The people you briefly love when you have children.

[Psammead]

Because they make your or your children's day.

I was thinking about this today when DD was waving madly at a bus driving by, and a woman waved back. Thank-you, woman. DD was very happy.

So.

1. People who wave from busses/trains etc
   

2. People in shops who give your children something free (balloons, slice of luncheon meat, bit of deformed criossant etc)
3. People who smile/wave/make funny faces/chat to your child in a queue, or on a bus, train, plane etc.

You are all brilliant human beings. Add to the list!

[SarahStratton]

Anyone who wanted to take them to the park for an hour.

Obviously this does not include complete strangers. I wasn't quite that desperate.

[funnypeculiar]

Any stranger who complements your children. Or even better your parenting - I really treasure the few (old ladies usually) who have told me I'm doing a good job. I plan to compliment mothers wildly when I am old & wearing purple.

[Francagoestohollywood]

Yes, yes, and yes to everything already said.

5) the cat that once crossed the road while me and ds (then about 18 months) were looking out of the window (he loved doing that, but our road was usually ghost like) making his day.

6) My mother and mil, for always having been very hands on grandparents.

[Whirliwig72]

The lady in our local toy shop who lets lo's play (quite vigorously sometimes) with the display toys. It turns the place into somewhere magical rather than an 'oops don't touch' kind of place

[ShatnersBassoon]

People who compliment them on their manners on the rare occasion that they don't need prompting. I'm always grateful that someone noticed and let them know how nice it is to be polite.

[Francagoestohollywood]

7. a boy of about 5, who entertained ds (then 18 months) for a good part of a flight Amsterdam - Milan.
   
   
8. and talking of flights, hostesses on KLM have always been charming to my children

[SuePBlovesaDiamondJubilee]

People in shops who let DD pay and give her the change solemnly, rather than just taking it from her and giving it to me. She usually gets a bag, a long chat and a freebie too but that's a bonus

[ImBetterThanYou]

The till assistant in Morrisons let DS sit at the till and scan our shopping :o

[TheGalliantLadyDidymus]

The person that gives you the sympathetic nod and tells you that it does get better.

[alwaysrunninginheels]

Definitely the people who complement your parenting. I loved the woman who eventually went up to a family with dreadfully behaved children in a coffee shop and told them and their parents off and used my children's behaviour as the perfect example of well behaved children! Loved it because it is so rare.

I love the lollipop man who makes my kids laugh on the way to school.

The doctor who was so reassuring when my daughter was very ill and rushed to hospital at 4 days old- who warned me when the paediatric retrieval team got there that it would be scary but to try not to worry.......and who then came to check what we had named her days later as she was admitted as baby g as we hadn't named her- DR David- fabulous man

And Peter- the man who works in our local tesco store, who when I had 3 very young children to drag round getting the weekly shop used to push my trolley and accompany me and often at least one of the children screaming around tesco while I hurled the shopping in. He was and still is a gem!!!

I could go on.....

[ShatnersBassoon]

The people that help you thread the kicking feet of an unwilling toddler through the seat on the trolley.

[MovingGal]

Absolutely agree funnypeculiar! One day I was in the supermarket and my kids were being their usual loud selves, telling each other jokes (most involving the words bum or poo ) and giggling away. I was v tired and at the end of my tether with having to keep them quiet for GPs and DH and was just about to tell them off when an old lady made a point to come up and say "what lovely happy children, you must be doing something right!". I thanked her through teary eyes and thought they were indeed very lovely.
Its funny how similar things happened a few times when they were small - maybe a guardian angel?

[TeWiDoesTheHulaInHawaii]

People who put interesting things in their gardens and/or leave their bins out - very helpful to have little goals when you are trying to convince a reluctant toddler to walk more.

[Kaloobear]

The mum who crossed the cafe to come and say to me 'Don't worry, just before you came in both of mine were screaming! It always sounds louder when it's your child,' when DD was 4 weeks and crying her eyes out on my first 'I can be normal' trip out of the house with her but no DH. I think she saw my bright red cheeks and massive fluster. I could have kissed her.

[MovingGal]

The people who walk past/over/around a tantrumming toddler as if nothing at all is happening.

[Psammead]

TeWi, yes!! That's a brilliant one!

[PuffPants]

The people who help you lift the buggy up and down steps when the lift is out of order - thank you!

[SuePBlovesaDiamondJubilee]

People who are considerate enough to have low walls to walk along

[dlady]

We were shopping when my dd was 1 or 2 (many yrs ago) and my dd took a shine to this old lady, everytime we turned up a different aisle, she was coming the other way and both gave each other a huge grin.

The midwives, who didn't mind my dd touching things at antenatal appts, and encouraged her to help to find the baby's heartbeat. All apart from one (may have been a H/V) who as soon as we walked in shouted "right sit there, and don't touch a thing .

[NameGotLostInCyberspace]

anyone who runs after you with a lost shoe/ blanket/toy.. Thankyou!

[openerofjars]

What TeWi said: "Ooh, let's just get to the flowery wheelie bin! Now, what do you suppose that is in that garden five miles up the road? Shall we go and see?"

People who chase you up the street to hand you back things your little horror darling has thrown out of the pushchair or dropped.

The old man who came up to me when I was bfing DS in a pub and said "Ee, what you feeding him, Missus? Gold top? He's a big bugger, in't he? Well done, lass!". I was expecting him to tell me off and was bowled over (and v amused).

Other parents who collude in your shabby pretence that the Postman Pat ride in Tesco is broken again when you are running late.

The estate agent who brought a bun for DS with her to a house we were viewing when our combined parenting fail had left him starving and breaking environmental noise regulations. I fell a bit in love with her.

[FuntimeFelicity]

Anyone who waves from a tractor/fire engine/police car when they see ds2 (aged 2) watching with his mouth open in awe. Makes his week .

Anyone who helps, even in the smallest way, and makes my life with small children easier .

[NorksAreMessy]

the 12 year old policeman (!...I am VERY much older than most policemen now) who talked very seriously to DS when he had a million questions about 'BURGULARS'. he reassured him and engendered respect for the law all in the space of 10 minutes

[Kveta]

builders/digger drivers who wave at 2 year olds. even better if they engage in conversation.

old ladies who engage toddlers in conversation at the till in the supermarket, to distract said toddlers from the all important task of having a tantrum.

lovely people on planes who will get their slightly older children to entertain your toddler on a flight - including sharing sweets and chatting to him.

[McKayz]

Mine will have to be the train drivers, guards etc at the local steam railway. Loads of them know the boys due to DH being a volunteer there. But they are fabulous. They're always being put on the engine to play with coal, getting to wave the flags and given free biscuits.

I know that if they are in a grump we can go there and they cheer right up.

Plus all the lovely people that recently have been helping with the children due to my SPD and DH being abroad with work.