Singapore parent asks if strangers should pat or touch children: ‘What’s your take?’

SINGAPORE: A stranger patting a child may be intended as a friendly gesture, but not all parents are comfortable with it.

On Reddit, a netizen voiced his opinion that he never thought that patting other people’s kids, especially random strangers, was not deemed right. He claimed in his post: “Don’t pat or touch others’ kids.” 

He also asked the perspectives of other parents and stated: “What’s your take on strangers doing that to your child?” 

This thread garnered answers from other netizens that sparked a really interesting discussion about the subject at hand. One commented that it is better to not touch anything that is not yours without asking permission, as it will earn more respect and will lead to fewer problems. 

“Unfortunately, with the amount of creeps in the world, it is justified for parents to feel antagonistic with strangers touching their kids without permission even if it is meant to be friendly, like patting the head. In the end, you cannot truly know for sure the intention behind the action,” a netizen declared. 

Another comment clearly remarked that it is not right to touch other people without their consent. A netizen agreed and shared: “People need to learn about what consent is. Don't randomly touch kids just because you are an older person.” 

However, others claimed that maybe this is a generational misunderstanding, and emphasised that we should still be empathetic with one another. 

“Social norms are subjective; just like how the elderly struggle to adapt to technology, it’s also difficult for them to adjust to the changing social norms. As a society, we should just be more empathetic towards each other. If you don't like people touching your kid, if they touch, just let them know you don't want them to touch your kid,” a comment added. 

For some, this case does not only apply to their children, but also their pets. 

“Even more for pets since dogs BITE. So if the dog draws blood, who is liable for treatment bills?”, a netizen stated. 

“Don’t even touch someone else’s dog or cat without asking first. Unless they’ve already run over to you,” a comment concluded. 

In the end, this thread just highlights a very important rule that many of us forget: do not touch what is not yours without asking first. This just shows that we value respect for others by not overstepping your boundaries. If we want to interact, there is nothing wrong with asking first.