People shouldn’t give food to children they don’t know

[ThreenagerCentral]

This drives me mad. Just took preschooler out and he got very upset over a small thing (as they do). He was having a good cry while I comforted him and up pops a man with a bag of crisps. He hands the crisps directly to my son and my son took them.

Now thankfully my son doesn’t have any allergies, but this man didn’t know that. I appreciate he was trying to be kind but actually he just set me up for a much bigger meltdown because firstly I don’t want my son thinking it’s okay to take food from strangers, but also because I actually work hard to get nutritious food in him and if he eats crisps now he won’t touch his dinner. So instead of a little cry over the initial issue. I had a good 20 mins of sobbing over the injustice of me not letting him eat these crisps.

I just don’t think it’s okay to give food to other people’s children that you randomly meet in public. I appreciate he meant well, but honestly it’s just not okay, especially when so many children have serious allergies these days.

I generally agree with the sentiment but think you were way OTT about the crisps. I doubt a couple of crisps would have filled him up completely.

It’s a bit weird generally to offer food to a crying child you don’t know who is clearly being dealt with by a parent, I would much prefer a word of sympathy or encouragement to me that we have all been there to an incentive being handed to a child who will take it as a reward for poor behaviour.

Crying isn't poor behaviour!
But yes, at first I thought nah its a nice thing because I like people interacting with my children in a positive way, I think it's good that they're part of a community...but then I thought. Food to cheer you up - no. Its a slippery slope and it starts pretty early, the idea that if you have a negative feeling, you can literally stuff it down with food. I'd rather a stranger offer a high five, or a look through their binoculars.