I'm a Mum and Granny and I absolutely adore babies and tiny tots. If my circumstances had allowed I would have had a dozen and I'll always regret that I didn't have more. I love everything about infants and toddlers - to me it all exerts an almost visceral attraction.
A couple of weeks ago I was in a city shopping centre and in one of the walkways came across a crying toddler, all alone and clearly lost from his mum. I approached him and as I bent down to try to reassure and console him it suddenly struck me that somewhere my approach to this screaming distressed child was recorded on cctv. I dithered. I was afraid of being suspected of having nefarious intentions, perhaps of trying to steal the child away. I imagined the parent coming and alleging that I'd been trying to kidnap him or even worse.
I'm ashamed to say that I left him out there at risk while I went into the nearest shop and asked the first assistant I saw - an adolescent boy btw - to take charge of the situation.
This small incident which was in the event satisfactorily resolved has preyed on my mind and conscience since. I decided yesterday to cease allowing the current media promoted panic about child safety to change my behaviour. There is nothing wrong with acting responsibly towards children in a vulnerable position as this little lad was. There's nothing wrong in talking to babies in supermarkets. There's nothing wrong in bending over a buggy and returning a dropped toy or in playing Boo with a carried tot in a queue. I'm going to return to behaving the way my maternal instincts tell me to behave.
So if you're standing in line in Sainsbury's and some woman is chucking your nipper under the chin or making a blackbird peck off his nose - then it's me or someone like me and if you don't like it then ask yourself if you want your child to be left alone, lost and distressed because decent caring people have been frightened off from showing that they give a damn. Then what kind of person is going to be bending over him, saying 'come with me, we'll find your mummy'?
5 comments:
You are so right !I'm afraid I talk to babies and toddlers in Supermarkets,so lock me up ! its a sad old world if we cant all look after each other and the young and elderly and vulnerable ,for fear of it not being PC ugh!.........Jan xx
i love kids - always have done, I used to teach wee ones, I have worked with them all my life - now I feel like pervert if I even look at a kid. It is far far worse if you are man!
It is far far worse if you are man!..........
I know it is Stuart, but imo all of us, men and women, should take back the right to act in a 'normal' social manner towards children. If the social development of children is partially the responsibility of the whole community then we must gird our loins and refuse to be cowed into abdication of that responsibility by these media-hyped anxieties.
Talk to a tot and boo a baby today! :O)
The Jamie Bulgar situation certainly changed things. However, you're correct to go with your instincts instead.
It is a sad state when you worry of doing the right thing..........kids tend to stray often, specially in crowds. That's a powerful pic you have over there :) Rache
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