If a stranger gave your child money to buy herself a toy, would you be comfortab

1. 61

   chiefmomofficerposted 13 years ago

   If a stranger gave your child money to buy herself a toy, would you be comfortable with that?
   
   Today on the radio, I heard a story about a girl who was selling her stuffed animals to save up for a toy she wanted. A couple stopped to ask her what she was selling them for, and when she told them, the husband asked her how much the toy she wanted cost. She told him it cost $30, so the man gave her the $30 and told her to keep her stuffed animals. As a parent, would you view this as kind or creepy?

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2. 67

   Sky9106posted 13 years ago

   Not if you believe that our world consists of many different kinds of people. I would ask where was the parent of a child  who is selling something for $30 to other people? We are in a world of people I know of someone who left a dog $12. mil.
   You know her too.
   
   Blessings

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3. 68

   Pearldiverposted 13 years ago

   I would consider it very kind if I was given 30 bucks too! The Creepy bit is that kids are becoming very shallow in their natures, because paranoid parents have no real ability to develop genuine relationships with people they don't know! While appreciating 'perceived' risks.. some parents really ensure that their kids miss out on solid relationship building skills in the long term.

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4. 70

   cre8ivOneposted 13 years ago

   Well, my first instinct is to say a sweet and tender grandpa and grandma saw this girl and felt sad she had to sell her toys and offered a solution so she could keep her toys and get a new one too. 
   
   Obviously there are reasons why I would have a red flag in this scenario, but if the parent was there with the child I think we should think of this as a good deed.

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5. 69

   onegoodwomanposted 13 years ago

   Creepiness does abound...............but, please, let us not forget, that there are those who are kind and generous and even those who are touched by a child's sacrifice.    Perhaps, this couple, has lost a child, or a grandchild.
   
   
   If the offer is made in witness of the parent, and especially, if parental permission is asked............let the kindness be a kindness.   Our children will learn " ugly" and "cruel" soon enough.

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6. 61

   smcopywriteposted 13 years ago

   it always depend on the person and their intent. i think the "creepy" feeling is something that you get or dont get from a person. therefore, i would have to say yes and no to your question. depending on the stranger and their approach would account for my level of comfort with the situation.

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7. 61

   Lisa HWposted 13 years ago

   If a parent was with her, I don't necessarily see it as creepy.  The guy probably felt bad to think (or at least assume) she had to sell her stuffed animals to get something she wanted.  Maybe the kid didn't even care about the animals, but also lots of times parents don't think kids "need" or care about their stuffed animals and are quick to suggest they get rid of them.  The guy may have been assuming the kid was in a "poverty situation" and just figured he'd spare her the loss of something that she might otherwise prefer not to part from.  Maybe the guy had a mother who threw out his toys or stuffed animals, thinking it wasn't a big deal (when, to him, it may have been awful).
   
   I wouldn't allow my child to sell his/her own belongings in order to get something in the first place.  Maybe the kid wasn't a kid who cared about the animals; but even with that, I don't like the idea of allowing kids to sell their own stuff in order to buy something else.  If parents don't want to, or can't, buy the new thing, there are ways kids can earn money to save up without letting them put their own toys up for sale.
   
   There's just a bunch of subtle and not-so-subtle messages and lessons in that kind of thing that I don't like.  I mean, was this girl, for example, standing out on the sidewalk somewhere, selling something that may have meant something to her? (You know what I mean?) (And that would only be one of the many negative "messages" I see in that kind of thing, even if the kid hated her stuffed animals.)  The guy probably thought the kid's parents are creepy, and probably felt bad for her because of it. 

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   Brian Burtonposted 13 years ago

   YES I WOULD.  Great question.  Sorry for the caps, but you really shocked me.  Seems down right insulting.  They should have privately given you the money to give to the child in my opinion.  Or at least talked to you first and gotten your permission.

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9. 79

   TamCorposted 13 years ago

   I don't think it's creepy at all.  Some people just have a giving nature, and love to help out others.  I think it's wonderful of the couple to do that for the little girl.
   
   Whether the little girl wanted the stuffed animals or not, she was willing to sell them to buy herself something with her own money that she'd earned herself.  I think that is a valuable lesson for any child to learn, and I'm sure her parents probably were thinking the same thing.  She was willing to do that, she took steps to sell them, and the strangers probably admired her for it.  By giving her the money, they were just rewarding her for trying to earn the money herself, which you sure don't see a lot of these days.
   
   They most likely took such joy in seeing her take it gratefully and thank them for it.  Why rob people of that--isn't there enough selfishness in this world that we should appreciate when someone is acting just the opposite?
   
   How many of you haven't done something like that for someone?  Maybe not money, but a kind gesture for a stranger?  I'm sure most of us have at one time or another...
   
   Also, as far as the supposed wrongness of her selling her things in the first place...I don't see how that is so wrong.  Many, many of us have held garage sales to sell our unwanted items, haven't we?  Or have went to other people's sales and bought things.  What's the difference?

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10. 68

    HotUrbanposted 13 years ago

    It's not as if he was bribing the kid to get in his car. He was probably just a decent kind person who wanted to help a child. Not every adult who helps a child has a hidden agenda. No doubt there are plenty of creepy people out there. Unfortunately the mass media blow it out of proportion as usual and all you ever hear about are the bad ones. So yes good on the guy who wanted to help that child.

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11. 60

    Hezmyjoyposted 13 years ago

    What's uncomfortable is when a parent sees a stranger give her child money and says nothing to the stranger or the child about the matter other than, "how much did you get?"

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