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!

My son is thoughtful and has very good manners... I really love it when adults notice and are really respectful in return .

The train driver who tooted his horn for DD when we were out walking last weekend, we'd been waving at every train that went by (and no one waved back) and then this lovely man tooted

The amazing butcher who always has a lolly pop for DD

DD2 for talking and amusing an amazingly talkative small boy sitting opposite us on the train journey from London to Edinburgh. he showed her every photo stored on his DS and she was suitably awestruck each time.
Car drivers/lorry drivers who wave back when we wave from the motorway bridge.
The man who helped us after our car accident and was very kind to shaken-up DD1
The large and scary looking policeman at the Race for Life on Sunday who also sported a pair of glittery pink wings.

On my first trip out alone with DD, the people at a local train station who, after seeing the look of terror on my face when I had seriously misjudged the size of the gap between the train and the platform, helped get my pushchair off the train.

Agree about the ladies that compliment you on your LO. Was in a cafe at the weekend, and an elderly lady spent a few minutes fussing over 9 wk old DD. We later saw the lady stopping at nearly every pushchair that came her way.

The lovely woman who took ds(then 2) for a walk around the plane, after I had broken down sobbing in the loo on a night flight home from Florida. Ds had screamed for what felt like hours and he wouldn't sleep. You made me feel much less of a failure, .

and only yesterday, thank you to the lady who jogged after us with dd2's teddy. That was very kind.

This thread is lovely, thank you OP :)

I was on a train a while ago and was struck by how lovely some DC were being and I so nearly said something to their mums when I got off but didn't because of feeling shy and not sure if it would seem strange. I wish I had now and will next time

The customer in Lakeland in Bluewater the other week.

DS, DD and I were wandering round looking for a little compost bin for the kitchen.... as you do... DD (4) turned round and said "Mummy, I love you...." and I replied "I love you too".

A elderly man turned round and said to me "That's absolutely lovely. She's such a gorgeous wee thing....." and made DD blush and go silly....

Talking of good manners ... the Nursery Teacher who taught dd to say "You're welcome" after someone thanked her for something - when she was about three.
It was so cute and always warmed my heart when I thanked dd for something and she'd "you're welcome" me back !

Another vote for Classics!

The little old lady who said it was so nice to see a large family when everyone else seemed to judge.

The people who willingly take photos of us on holiday!

Oooh, how could I forget? I love the elderly and not very mobile lady who lives along our road, who every single day in autumn collects all the conkers that fall from the big trees in her garden and puts them in a big pile by her front door, for children to collect as they go past.

BarmeeMarmee Like you I`m reading these with tears rolling down my cheeks. DS3 has just come back from college, saw me and grinned. Yes I met someone and a few years later had another child.

Another vote for Classics :)

I love all the people that used to give me a knowing smile when dd was a newborn and I'd take her out, or say how beautiful she was. I never 'got' it at the time but find myself doing it mums with little babies now - its reassuring (I think - hope it doesn't freak people out!)

Ooh yes Annunziata - the lovely lady at Wollaton Park who took at picture of me, dp and dd - we were taking photos of one of us with dd and she came over and took a photo of all 3 of us and said how important it is to get one of us as a family :)

DS3 DS2

The Grandpa and Grandma watching their granddaughter in an amateur ballet show that lasted 3 hours until 9.45pm on saturday and turned round at the end to ask my 4 yo dd how old she was "because you were so very good and grown-up concentrating all the way through such a long show".

The postman who not only personally took the letter same dd was about to post in the box he was emptying but then added a good 10 minutes to his shift by letting her collect each letter one by one from the box and put it in his sack to "help" him and learn how to be a postman.

The woman in asda who turned to me and said "ooh they are selfish buggers arent they?" as dd1 14 was being all dramatic about being asked to actually do something for me!
It really made me feel like i wasn't on my own and someone else 'got' it.

Lovely lovely thread

Man in Devon who humped not only our buggy but also bags/towels up the beach steps - Twice!

Lady in York McDonalds who let us have her table when it was insanely busy and I was on the verge of tears with two irate hungry DCs. I had just been through an awful time and she made my day.

Our ice cream van vendor who gives DS whatever he wants for £1 - usually a double cone with two flakes, sauce, sprinkles and marshmallows! DS thinks he's a legend!

Finally our elderly neighbour who gives DS endless cups of orange and helps him dig for worms in the summer.

Oh this is such a lovely thread, I was feeling so down til I started reading it, thank you all.

For me, the lovely young man at Edinburgh train station recently who helped me carry a large suitcase and DS's buggy up and down two flights of stairs when the lifts were out of order, bless you. Actually, all the lovely people who help me with his buggy at tube stations & train stations, you don't know how much it helps.

Every single person who stopped to tell ds how brave he was and allowed him to tell them all about how he broke his arm- including the teenage boy who was also trying to speak to someone on his phone, the shop assistants, random shoppers, a policeman and all of the doctors and nurses at the hospital.

Also the elderly ladies who let him 'help' push their shopping trollies.

The old man who told him he wished he could still jump in puddles.

A certain famous PR person (I think that's what he is) who gave ds2 £5 for ['being brave' (again after the broken arm) and listened with an interested look on his face as ds2 told the long story.

The young girl in Waitrose who always gives him a handful of green tokens to put in the charity box.

So many kind and thoughtful people.

The lady in hobycraft who noticed my panic-stricken face when DD announced she needed an urgent wee.
Lady told me where the nearest store with a loo was. Phew!

The man on the canal boat who turned his boat and reached into the water to retrieve a balloon DS had let go of at around 2. DS was crying so hard and then all beams and smiles when the man bought his boat over to the bank and gave him his balloon back. I still remember that man with fond affection.

The dentist who very solemnly examined DS's dinosaur's teeth last week, and then suggested giving DS his checkup on the floor seeing as he didn't want to go on The Chair.

The Sainsbos delivery man who gets DS to "help" with carrying in loo roll and other light/unbreakable stuff into the house.

The person who put my dd's lost shoe on a bollard so that I might find it on my way back. I always remember that and put all lost items I find (blankets, toys, shoes, bottles, scarves etc) in easy to see places now. If they are gone when I go back I feel lad that the owner probably saw it and was grateful to have it back :)

Grrr. Glad!

MovingGal, stupid question but when you say 'The people who walk past/over/around a tantrumming toddler as if nothing at all is happening.' do you mean it? e.g. were you being sarcastic? Or do you mean it's nice that they just walk past as opposed to staring/tutting/pulling up their judgypants?

I ask because my instinctive reaction is always to carefully skirt the toddler and carry on walking. I wouldn't dream of staring/tutting etc but it'd be nice to hear whether what I currently do is OK!