A policeman in the supermarket ,would you do this?

[girlfriend44]

This morning there was a policeman doing some shopping in the supermarket.

A family walked past and when the dad noticed the policeman in the aisle he said to his little girl.
Look there's a policeman. If your naughty round the supermarket he will take you away to prison. The little girl. Just listened and didn't say anything .
He made sure she saw the policeman and as said told her he would take her to prison if she was naughty.
The policeman never heard but I did . I was right by them
Would you do this?
AIBU to think it's a bit odd.

When my eldest was about 5 we were on a train and I pointed out the transport police officer, telling him that if he gets lost to go to someone in uniform like him. The officer heard me and said how nice it was to hear a parent saying they were there to help. He sat by us for a bit and let my child have a go with his handcuffs or hat (can't remember which). I thought at the time, that's a an excellent bit of engaging with the community as the opportunity presented itself.

For goodness sake, it's hardly a big deal! 😅

God, that's so awful.

But it’s a lie and lazy parenting.

I get what your saying OP and when mine were younger (too young to fully understand) I would always refrain from telling them the police would lock you away etc or words to that effect but this is only because I knew of a child who was petrified of the police and I always wanted mine to know that the police are there to help etc. However! Mine are now older and get it so I do often tell them "oh careful there's the police they will have you" it works too😀 certainly if they are playing up or have been silly enough to remove their seatbelt in the car.

"he burst into tears". "not a big deal" 😱

I can’t ever remember being afraid just that you had to behave yourself if you would be in trouble

What a weird thing to ask - why isn't everyone saying the same thing to each other at the same time? Uh, because we're all different and doing our own thing. Yours apparently is earwigging on other people's conversations. Theirs is some idle dad/daughter chat while shopping. Parents talk all kinds of nonsense to kids to fill the air because they can hardly talk about in-depth current affairs etc can they. To pick up on this and get all judgey about it is next level looking for angst.

And this is why teachers are leaving the profession! Children should know that if they do something wrong, criminal, unsafe … then they will be told off! (As would adults!!!)

Heavy forfend a parent isn't doing tip-top A+ parenting during their food shopping. Someone call social services!

ETA: (Or perhaps a policeman to take him away for being so lazy and naughty)

Yes, with your parents - not the police!

Honestly who cares? Such a minor thing, I don’t see the point in posting here about it. No one’s parenting is perfect but ultimately it’s a dumb thing to get upset about.

Earwigging lol it was right by me
I was astounded. P

Stupid thing to say because the policeman won't take her to prison. The policeman will wrongly arrest her on trumped up charges and invent evidence, then the court will send her to prison.

Yes it is a weird thing to do. I’m not in the police, and once had a random stranger in a supermarket tell his child that if they weren’t good I would tell them off! (I said no I won’t to the children btw!)

My father was a police officer and he hated when parents did this. He was concerned that if the kid got lost or hurt and saw a love officer they would be afraid of them instead of going to them for help.

I'm astounded that you're astounded. Takes all sorts... which may also astound you to grasp.

I used to be scared to death of the rag n bone man I would hide under the stairs. Someone must have me something for me to be so scared but I can't remember just remember hiding and being scared to death 😂

@ThatLilacTiger why did you think the other emergency response people were safer. Do you allow your DC to talk to friend’s parents?

I think it’s awful that parents say this to their children to get them to behave.

I tell my daughter if she is ever lost or scared and she sees a police officer, she is to tell them.

Kids need to not be afraid of the police.

Why? It's best to avoid the police at all costs. Best way of going it is to not do something illegal.

But sometimes they can still be arses even if you haven't done anything wrong

At one stage I used to cross Dartford tunnel in my car and without fail would be stopped before a few miles down the A2. Then questioned by police ( and they did have attitude) often had the car searched etc Had us in police car more than once while car being searched All my own and car documents were legal

Id never been in any trouble with them in my life. The attitude of them was very u friendly and my young daughters were scared of them

It got to the stage when they didn't want to visit Grandma due to the police

Not sure in what world that my daughters would think the police were there to help

I’m sorry, but this is just as confusing for children! It’s just simplifying it the other way.

Youre equally teaching ‘if someone is naughty or doing something bad, the police won’t stop them, they’re only there to help people’

I’d like my child to know that the police do stop people who are being very naughty and that is why you can go to them for help!!!!

Ok. When I was doing the food shopping with my two and a police man or woman were in there, maybe getting their lunch, I'd say "look a policeman like your Papa!"

I wouldn't say "and by the way, if you don't do exactly what I tell you, they'll take you to jail".

That's is way beyond "tip-top A+ parenting.

It's appalling parenting.

I can remember being told this in the 1970s 😂
I am not or ever have been fearful of the police.

I am however generally law abiding 😁

Why are you even taking them there?

There are plenty of criminal cases against firefighters, paramedics, surgeons. Plenty of people are criminally abuser within the NHS - see the recent investigation of midwifery, the heart surgeon who was sexually abusing staff around him, the psychiatrist who was sexually abusing his patients.

The most dangerous men in our lives are actually the ones we have close relationships with.

Not all men, but always men.