A mini-rant about "kids these days"

Lorina

I'm shocked and amazed at how forward kids (under 10-12 years old) are these days. Haven't their parents taught them not to talk to strangers? And that bad people come in all shapes, sizes, ages and genders? They don't know me. They should not be coming up to me, with no parents in sight, and asking me about my dog. No, I'm not an evil person, but I could be for all they know. Just because someone has a cute dog doesn't mean they're safe. Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs had a cute dog, and he was making a suit of human skin.

At very, very least, I wish they'd teach them not to approach strange dogs. I keep Beav on a very short leash when anyone is around, but not all dog owners are so... alert? Responsible? Paranoid? Aware of dog laws and dog bite laws, and first-hand witness to just what "rabies testing" requires?

But what just kills me is all the "stranger danger" stuff you see on the news, about all the scary "people from the internet," with graphics of some skeezy guy hunched over a computer in a dark room. Maybe parents don't realize that those "people from the internet" are the same people who are at the gas station or grocery store or the park. They live among us, not just in cyber space.

Maybe my parents were overly cautious and made me paranoid, but I grew up realizing that "bad people" could be anyone, men or women, young or old, good-looking or unattractive, and not just the creepy-looking weirdo wearing a trench coat and nothing else.

Curbside Prophet

I completely agree with you on this. Elsa and I always get approached by unattended kids, wanting to pet her. That's the first question I always ask, "Where are your parents?" Because not too long ago my girlfriend and I stumbled upon a 5 year old boy wandering the streets at night alone. He would have been the perfect victim had he not fallen into better hands. I swear, a license should be required for parenthood.

tirluc

i agree w/ this completely....we live in an area where there are lots of Hmong families....i see their kids (granted they could be just about any age as it's hard to tell sometimes) that look to be about 5ish out running the street at 10 p.m. ...no parents in sight......

as for the dog end, unfortunately i have seen many parents that tell their kids to ask b/4 they pet the dogs and the owners turn around and say it's ok b/4 the kid asks....i for one wait till the CHILD asks so that they realize they can't pet them b/4 that and my grandkids are made to do the same if the dog owner opens their mouth first.....also, i get pretty fed up w/ people that say kids do not belong in the dog parks.....it's a family place and if people have a dog/kid/people aggressive dog they should A) keep it leashed (short) and under control B) leave it to home......people are not going to pay a sitter to watch their child to take their dog to the dog park (most can't afford it)......and, yes, parents...WATCH/CONTROL YOUR KIDS, HOPEFULLY BETTER THAN MOST WATCH/CONTROL THEIR DOGS

Melos

This is a big problem for me too. I teach my son that you can talk nicely with anyone while you are with mommy or grandma. If you are not with mommy or grandma, you talk to no one and if anyone tries to talk to you, you run away.

There is a boy on my street who is probably 5 or 6 years old. His parents let him wander about the neighborhood day and night. I found him sitting on my porch a few time. Child services have been called on these people but they don't do anything. It's dangerous.

SHOTZYS MOM

how right you are. last year we took our dogs to have their pictures taken with the easter bunny. if you bought a picture, you could have a free nail clipping. my sister was standing in line with our gsd. when she turned around the dog was nose to nose with a 2 year old in a stroller. my sister said to the mother "my dog is very nervous about getting her nails cut. would you mind backing that stroller up a bit" the mother said "oh,sure,sorry". what was she thinking putting her 2 year old in that position. becky loves kids (and i wish we had one in the house to run off some of her enery) but that mother didn't know that......

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Bonnie

It just amazes me that the oldest trick still works on kids! Im dont know if some parents just don't teach their kids or maybe some just don't listen, but with the way the world is today somebody needs to get it through to them before its too late! The worst thing is that they are the same parents that would sue you if your dog were to bite their kids!
I have people come in my home when my Maggie has a litter of puppies and think nothing of reaching in to pick up one of the puppy's it seems no matter how many times I tell them they just don't listen then they have the nerve to that she is nasty! Nasty? for protecting her pups from a stranger? hmm I guess they wouldnt have an issue with someone walking up to them in the mall and taking their infant out of the stroller just because they thought they were cute?
I just don't get it
Bonnie

iwantmypup

I agree with you totally... It's scary isn't it?

Never would I walk alone at ..anytime!(My mom would never let me ! but I wouldn't even if she did!.) My Strategic Language Arts class has this program where kids write a short story about an event in thier life . So , I was reading one of the storyies and how this girl said that she was 5( YES FIVE!) and her Uncle told her to go to the store(alone!) and get something ..... So she goes alone... and I guess this dog chases after her and she runs and runs she loses a shoe and her Uncle is laughing at her!

That sounds like a story out of a movie to me..how could someone do that?!! Oh let me add that this is in a CITY! With all kinds of crazy people!

BoxMeIn21

LMAO!!! You made me snot laugh.

...but in all seriousness, you're totally on point.

iwantmypup

Yeah that had me laughing too lolsza;!)

Cassie Nova

I guess I am a "kid" these days. But when people run up to Cassie and try to pet her, I get ANGRY because she's afraid, and some little peanut-brain kid chasing her is NOT helping!! I started out by explaining to the child that she was shy and to be slow...but they still ran. Then I started telling the parent (assuming there IS one...) to explain to the child to move slowly....nope, that didn't work either. Then I resorted to telling them they could NOT pet my dog.....didn't listen. Once I got so fed up that I said she was aggressive and for them to move away otherwise she may bite.

georgygirl

I had a group of little kids (6-8 yrs old) offer to walk to the park with me after I let them pet my dog. I had to tell them that the park was very far away to get them to not follow me! Of course there were no parents in sight. What if I had been a kidnapper or something? They would have followed me to the park!

Jaylie

Yes, and any kidnapper can get a cute dog, and then use it to atract children.

Mr. N

I have a cute dog...

georgygirl

Well, I won't be tellin' you where I live. Cuz this neighborhood ain't big enough for the two of us.......

sillylilykitty

OMG! (sorry this is off topic) georgygirl I LOVE your sig pic! Is that a Siamese?!

RonE

Dogzilla and I used to go talk to grade school kids at a nearby school about how to approach (or NOT approach) a strange dog and what to do if a strange dog approaches them.

The individual classroom teachers had the discretion to let me come in and talk to their classes, but I could never convince school officials that this should be part of the standard curriculum for every elementary student in every school.

There were, at that time, enough volunteer dog club members to accomplish this daunting task but too many administrative barriers.

I suppose what it will take is a couple of high-profile dog-related injuries to youngsters for that to change.

Amaya-Mazie-Marley

I've also had little kids approach me, but only in places like petsmart and my vets office. I still think parents should monitor their kids alot better, I agree with everybodys posting. Anybody, anywhere could be a kidnapper and such. I also never let anyone with another dog approach me, I don't trust other peoples dogs, and I have no clue which dogs mine are going to react to. Its almost like they pick and choose.

peace36

I have kids follow me all the time. I think because I have my own kids with me so they figure I am safe. The latest was this cute little 6 yr old girl at an apartment complex I was flyering. She was all alone and was with us for over an hour. When we would pile into our van to drive to the next set of buildings she just could not understand why I would not let her in and said if she wanted to walk over and meet us she could do that.

Poor little girl I told her to our # was on the flyer and if she showed her mom she could come play someday

georgygirl

lol, yup, Abu is my male blue point siamese. He's my "almost a dog" cat! But I think you know what I mean.




The kids here are usually really good about asking before they pet him, but honestly I'm a little worried about their saftey. Yesterday we were walking Joey and a little girl on a bike crossed the street without looking. She was litereally a few feet from getting hit by a car! I see the kids out playing all the time, but I NEVER see any parents out with them.

iwantmypup

Awww..That little girl does sound like she doesn't have anyone to play with..or even be with...her parents probably work alot..You're very nice to do that peace36!




Georgygirl... Joey , Allie , and Abu are quite the cute bunch! Hehe I love how blue Abu is!


Ali

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