You'd leave a child to drown?


You'd do what you could to help and not walk away.

I'd imagine you'd create as much noise and attention so that theres no chance of the thought that you've managed to isolate the kid for some naughty business and thus the pools lifeguard can quickly take over charge and thus you spend as little time as possible near the kid reducing your chance of being called a fiddler.

What's made you so paranoid?

A small bit of advice. I have told my daughter to use my name rather than 'mummy' or 'mum' to attract my attention in a busy place. My ear distinguishes my name much clearer than trying to decide which mum is being called. Still works now she's in her thirties.

Of course not. I meant after saving the child.

that's what I do when I save kids, just make sure they are ok then I quickly fly off

I used to tell my daughter to stand still if she's lost,both of us are looking for each other is ridiculous. Each time we go out I make a 'lost' point - a shop doorway or a seating area, depending on where we are (eg. if you're lost go and stand outside the Apple shop), where she should go and wait until I come and find her. She's only got lost twice - busy crowd - and this has worked for us.

ETA: Now she has a phone it's a lot easier of course.

As a male, I'd be very reluctant to assist any small child in case I was accused of being a paedophile/abductor. Phone 999 or show them the nearest shop/help point for example and ask the staff to deal with it, then leave. It's too risky these days for men to help young children out these days (paedophile) or women (potential rapist/sex pest).

Welcome to modern society. Enjoy the seeds that you've sown.

That sounds like what my parents used to do when I was a kid, in Milton Keynes for example our "lost point" was the clock inside next to the doors to the Market as it was easy to find, had places to sit and was for a long time close to a manned desk/customer service spot where they did the lost child announcements.

Even to this day it's one of the points where we arrange to meet up.

Yep, and with more and more jobs requiring a DBS check anything slightly iffy on the response could cost you a new job its better for you to stand back and let someone who's paid to handle such things like a police officer sort out the problem if its not life threatening.

The other way to ensure you do not seem like a kiddie fiddler is generally to make as much noise and attract a crowd of people to watch your actions to have as many witnesses as possible.

Given my child holding skills are once when i was about 15 with my cousins oldest for a photo and since then zero interactions with the little bleeps i'll settle for letting someone (anyone) else to rescue the little 'darling' as i've got zero (at best) parenting skills and at my age I don't really fancy having to learn them.

I do apologise for my misinterpretation and thank you for the clarification.

My parents used lost points which I carried on with my feral pack. Sadly they worked.

Last year when crossing a local common I was called by a girl aged about 5 to help her friend as she had got tangled in the thorny wild rose bushes. I did assist after asking if they lived near and if so to get their parents. Turned out they lived a way off and should not have been that far from home. I tell you it felt REALLY awkward helping her get clear and despite the fact that we were alone I felt I was going to be shouted at or worse. I shouldn't have to feel like that for simply helping but that's the way it is.

There was Lido in park when I was a toddler me and other kids went around in it naked (very vague memories plus seen a photo).

Can you imagine that today!

The mind boggles!

We used to do the same on the beach. Most young kids did if they were paddling in the sea.

It's unfortunate your friend got that reaction, but I think most parents would be grateful. When my son was about 2 we lost him at the grocery store, it was one of those situations where his dad thought I had his hand and I thought he was going off with his dad. Stuff happens. He was gone for just a couple of minutes when I realised neither of us had him. Panic set in and a few seconds later a little old lady came around the end of an aisle holding his hand, my son just smiling away like nothing happened. We thanked her and she didn't try to make us feel guilty for losing track of him. I wouldn't hesitate to help what I thought was a lost child. I'd observe first though, sometimes mom or dad is just a few steps away and the kid isn't lost at all, perhaps just bewildered by bright lights and big crowds. I suppose the difficulty comes in when the child is genuinely lost. How long do you wait before making a phone call or walking away with them to an information/help desk?

Still very common abroad where paedophobia isn't so rife.

Why would a woman with a buggy be more willing to help a lost child than any other woman?

I doubt it's any less rife, just the perception of it is less. Same in the UK, I doubt there are more paedophiles now than when I was a toddler paddling naked in the sea. We just hear more about it.

"Piss off kid, got enough to deal with here with these 2 shits screaming the shop down"