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!

The lady who stopped at my table in the cafe to say how lovely it was to see someone BFing their baby. As a first time mum it made me feel so proud and confident (it got me through the po-faced, tutting times). Thank you that lovely lady.

Oh, this thread is nice! I don't even have children, but it makes me want to act on those thoughts of "I should tell those parents that their child is astonishingly well-behaved" etc.

I now feel extra glad that when I was driving to work along a dual carriageway a few weeks ago, I spotted a small child (plus accompanying adult) waving from a bridge, so I waved back and honked the horn in a little tune - sounds like that may have gone down well :)

The woman who came up and chatted to DS2, asked his name, told me he was beautiful and never once mentioned his NG tube or the fact he was painfully thin. Everyone else stared or looked away. I actually love that woman!

The tongue-tie lady who diagnosed and did the divarification for DS2 and made it possible to bf him.

The midwife who rushed and got the paediatritions to DS1 when he had his hypoglycemic fit at 1 day old. Probably saved any brain/developmental problems with her speed. Was absolutely lovely in explaining what had happened and what was going to happen next etc.

The man who put DS1's buggy in the train for me just before the train was about to leave in Amsterdam. I was running around trying to sort bags and chase after crawling DS1.

I always wave at small children too, it makes my day as well.

The lady from Malaysian airlines who not only sorted out the massive c**k-up with our booking (which meant we nearly didn't get on the flight to New Zealand to take DD to meet her grandparents for the first time), but waited with us through security etc, and walked us right to the plane to ensure that we got on, and that we got bulkhead seats so we could fix the cot-thing in front of us. And played with a tired and fractious DD during some of the more tense moments. Well above and beyond the call of duty

The gardener at Chatsworth who let ds(then 5) turn off the enormous fountain.
The French lady who grabbed dd(aged 4) and yelled at her in furious french as she attempted to slide down St Malo city walls in order to reach beach the quick way (I suppose it would have worked) (we bought reins for the rest of the holiday).

The person who invented wet wipes but NOT the person who invented velcro.

The lovely, young, possibly quite newly qualified(?) locum doctor that saw DS when I took him to the GP surgery a couple of years ago.

DS was unwell with various symptoms which obviously rang some alarm bells with the locum. He explained that he wanted to do a blood test to 'rule out the worse case scenario' which obviously was a very scary thing for any parent to hear.

Rather than make us wait to book in to see someone to take bloods the next day he offered to do it in his break time if we waited 30mins which we did (and taking bloods from a 5yo who has never had it done before but is not stupid and knows a needle when he sees one wasn't much fun for him as you can imagine).

He then fast-tracked the bloods to the hospital in nearby city and said we would hear by the end of the day. I went home with DS trying to stay strong and not think the worst.

The locum then phoned mid-afternoon, having chased the hospital for results as he knew what I was going through, to say the tests were all clear. If he had told me in person I would have hugged him!

being new abroad in a very hot country with a 2 month old screaming to bf, leaking milk, and a toddler crying with the heat in the walk from the a/c mall to the car park (not a/c). getting to the car - no mother and baby parking here- and finding we cannot get near the car doors as each side of the car were two closely parked jeep things. fabulous man passing all in local dress just took the keys from my hand, waved me back, opened the boot, scrambled over the seats, reversed the car, handed me back the keys and left with a wave with me crying my thanks.

All the people who entertain toddlers on buses and trains, so I can sit back and relax a minute.
And the ones who say "we've been there. You're doing great" when I've been dragging ds home and he does a sitdown protest every few yards.

All the ones who help get a 3yo and a buggy onto trains at Clapham Jn where the gap is over 2 foot wide and high. Someone will always pick up ds and get him onto the train.

And lovely staff on the supermarket fish counter who use giant salmon as glove puppets to entertain fish-mad ds.

So much for people who say Londoners are unfriendly- they may not speak English but my locals are great!

My vet who always lets DD ride up and down on the special levitating table at every visit.

I am snivelling now , but in a happy way .

I have got loads but one of the nicest was a lovely scaffolding driver in Wales , we were on holiday and had gone for a pub lunch on the last day of our holiday . My 18 mth old was delighted to see the lorry in the pub car park (what is it with boys and lorries ?) The driver noticed him and came over and let him sit in the cab . He then ordered his lunch and said it would take a while so while he was waiting would my ds like to go for a drive . He was delighted and it was the highlight of his holiday . My dh did go with him and I was delighted with my 20 mins peace

I'm joining the ones in tears!

When DD was about 8 weeks old and very, very unsettled, me and DH had a really stupid argument and I stormed out the house like a mad woman took DD for a little walk. A man who lives a couple of streets away stopped me and told me it gets better, everyone has been there and recommended a mum and baby group his girlfriend had found helpful. I made it there the next day and have made some lovely friends who don't go in for competitive parenting malarky and saved my sanity. I often think if it wasn't for him I would be finding this all the more harder.

The woman who came over to help when I was in a small posh cafe alone with DD, 2 years old, heavily pregnant and DD threw the mother of all tantrums on the cafe floor. No one in the small cafe could continue their conversation - it really was a show stopper.

I'd just had a phone call from the person I was waiting for to say they weren't coming but I'd already ordered and DD really needed food. A wonderful, wonderful older woman came over to tell me not to worry about the "glaring old biddies, every one of us who has had a child has been where you are now and you're doing just fine. Now, what can I do to help?" She got a high chair sorted out, offered a hanky to DD and tried to distract her. When DD was finally eating (and much happier) she came back over to tell her she was pleased she was feeling better and congratulated her on how well she was eating. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Also to the MW of very few words who leapt into a verbal tirade to fend off obstetric intervention. DS was born without intervention 2 hours later.

The woman who pulled over under a motorway bridge to check I was ok when I'd had to stop to jiggle a 4 week old DD having a screamathon like I'd never had to deal with so far. Or since, in fact.

Anyone who waves at DD when we're in the car in traffic jams. She's rear facing still so I can't see her face, but I know she's having fun when she she yells Peepoooo and squeals.

The thuggy looking man walking his staffy puppy as we were coming back from the park who, after checking with me, gave dog-obsessed DD a biscuit to give to the puppy. She was the softest little dog and he was training her to be gentle with children. Just as I'm training DD to be gentle with dogs. It was a lovely, unexpected moment of sweetness.

Everyone who smiles sympathetically instead of tutting when DD walks into them because she's got distracted by something shiny/a dog/a bit of manky bubblegum on the floor when she's walking. I'm always very embarrassed and apologetic but their good grace makes me have faith in humanity again.

Oh, and the MW who texted me on Christmas Day to tell me all my blood tests had come back clear.

Oooh, I am off again, leaking from the eyes.

I genuinely think this thread is making me into a nicer person. I have waved, smiled and acted like a loon for three tiny Dc today.

Did I say nicer? perhaps I mean more child-like. It certainly made me feel happier :)

The lovely man at the beach who, when DS said "Hello little doggy!" (probably the most words he'd ever spoken at that point - sniffle..!) said, "Hello little boy!" in the bestest little doggy voice ever.

DS was so happy!

Sat opposite a very well to do looking lady and her teenage daughter on the train into London and dd aged 2 was adamant she wanted a window seat. Then ds aged 4 also declared his need to sit by the window. Both mother and daughter graciously obliged and moved seats and made a big point of telling me what beautiful children I had and how I was very lucky! I could've kissed her!!

The mini-digger driver in a caravan site in Wales who made the digger 'wave' to DS and then let him sit inside. Made his day (although getting him back out of the digger was a leetle challenging )

I've just got back from my first Guide meeting since having DS. All the Guides asked after him, pronounced his english name beautifully, and complimented me on the photos of him on facebook. I kind of expected it from old ladies, but not from teenagers!

All waving people.

All smiling people.

The lovely people in Waitrose who let DS have a poo in their staff toilet-nearly every week

Ooh, also in Waitrose, giving each of my 3 DC 3 green tokens each every time, as they can't decide which charity is most worthy, as they all are :)

All the people at DS's baby and toddler music group.

He was a late walker (16 months when he took his first steps). The morning he walked in to the room holding my hand, they all clapped and cheered and pretty much gave him a standing ovation. I'm welling up just thinking about it now!!

The lovely old, very well dressed lady who held my 10mo DD for me whilst I was struggling to get her pushchair back up in a cafe.

I'd folded the pushchair up to save space but then the cafe's high chair proved to be broken and she nearly fell out so then I had nowhere to put her whilst I put the pushchair up again. She saw I was struggling and came over. Thank you nice lady!