Friendly or frowning mothers!

Lady with a child stroller

Have you ever run into a lady with an adorable and cute child in a stroller? Have you tried to smile and show playful gestures to the child to get its attention? I have had many such encounters, especially when I used to travel on the Oxford Stagecoaches which are designed to accommodate the needs of wheelchair users, mothers with strollers and the like. May I mention this, my such encounters were never pleasant or remarkable and I wish I didn't have to learn my lesson the hard-way.

Children, in any culture, are innocent and are happy to get a lot of attention, even from strangers. They are usually unaware of who strangers are... they are only concerned about who plays with them and who doesn't. Parents are usually the ones who train their kids, as they grow, about the realities of 'stranger-danger'. This is one of the most important and essential lessons to be taught in this peculiar age of crime, abuse and what-not!

The Indian culture (like many other cultures) allows us to show affection, when it comes to a quiet child in a stroller or the hyper-active kid trying to sneak away when the mother/father is inattentive. This is socially acceptable and it reflects the hospitable nature of Indians. Unlike Indians, the English are more intense when it comes to a stranger showing affection to their child. I believe it is good to be alert but it's more than uncomfortable when you come across a frowning mother just because you smiled at her child! Many a times I have almost been embarrassed by the extreme stares from over-protective mothers. It is entirely different to be a victim of crime and to be a victim of fear of crime. Such behavior reflects their own insecurity in a public place. Apparently, these frowning mothers have gotten under my skin and thereafter, I've begun ignoring and stopped even looking at lovable children.