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My nine year old is very anxious to be far from an adult (more than 20 feet) in public places, even very safe ones like residential streets, parks and grocery s
by georgeecollins 10y ago
My nine year old is very anxious to be far from an adult (more than 20 feet) in public places, even very safe ones like residential streets, parks and grocery stores.
Why? Because other "helpful" adults come up to him and ask him if he is OK. Does he know where his parents are? Once a small group of adults gathered around him when my wife was getting the car from down the street. Concerned adults see other concerned adults and they gather like a flock, producing great anxiety in my child. Now he is very nervous to be far from a parent in any public place.
- dougmccune 10y agoThis rings incredibly true for me. I'm certainly the type of parent that lets my kids wander farther than normal (by today's ridiculous standard of normal anyway, which means within 5 feet) and I see constant looks of concern from all sorts of adults. My 4 year old is perfectly capable of being a half block ahead of me as we walk down the street and doesn't need an adult stopping him to check in. My last walk through the airport with two kids, both always well within eyesight, resulted in multiple concerned adults stopping in their tracks, ready to leap into action. If a kid is clearly lost, crying, or distressed then please, by all means try to help. But if a kid is confidently walking without a parent within 5 feet don't jump to the conclusion that something's wrong.