My four-year-old and I stopped to check on someone who was getting arrested today.
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Actually I think it's agonisingly embarrassing that there are so many small moments when it's difficult to do the right thing in front of kids.
"Sorry, we don't have time to stop and pick up that litter someone else dropped."
"That person is sleeping there because they don't have a home, and there's not much we can do to help"
I think the fact that the young are asking and seeing is a positive. They’re not learning to be wilfully blind.
A story and an idea.Pre pandemic, when we went out a lot more and especially up to london, and could afford it, we’d carry little cheap cloth bags to give to street sleepers. If I remember, they contained some sanitary pads for the women (we had a few of each), a small bar of soap, a Mylar (emergency blanket), mini first aid kit, a led micro torch and a cigarette lighter. We didn’t put food in, and the whole thing probably cost a couple of quid as we bought bulk from Costco.
I’d had bad experiences buying food for street people (memorably one guy outside a hospital getting aggressive and rejecting the sandwich and coffee he’d asked me for as it was the wrong sort of cheese, I’m assuming mental health crisis) and these seemed to go well, especially the thermal blanket.
As you say, theres not much we can do for street sleepers, we never know why they’re there and just giving money can be challenging. But these pouches seemed an option for us and we would often hand out a couple each trip.
These days we have a crate outside the front door for delivery drivers and postal workers. It contains water, food bars and a few other thank you items (tissues etc) for anyone who needs them. Thankfully we live in an area where the local teens aren’t likely to steal the lot and we know it goes down well. Those folk get worked hard with no breaks and it seems the least we can offer to support them. Probably costs us ten pounds a month and they save us more than that in fuel and stress.
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My four-year-old and I stopped to check on someone who was getting arrested today.
She had made it clear that she did want help, and I checked on with my kid as well before approaching.
The police officer tried to tell me off. "Do you think this is the kind of thing you want your kid to see? Do you think this is good parenting?"
Yeah, actually! If we see something happening that seems wrong, I want my kid to see me doing something about it!
@scroeser Hello
I do so very much agree with your choice, especially on the education side and parents' duty 🤟 -
Actually I think it's agonisingly embarrassing that there are so many small moments when it's difficult to do the right thing in front of kids.
"Sorry, we don't have time to stop and pick up that litter someone else dropped."
"That person is sleeping there because they don't have a home, and there's not much we can do to help"
@scroeser@kolektiva.social The US needs millions more like you
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My four-year-old and I stopped to check on someone who was getting arrested today.
She had made it clear that she did want help, and I checked on with my kid as well before approaching.
The police officer tried to tell me off. "Do you think this is the kind of thing you want your kid to see? Do you think this is good parenting?"
Yeah, actually! If we see something happening that seems wrong, I want my kid to see me doing something about it!
> "Do you think this is the kind of thing you want your kid to see? Do you think this is good parenting?"
I bet they don't wait for kids to be out of the house/vicinity when they arrest someone who happens to be a parent
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I think the fact that the young are asking and seeing is a positive. They’re not learning to be wilfully blind.
A story and an idea.Pre pandemic, when we went out a lot more and especially up to london, and could afford it, we’d carry little cheap cloth bags to give to street sleepers. If I remember, they contained some sanitary pads for the women (we had a few of each), a small bar of soap, a Mylar (emergency blanket), mini first aid kit, a led micro torch and a cigarette lighter. We didn’t put food in, and the whole thing probably cost a couple of quid as we bought bulk from Costco.
I’d had bad experiences buying food for street people (memorably one guy outside a hospital getting aggressive and rejecting the sandwich and coffee he’d asked me for as it was the wrong sort of cheese, I’m assuming mental health crisis) and these seemed to go well, especially the thermal blanket.
As you say, theres not much we can do for street sleepers, we never know why they’re there and just giving money can be challenging. But these pouches seemed an option for us and we would often hand out a couple each trip.
These days we have a crate outside the front door for delivery drivers and postal workers. It contains water, food bars and a few other thank you items (tissues etc) for anyone who needs them. Thankfully we live in an area where the local teens aren’t likely to steal the lot and we know it goes down well. Those folk get worked hard with no breaks and it seems the least we can offer to support them. Probably costs us ten pounds a month and they save us more than that in fuel and stress.
@tempusfelix I do just give money when I can, I just have to remember to have cash on hand.
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@scroeser Hello
I do so very much agree with your choice, especially on the education side and parents' duty 🤟@herouelibre thanks! Love your user icon!
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@scroeser@kolektiva.social The US needs millions more like you
@lyrial thank you! I'm in Australia and intending to stay here, but I appreciate it!
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My four-year-old and I stopped to check on someone who was getting arrested today.
She had made it clear that she did want help, and I checked on with my kid as well before approaching.
The police officer tried to tell me off. "Do you think this is the kind of thing you want your kid to see? Do you think this is good parenting?"
Yeah, actually! If we see something happening that seems wrong, I want my kid to see me doing something about it!
@scroeser
The real question should be "do you think this is good POLICING" -
@herouelibre thanks! Love your user icon!
@scroeser 'welcome
PS It's a non profit small collective, of which I happend to be part of. Half of us have access to this account.
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@gusseting it just so happens that I am based in Australia! Thanks!
@scroeser apologies - I missed the WA in your profile - glad I mentioned, and you're right - excellent parenting!
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My four-year-old and I stopped to check on someone who was getting arrested today.
She had made it clear that she did want help, and I checked on with my kid as well before approaching.
The police officer tried to tell me off. "Do you think this is the kind of thing you want your kid to see? Do you think this is good parenting?"
Yeah, actually! If we see something happening that seems wrong, I want my kid to see me doing something about it!
"Do you think this is the kind of thing you want your kid to see?"
I don't think the officer was actually concerned about your child. Ii sounds more they were trying to undermine your attempt of normalising the situation: That people in a community can support each other, even when interacting with state authority.I presume your child didn't just happened to be there, but that you made it effectively part of the parenting programme.
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"Do you think this is the kind of thing you want your kid to see?"
I don't think the officer was actually concerned about your child. Ii sounds more they were trying to undermine your attempt of normalising the situation: That people in a community can support each other, even when interacting with state authority.I presume your child didn't just happened to be there, but that you made it effectively part of the parenting programme.
@andy We were cycling past and saw what was happening. I couldn't leave my kid alone to go intervene, so we talked it through together before getting involved.
After I explained what was happening and what I wanted to do my kid said, "Let's go do that now."
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My four-year-old and I stopped to check on someone who was getting arrested today.
She had made it clear that she did want help, and I checked on with my kid as well before approaching.
The police officer tried to tell me off. "Do you think this is the kind of thing you want your kid to see? Do you think this is good parenting?"
Yeah, actually! If we see something happening that seems wrong, I want my kid to see me doing something about it!
@scroeser Well done.
I remember my dad criticizing our "Obrigkeitshörigkeit" (deference) and I encourage my kids to break some rules.
I look forward to visiting Germany next month and ignoring signs together with them
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@tempusfelix I do just give money when I can, I just have to remember to have cash on hand.
@scroeser @tempusfelix tbh, I think cash is a good idea quite often. Some people say 'what about if they spend it on drink or drugs?' to which I answer 'so what? Does your employer only give you money to do with in ways they approve? Do you have any right to tell someone how to spend their money? Surely, treating homeless people as adults with the same rights of choice as everyone else is positive?'
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My four-year-old and I stopped to check on someone who was getting arrested today.
She had made it clear that she did want help, and I checked on with my kid as well before approaching.
The police officer tried to tell me off. "Do you think this is the kind of thing you want your kid to see? Do you think this is good parenting?"
Yeah, actually! If we see something happening that seems wrong, I want my kid to see me doing something about it!
@scroeser Children want to do the right thing. They need to be taught to do the wrong thing.
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@scroeser @tempusfelix tbh, I think cash is a good idea quite often. Some people say 'what about if they spend it on drink or drugs?' to which I answer 'so what? Does your employer only give you money to do with in ways they approve? Do you have any right to tell someone how to spend their money? Surely, treating homeless people as adults with the same rights of choice as everyone else is positive?'
@UkeleleEric @scroeser @tempusfelix
There was a brilliant rap/spoken word performance that I remember hearing back in 2005 (I haven't found it since) where the lyrics said something to the effect of:
"This homeless guy asked me for money and my friend said, don't give it to him. He's just gonna use it for drugs and alcohol. Then I thought, that's what I'm gonna spend it on."
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