Do you feel creeped out or suspicious when you see men alone at the playground?

[Anonymous]

You people are the reason my DH was initially nervous to take DD to the playground.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok, follow up question. What would you do? Confront them? Leave? Just do your own thing?

Watch them so they realize they’re being noticed and that parents are aware.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You people are the reason my DH was initially nervous to take DD to the playground.

Nice excuse to avoid taking the kid to the park!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You people are the reason my DH was initially nervous to take DD to the playground.

please. If you have a child nobody is going to be freaked out by you. Fact is, some predators do hang out near parks. At our neighborhood park in a wealthy hood, we’ve had a cop come hang out twice because some guy had approached kids. (I’d actually be less creeped out in poor neighborhood because that person probably has nowhere else to be for reasons other than being a creep.) Trust your gut, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You people are the reason my DH was initially nervous to take DD to the playground.

If he was engaging with your daughter while at the park, no one would even notice him. We live in Saudi Arabia and my husband has taken our children to playgrounds/parks where there were lots of women. It didn’t bother anyone. People who clearly don’t belong, are the ones who are noticed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You people are the reason my DH was initially nervous to take DD to the playground.

DH maybe has some proclivities he’s trying to stifle?

[Anonymous]

You could say “hello, we’ve had some creeps around here lately at the kids playground where they have no business being. So us parents are on high alert for men hanging out here without children. Can I ask which child is yours?”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could say “hello, we’ve had some creeps around here lately at the kids playground where they have no business being. So us parents are on high alert for men hanging out here without children. Can I ask which child is yours?”

You could also add a “the police have asked us to keep a watch for them” or similar to drill the point home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could say “hello, we’ve had some creeps around here lately at the kids playground where they have no business being. So us parents are on high alert for men hanging out here without children. Can I ask which child is yours?”

You could also add a “the police have asked us to keep a watch for them” or similar to drill the point home.

One and a half steps away from Bernie Goetz behavior, here.

[Anonymous]

Always beware. Why not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is many parks dont' seem to have benches or tables anywhere except the playground area. So if you want to sit for a while, you have to be in the playground.

True. I have some back issues and standing a long time hurts. I go find places to sit even if I don’t seem to belong there. I guess nobody cares because I’m a woman.

So unless the guy looks creepy, and I know that’s completely judgmental, men around kids don’t freak me out.

They could be self absorbed and not even think where they are sitting.
They could be young adult men with little cousins or nieces or nephews. My 17 year old nephew regularly gets tasked with watching the little kids at family outings so adults can talk.
They could be dads who just don’t look like the typical dad in dad uniform.
They could be waiting for a ride and have nowhere else to sit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem is many parks dont' seem to have benches or tables anywhere except the playground area. So if you want to sit for a while, you have to be in the playground.

True. I have some back issues and standing a long time hurts. I go find places to sit even if I don’t seem to belong there. I guess nobody cares because I’m a woman.

So unless the guy looks creepy, and I know that’s completely judgmental, men around kids don’t freak me out.

They could be self absorbed and not even think where they are sitting.
They could be young adult men with little cousins or nieces or nephews. My 17 year old nephew regularly gets tasked with watching the little kids at family outings so adults can talk.
They could be dads who just don’t look like the typical dad in dad uniform.
They could be waiting for a ride and have nowhere else to sit.

Did you even read the OP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could say “hello, we’ve had some creeps around here lately at the kids playground where they have no business being. So us parents are on high alert for men hanging out here without children. Can I ask which child is yours?”

What if the person lied? How would you confirm his answer, ask the child?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could say “hello, we’ve had some creeps around here lately at the kids playground where they have no business being. So us parents are on high alert for men hanging out here without children. Can I ask which child is yours?”

You could also add a “the police have asked us to keep a watch for them” or similar to drill the point home.

One and a half steps away from Bernie Goetz behavior, here.

+1

MYOB and worry about your kid and yourself, PP.

[Anonymous]

Just tossing this out there...most playgrounds around here have Pokémon go gyms and stops in them. A lot of solo people play that game. Taking down a gym solo can take 10-20 minutesof just standing or sitting there.