Stranger giving your child money

Make-it-3

I noted that too from "Call the Midwife" in fact now I know its such a common practice I should ask my mum, I was born in the East End although somewhat later than in the programme.

GlasweJen

It's definitely a Glasgow thing, when my nieces were in prams I'd be stopped constantly by people who'd admire the baby then tuck a coin into the the dip between the mattress and the side of the pram.

Another favourite of mine was the tradition where a bag of sweets and money is passed around at a christening with the 3rd person who receives it gets to keep it. And of course wedding scrambles were brilliant, I remember at my mums wedding there was a scramble at the house and one at the church, my sister got married 8 years ago and she had one at the church only - sadly I've not seen one since.

spendaholiceejit

As someone else has said, this does happen in Northern Ireland, although nowhere near as often as it did when I was little.

My child has been given the odd £1 from a stranger. I think it's very kind and often wonder if my son reminds them of someone they used to know.

wanchai_2

This is very common here in Ireland, I thought that it was done everywhere! The man was undoubtedly being kind, perhaps he has no family nearby. Bless him.

This thread has brought a tear to my eye, especially j-josie's post about her children thinking that their granny knew everyone in Ireland! I used to think that about my parents and my granny, they knew everyone in the small town I grew up in (and my mother/granny's home town too).

My father, especially, had a lot of GAA/credit union/committee X/Y/Z connections and as a child I really did think that he knew everyone. He passed away a few years ago and there were about 800 at the funeral - guard of honour, the lot. Despite my grief, it made me proud to think that he was so highly thought of.

Sorry for going OT.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Travellers and east end london, too.

Happened when DD1 was a baby a lot of the time. When I met ex #2 and had DD2, it happened once and he was shocked but said it was quite sweet actually once I explained.

thriftylass

Definitely normal up here in Scotland. When we went to Glasgow with our newborn people would put pound coins in the buggy. Same over in Ireland.

anderson8

I've got all ds coins in a piggy bank and will go towards his big boy bed

amus

I think old people just enjoy giving a lot of the time.

At christmas a lot of them tend to buy absolutely everyone gifts, the doctor, the greengrocer, the bank staff (!), the librarians etc etc.

My sons were never given money but were often offered sweets and chocolates off old people.

If this old chap did have 'dodgy' motives I would wonder what he had to gain by slipping a small child a fiver who doesnt understand the concept of money in the prescence of her mother and walking off. Sounds like he was just being generous.

kat360

Last year whenever we used to go shopping we used to see a little old man waiting by the baby trolleys. All year long we saw him and to be honest I thought he was a bit creepy. Until my eldest daughter stopped riding in the trolley, she decided that she was going to talk to him.

Apparently his son had emigrated and he missed his two granddaughters, he showed us pictures of them and I realised that he was probably just a lonely old man. He insisted on giving my two £1 each, whenever we saw him after that we waved and said hello.

Lozzy88

It has happened to with me and my children a lot ,I think its a really lovely gesture, all older men, and I have never once thought badly of any of them (like medo the pedo thoughts) I think its sometimes a way to strike up conversation and you soon find out that they are really normal family men, I know my dad and my uncles do it and they are from NI originally.