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?

He did not call over the children nor do anything remotely untoward. She's just being judgemental about him because of his appearance.

And it's not right to stigmatise people based on looks.

Even if someone is an addict it doesn't make them an axe murderer.

If he was a posh addict wearing fancy clothes and was sitting on a picnic blanket with Pimm's and champagne, would he be more or less likely to be a paedo?

like I said… the person she was quoting…

YABU, I would hate if if a load of kids came over to me and started dancing around while wi was trying to listen to my music.

Control your children. Them "not listening" is not an excuse.

I guess being a man is enough these days eh?

When it comes to protecting children, we must assume that any man is potentially harmful. Most aren't, but we don't know. We do know, however, that almost 99.99% of the time if it's a predator, it's a man.

I wouldn’t have let them be around LA at the first inkling. I used to pick up my three year old when they wouldn’t come, don’t others do the same?

All a bit contradictory, he was off his face and out of it, but actively encouraging and possibly targeting the children. You were frightened he might be unpredictable, but didn't keep your children away from him.

Suggest you keep you and your children well away and leave him alone.

Or call 999 and say there is someone out of it on drugs who may need help or may need arresting as a paedophile.

She can't even be sure that it's a man!

Hold their hand and say 'come on, we're going to a different part of the park now/home/to the shop/to nannies'

Whatever

You parent. Anyone can hang around in the park, anyone could be listening to music, addict or not. Thugs and older teens can gather too. Him being an addict is somewhat irrelevant.

For the umpteenth time he was NOT calling the children over. He was minding his own business (something the OP appears to be unable to do) playing his music and sitting in the park. Something that he is allowed to do everyday and all day if that is what he wants. Neither you nor the OP get to decide that people are only allowed to visit the park occasionally and when it suits you. It is a public park.

The only people disturbing someone's quiet enjoyment of the park was the OP's children, who were out of control. Luckily, this person seems to be far more tolerant than their parent.

Well whoever said And you sound like someone who would sacrifice children to keep your ego intact.? whoever that was is the person I am arguing with.

Does that mean men aren't allowed to go to parks? He wasn't targetting the children, they were targetting him.

I think the Karen label is misogynistic but this is where it comes from - the number of white middle aged women on Mumsnet who think you can just call the police on a poor/black/male/??? person for existing in a public space and giving you a "funny" feeling

Yes.
They will add it to the local intelligence system. They may if they have the opportunity and it sparks enough interest go and drive by or send a patrol in the area.
Policing is information driven. They can see the twitter stuff really easily, but the rest of it people need to tell them about.

How do you know they are white?

Well I don't even know if they're a woman or middle aged. The main MN demographic is white middle aged women.

You can't be sure they're an addict but you also think they use multiple substances?

Give over OP, just admit you're being snobby and move on.

How do we know this?

Actually yes the main MN demographic is actually 70 year old Japanese men

Kids try to do all sorts of things we don't want them to do. You are fully responsible for your own child and everything they do, so parent accordingly. If you don't know how to parent then go to some parenting classes.

If you are concerned about the motives of an adult near a kids area, then report online to 101 and unless you see a child in danger you simply go about your day.

That’s so unfunny.

Keep your kids away from them. They don’t care because they are high!

We all like interacting with children Jeremy!

Ffs! Obviously should not be in contact with children but it is parents job to keep the away