your children were playing with this gentleman!

The LA did precisely nothing wrong. It’s a public park. Your kids went over to him/her - not being activ ly sought out by the person. YABVU

You tell your child not to go and play with adults they don’t know. If they can’t obey, you go home. And explain to them at home again.

Who did this refer to then And you sound like someone who would sacrifice children to keep your ego intact.?

If he’s there every day and calling the children over then it’s worth calling 101 to lodge a concern but an occasional visitor in his own world playing music not deliberately interacting with the children is allowed

Totally this.

And besmirching this innocent stranger's character just for playing music, minding his own business, being interrupted by your children, and handling it with good grace and friendliness.

People have the right to live their lives, and if you can't stop your children from interrupting their private enjoyment of the park then it's a you thing.