I (27m) was walking my dog at the local park the other day. Two young girls (about 7) were playing there unsupervised (normal where I live, quiet village). They came over and asked to pet my dog and then spent a while following us around, throwing sticks for him, asking questions about him. I was friendly but let them lead. I didn’t initiate anything, but i answered their questions, made normal small talk (“do you have any dogs?” etc etc), let them give him a couple of treats, and just continued walking around the park as I normally would. Eventually one of their mums turned up. I said hi - nothing. Asked if they were her daughters - got a one-word answer and a cold shoulder for the rest of it. She later sent her husband down to watch them. The whole thing left me feeling like I’d been treated as a predator for the crime of walking in a park with a friendly dog and not being an arsehole to some kids. I get it, to a point. Unknown man, her kid, no context. I’m not asking anyone to tell me she’s in the wrong. She could’ve been a bit friendlier to me but, at the end of the day, she was concerned about her kid. However, it was genuinely depressing, and I can’t shake the feeling that a woman in my exact position would’ve got a smile and a chat. What do you actually do when kids approach you in public? Do you disengage and walk off, even if it feels rude? Keep it brief and move on? Carry on as normal and accept the occasional suspicious parent as the cost? And for any dads, what would you want a guy in my position to do if it was your kid? Not interested in rage bait about society hating men. Just genuinely wondering how others handle it, because becoming someone who’s cold to kids just to avoid a dirty look doesn’t sit well with me submitted by /u/RentBoyDave
Originally posted by u/RentBoyDave on r/AskMen