[SamoyedFurFluff]

Honestly at 3 & 4 children will do the wildest stuff and I wouldn’t be surprised a parent has a head on a swivel for stupid kid nonsense at that point, by 4 you have a bachelors degree in “my child will handle/eat animal shit for no reason”. Children at that age are not capable of rational thinking, emotional regulation, and have no real sense of danger or stakes.

[Waterluvian]

One of my favourite moments of fatherhood was at a playground this summer. Someone’s kid was doing something precarious on the monkey bars as I sat quietly with other dads minding our own business.

The girl began to wobble and myself and two other dads, without coordination or communication all instinctively began to lunge towards her (maybe 15 feet away).

We barely got two steps before we harnessed ourselves, noticed what happened and had a laugh. Then went back to being hermits.

I really felt like I was part of this ancient order. We didn’t know each other and yet we all understood each other.

[mehphp]

> I really felt like I was part of this ancient order. We didn’t know each other and yet we all understood each other.

I mean, we kind of are, right?

[notch656a]

You're a braver man than me. I never ever touch children I don't know (as a man), doesn't matter how compelling the reason. I assume no matter how good my intentions I will be sued / police called / crucified. Doubly so if it is a child of the opposite sex.

[shawnb576]

This is 1000% true and this thread really underscores now non parents simply cannot fathom parent behavior.

I couldn’t, I had these same ignorant ideas based on my fleeting, non-accountable contact with small kids.

Now let me tell you about the time my 10 month old, in the blink of an eye, managed to get a handful of her own poo into her mouth.

The struggle is real.

[angstrom]

I climbed 40ft up the outside of a silo without a ladder. Kids do the dumbest shit.