Would you give money to a child at the door?

Mupette

sounds like a bit of a scam to me,

got a couple of kids the other day asking if we wanted our shopping trollies taken back, i told them it wasn't a pound coin in the slot but a token disc, they didn't want to know.

faerie~spangles

art_for_arts_sake wrote: »

We all make the mistake of judging people by their appearances. I was reading on another blog where a proud parent watched their young daughter from a safe distance, on her first attempt at busking to get some experience of playing in front of a crowd. An unkempt fellow busker approached the girl, drawing the attention of the parent, but then walked away, only to return with a £1 for the girl. It's so easy to jump to conclusions without knowing all the facts.

Busking is entirely different to a small child knocking on doors and asking for money.

go_cat

I think we all need to remember what was safe or what we all did 20-30years ago unfortunately isn't as safe nowadays.

I would not give out any money on the doorstep, and would be talking to my local community police officer as some people may feel obliged to hand over money

Tropez

go_cat wrote: »

I think we all need to remember what was safe or what we all did 20-30years ago unfortunately isn't as safe nowadays.

To be honest, it probably wasn't that safe back then. It's just with more technology and faster media we hear more about the nasties in the world these days. If it's not on the 6 o'clock news, it's on someone's blog, or Twitter...

miss_independent

art_for_arts_sake wrote: »

We all make the mistake of judging people by their appearances. I was reading on another blog where a proud parent watched their young daughter from a safe distance, on her first attempt at busking to get some experience of playing in front of a crowd. An unkempt fellow busker approached the girl, drawing the attention of the parent, but then walked away, only to return with a £1 for the girl. It's so easy to jump to conclusions without knowing all the facts.

With all due respect, although I noted the child was uncared for looking with a skin head and a "rough" accent, the main judgement I made was not on his appearance as such but based on the fact he was being allowed to knock on complete strangers doors in an area he didnt seem familiar with asking them for money and the
judgement was not of him but the kind of parents who would allow a child to do this. When I eventually saw his sister, again I would admit to making a judgement
about her parents based on her appearance because, in my mind there is no way a decent parent would allow their young daughter to walk the streets in a strappy crop top and tight short hot pants (tbh they were no better than knickers) with her belly and buttocks hanging out (she was overweight and her clothes were at least two sizes too small) on any day let alone one which was cold, windy and rainy. I can't look at that without thinking "irresponsible parents".

ETA: I think what made things worse for me also is that every parent in this town is aware that there is a ring of wealthy businessmen who groom young girls for sex offering food and drugs as well as money in return. They target vulnerable girls from the estate. Several have disappeared without a trace, never to be seen again. Charges have never been brought against the men successfully because they leave no evidence behind but everyone in this town knows it happens. So to allow your kids to knock on doors asking for money is pretty damn stupid, especially in this town.

faerie~spangles

Tropez wrote: »

To be honest, it probably wasn't that safe back then. It's just with more technology and faster media we hear more about the nasties in the world these days. If it's not on the 6 o'clock news, it's on someone's blog, or Twitter...

I couldn't agree more with this.

I'm fortunate [STRIKE]or not depending on your view of noisy kids[/STRIKE] to live in an area where kids do play outside in the street.

VitaK

A seven year old is not equiped to handle a difficult situation. More importantly, it is unlikely a seven year old is able to spot a potentially dangerious situation.

Money and scratched cars have the potential of getting the worst out in people.

I would call the local police and ask them to look into it.

KrabbyTheClown

I would probably give him a biscuit or something. He could have been used to get money for drugs. You did the right thing.

miss_independent

Thanks all for input/thoughts. I think, in retrospect I would have asked the boy what his name was and tried to find out what school he went to and then I would have contacted the school to let them know I was concerned.

I did feel that these kids had been put out to work. The boy seemed to be nervously looking over his shoulder to make sure he "got his lines right". It even went through my head that an adult was hiding and if I had went to get my purse would have pushed their way in and robbed me - there was just this sense that there was something "not right" and not innocent or cute about this situation. When I saw the two of them heading off across the carriageway to work another neighbourhood I just thought of the kids I have come across whose parents ARE addicts and go on a bender on a Saturday then sleep it off on a Sunday and the kids have to fend for themselves, scrape money for food together because rhey haven't eaten all day or worse, the addict needs their next fix but has no money so sends their kids out to get some, and tells them not to come back till they do. Sorry, but it happens...more than we'd all like to think. There is a 99% chance this wasn't the case with these two but I couldn't shake the feeling there was more to it than met the eye.

thehappybutterfly

Nope, I wouldn't have given them money either as a donation or to wash my car. And far from being entrepenurial, I think it's downright dangerous for young children to be knocking on strangers' doors for any reason! Anything could happen to that poor kid - knock on the door of a child abuser, offer to wash the car and the abuser brings the child indoors "Come in son while I look for some money". Shockingly dangerous.

On the other hand, these kids could be "trained" by an adult to take your money then accuse you of something unsavoury.

OP, I'm glad you trusted your instincts.