Today I was listening to the radio and they were talking about how an older man in his 70's got kicked out of a bookstore because he was in the children's section without a child and a mother was creeped out.
My dad loves going to the bookstore and buying things for my LO. He'll always comes back with gifts for her. This whole thing just seems silly to me.
blogger / pomegranate / 3300 posts
Both my father and FIL go to book stores and toy stores to buy stuff for my kids. I don't think it's creepy at all. I wonder if there was other odd behavior besides just shopping. I was in toy r is with my kids looking at the duplo/ lego section. A man probably in his 50 or 60 came up to ask me reccomendations about products. I didn't really think anything off it. He said his grandson was coming to visit and he wanted to get some things for him
Maybe I am naive but I would not think anything bad of someone shopping with out a kid. If I could have a few minutes in a store without my kids it would be like heaven.
coconut / 8854 posts
I think it would depend on the old man. I mean if it was obvious that he wasn't shopping, and it was interested in other children more than shopping, or looking at the stuff in the store, then I would also be creeped out. But if the older man is in there shopping, says hi to the little one, maybe says how cute they are, but then goes along on his way. I would think that would be perfectly normal! Just a grandpa shopping 
coconut / 8681 posts
I wouldn’t think twice about it. I’d just assume that it was a dad/grandfather/uncle/etc. shopping for a little one in their life. Obviously if there was some other suspicious behavior it would probably raise a red flag but just the sole fact that they were at a children’s store shopping without a child wouldn’t phase me.
cantaloupe / 6687 posts
Who knows what happened that made the mom feel like she needed to do something but I feel so bad for men bc they are often unfairly viewed as creepy. A woman is probably just as likely to abduct a child as a man. I don't think a guy being in the children's section of a store is creepy - old or young - there has to be some other behavior.
wonderful olive / 19353 posts
I think that's just odd! I agree with previous posters in that I don't find a man (young or old) shopping in the kid's section to be creepy at all unless he's displaying some other behavior. People are getting ridiculous sometimes.
kiwi / 678 posts
Yeah, if he's just shopping I probably wouldn't notice. If he (or anyone really) is acting creepy towards children or anyone, I would notify the store staff. I worked at a bookstore in college and there was a guy who was being really creepy and following me around and one of our customers called and told our manager about it. I appreciated that she took the time to caution me. I had noticed the creeper and already arranged for a friend to drive me home, but if I hadn't it could have been scary since I usually just walked home after my shift.
But simply being an old man and in the kids section doesn't really mean anything.
pomegranate / 3414 posts
I don't think anything of it. I hate that society has gotten to the point where a man (of any age) in a child focused section or store is targeted simply because of his gender.
@Oceanis723: the article I read about this said that he had sat down off to the side of the section to take a phone call and that is when someone complained.
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts
this makes me sad. I agree with the other PPs that said women are just as likely to offend. I know it's human nature to judge and profile, but seriously..my grandfather, Dad, even husband would be quick to be friendly to a child and it's unfair that they might be judged harshly for doing so.
I doubt anyone would bat an eye if it was a 70s year old grandmothery type who was being friendly and even touching the child, as I've definitely seen some people do.
admin / wonderful grape / 20724 posts
There is so much anti-man sentiment in the parenting world. People say things to men and dads that they would never dream of saying to women or moms.
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