Lock up your children, there's a man in the park!

What a sad world we live in. Just because i'm a man at the park with his daughter, it must mean i'm also there to creep on your children.

I took Bekah to the park today, to get some fresh air and enjoy the sunshine. As soon as we get there all the ladies, take one look at me and quickly double check where their children are, get up from the benches where the were formerly chit-chatting with their other other mommy friends and get within arms reach of their children.

Bekah of course was all over the place, making friends, running to the slide, picking up other kid's toys. Once I pryed the toys from her hands, she happily went off to the slide and I handed the toys off to the little girl who they belonged to while her mother kept a close watch.

After Bekah was tired of the slide, we went to the swings and I tried to teach her how to pump her legs and get moving. Another little girl wanted up on the swing next to us and she asks "can you help me up?" I awkwardly ignored her request and then Bekah chimes in and says, "daddy, she wants to use the swing too." So i had to educate my daughter saying " people don't like it when daddy's touch children who aren't theirs hunny, she'll have to get her mommy to help her, i'm afraid." By that time the mother was already booking it accross the playground, to her daughters rescue, so it was no biggy.

It's so sad that because there are perverts out there, the stigma is, we all must be perverts. Its not that I really blame the mothers, they're just protecting their most prized possesions, but its just sad that they feel the need to protect them at all.

Within 30 mins. of Bekah and I being there, the park cleared out, EVERYONE left. It may have all been in my head, but it left me feeling really awkward. Do I really have to be accompanyed by a woman, to make me seem "safe" enough to be at the park with my daughter? Can't my daughter play with your children while I watch from the park bench, without you fearing that I'm going to take them or something?

We left, and I bought Bekah a kite from the dollar store, and we found a big open feild with no other children where we could fly it and enjoy the day. Great day with my daughter, all in all, just sad that I had to be made to feel like a criminal, while I spent some quality time with her.