Does this boy sound suspicious?

[Anonymous]

Suspicious for what? Geek potential?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, a 4th grader wanting to show younger kids something cool is not even a little bit suspicious. Honestly, I bet he was even younger than your guess of 10-11.

Medicate your anxiety.

NP. I despise posters who do this condescending "Medicate your anxiety" crap whenever a parent doesn't "unclench" and let a kid roam off. You're telling OP (and by extension others reading this) that they should ignore their gut feelings about situations that come up suddenly, where a gut instinct may be all a parent has to go on.

An instinct that something seems "off" is not always correct--but it's also not necessarily "anxiety." I doubt you understand what real anxiety is.

OP, ignore jerkish PPs like this one.

Maybe the kid was indeed just alone and awkward and just wanted to share something with another child; that's the likeliest scenario. The answer would have been for you to say you would come with your kids to see this cool thing. I do wonder why you didn't just do that, which would have either ended up with the child taking all of you to see something innocent, or with the child balking at your presence and going away. But I do not question your hesitation in the face of what sounds like unusual persistence. Gut instinct is useful; don't second guess it, but do be careful how you react to it, so you don't telegraph so much fear to your kids.

[Anonymous]

Probably a big for his age younger kid or a super outgoing and/or slightly awkward kid who wanted to show the younger kids a caterpillar or something. But, of course there’s a chance it was something less innocent and you were right to stop them. I might have asked the kid (in a friendly/curious way not an accusing one) what the cool thing was.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, a 4th grader wanting to show younger kids something cool is not even a little bit suspicious. Honestly, I bet he was even younger than your guess of 10-11.

Medicate your anxiety.

NP. I despise posters who do this condescending "Medicate your anxiety" crap whenever a parent doesn't "unclench" and let a kid roam off. You're telling OP (and by extension others reading this) that they should ignore their gut feelings about situations that come up suddenly, where a gut instinct may be all a parent has to go on.

An instinct that something seems "off" is not always correct--but it's also not necessarily "anxiety." I doubt you understand what real anxiety is.

OP, ignore jerkish PPs like this one.

Maybe the kid was indeed just alone and awkward and just wanted to share something with another child; that's the likeliest scenario. The answer would have been for you to say you would come with your kids to see this cool thing. I do wonder why you didn't just do that, which would have either ended up with the child taking all of you to see something innocent, or with the child balking at your presence and going away. But I do not question your hesitation in the face of what sounds like unusual persistence. Gut instinct is useful; don't second guess it, but do be careful how you react to it, so you don't telegraph so much fear to your kids.

Perfect response. I have a 7yo and found out over the summer at the local pool that *some* of the 5th and 6th graders are the kindest sweetest kids around. They were really interested in helping the younger kids or playing board games, getting them snacks etc. I imagine that it is a very between stages age where they are getting to be the big kids little kids look up to and also still remember being littler.

[Anonymous]

I would be suspicious of the persistence especially given an older kid should know better than to lead small kids away from their parents. It could have just been a lonely kid or really social kid, but yes I would have been suspicious. If your gut is screaming at you that something if off, trust it.

You could have also just said you had to go with them, but I do not blame you just just shutting it down.

[Anonymous]

I’m guessing the kids this young is just socially awkward and not dangerous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, a 4th grader wanting to show younger kids something cool is not even a little bit suspicious. Honestly, I bet he was even younger than your guess of 10-11.

Medicate your anxiety.

NP. I despise posters who do this condescending "Medicate your anxiety" crap whenever a parent doesn't "unclench" and let a kid roam off. You're telling OP (and by extension others reading this) that they should ignore their gut feelings about situations that come up suddenly, where a gut instinct may be all a parent has to go on.

An instinct that something seems "off" is not always correct--but it's also not necessarily "anxiety." I doubt you understand what real anxiety is.

OP, ignore jerkish PPs like this one.

Maybe the kid was indeed just alone and awkward and just wanted to share something with another child; that's the likeliest scenario. The answer would have been for you to say you would come with your kids to see this cool thing. I do wonder why you didn't just do that, which would have either ended up with the child taking all of you to see something innocent, or with the child balking at your presence and going away. But I do not question your hesitation in the face of what sounds like unusual persistence. Gut instinct is useful; don't second guess it, but do be careful how you react to it, so you don't telegraph so much fear to your kids.

Perfect response. I have a 7yo and found out over the summer at the local pool that *some* of the 5th and 6th graders are the kindest sweetest kids around. They were really interested in helping the younger kids or playing board games, getting them snacks etc. I imagine that it is a very between stages age where they are getting to be the big kids little kids look up to and also still remember being littler.

+1

OP may have subconsciously noticed something unusual even if OP cannot put a finger on it now.

And yes, that PP is condescending and ignorant.

[Anonymous]

Doesn’t sound suspicious to me at all.

The fact that OP’s response made her kids cry tells me OP is probably the one with some issues here.

[Anonymous]

Suspicious.

[Anonymous]

I was so vested. I want to know what the cool thing is. Way to go OP you made your kids cry and may have hurt a socially awkward kid. Yes it was suspicious since you felt that way. But why not follow and see. Your an adult so you could intervene at any point and literally pick your kids up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Suspicious for what? Geek potential?

Seriously

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It would not have appear suspicious to me. I would have just came with my kid to see what was so cool.

This -- or I might have asked the kid what he saw that was so cool before going.

[Anonymous]

OP, yes suspicious. Even if this boy was just a kid with no ill intent, it was a teachable moment for your child. Should not wander off with strangers.

That said, I would have told the boy I wanted to see 'it' as well.

[Anonymous]

OP has every right to be suspicious. Personally I would have followed and watched to see if intervention was necessary or if the kid was just really friendly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would be suspicious of the persistence especially given an older kid should know better than to lead small kids away from their parents. It could have just been a lonely kid or really social kid, but yes I would have been suspicious. If your gut is screaming at you that something if off, trust it.

You could have also just said you had to go with them, but I do not blame you just just shutting it down.

Agree with this. The scenario is a little weird.