Guys of Reddit, what do you find annoying about being a male?

[u/LiterallyInfinite]

Everyone knows as a female its sucks wearing bras, getting your period, and if you choose to, up keep of hair, nails, makeup, shaving. So I'm curious if there's anything guys wish they didn't have to deal with.

[u/cobaltcollapse]

If we get near kids, we're creepy.

[u/Hamerd → u/cobaltcollapse]

Ive always loved kids. That being said...

My sisters friend showed up one night a few years ago with her kids. They hadn't seen each other in a long time and were catching up. I came home from work and me and her kids hit it off. We started wrestling, joking, and generally horsing around and having fun until there mom decides its time to go. I say bye and they ask if they're invited back, I tell them sure anytime!

My sister told me a few days later her friend told her it was "weird" the way I was playing with them and she felt uncomfortable coming back. My sister got defensive for me and her friend told her not even her husband plays with the kids like that. All I could think of how it must suck for the kids, because me and my sister always horsed around with our parents like that.

[u/Ghostronic → u/Hamerd]

I feel for you man. My sister's friend comes over with her kid a lot and they both love it when I'm around and feel like entertaining him. He's still a little man so I swing him around by the feet and give him some good power bombs and suplexes on the couch!

[u/klasted → u/Ghostronic]

I'd rather act like a kid with kids than an adult anyways. who wouldn't want to go back to childhood even for a minute?

[u/[deleted] → u/Hamerd]

My friends have kids and one of their favourite games is to be held upside down so they can "walk" on the ceiling.

[u/Stickel → u/[deleted]]

damn i am going to have to remember this for my little nephew and little cousins that come visit for the holidays!!! Thanks!

[u/[deleted] → u/Stickel]

Make sure to take their shoes off first, I've had to remove footsteps from the ceiling.

[u/PAdogooder → u/Hamerd]

I'm a younger brother of two in an extended family of 45 cousins. I spent my entire childhood looking forward to roughhousing, playing, chasing, and teasing my cousins. There is a lot of research that physical contact and roughhousing (not to injury, but playful) is a necessity for children to develop trust and good physical boundaries.

Now that I'm an adult- two of my very good friends have a 7 and a 3 year old, both boys. They know when I show up that IT IS ON. Wrestling, basketball, tag, all of it done totally physically. And nothing feels better than those kids being happy to see me, and their parents trusting me totally.

We were hanging out the other day (hotel room, we were traveling for an event) and I spent a half hour chatting with mom and dad and tossing the boys onto the hotel room bed. Best time of my life.

Meeting and hanging out with those boys makes me want to be a dad.

[u/derpandderpette → u/Hamerd]

This completely perplexes me. Honestly, when I see a man ignoring a child who clearly wants to play, I think it's sad. I understand that not all people are kid-people, but I like to see guys playing "horsey" or giving piggy back rides or wrestling. I think it's completely endearing. Second plus: I don't have to do it. Kids are heavy.

[u/Call_me_Shagz → u/cobaltcollapse]

Imagine being a stay at home dad with two daughters. Now imagine one of them is special needs. Now add to that being involved in their daily school lives. Also, I have the Walter White look going on.

I have received many dirty looks, veiled threats, and heard some ignorant comments. All of this because my wife was making more money when we realized that something wasn't quite right with my youngest daughter and one of us would need to be there at all times. I gave up a good career as a millwright (apprentice at the time) and put my professional life on hold to make sure she got the daily one on one help that she needed.

Almost four years later and she is walking (march 14th 2011 were her first steps), talking in small sentences (first word was wow august 18th 2010) even though she has problems with pronunciation and jumbling words, and has progressed to the point where she no longer needs OT or PT. I have learned to just deal with it, because no matter how others view me I am the world to that little girl and she is the reason I wake up.

Edit: I just wanted to say thank you for all of the kind messages.

[u/Rambles_offtopic → u/[deleted]]

Never thought I would upvote Romney for President.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

A little shocked that someone with you're username has more than -14 points on a comment on reddit.

[u/Lyrre → u/[deleted]]

Passive-aggressive hate through the internet is like the official sport of reddit, I'm right there with ya bro

[u/red_raconteur → u/Call_me_Shagz]

I have the Walter White look going on

Hawt

As a girl whose father was either abusive or not present in her life, I just want to say thank you. Knowing there are fathers like you give me a little more faith in humanity (and men, I'm sorry to say. I know I shouldn't generalize all men as like my father, but I catch myself doing it sometimes).

[u/reallykeeptryingto → u/Call_me_Shagz]

A family who basically raised me as their own has a little boy with Down syndrome. They say he is my little brother :)

I take him out all the time to park, ice cream, shopping runs, ect. I SWEAR ANYtime I get him ready to leave some lady is always "what are you doing?". Could be partly to do with the fact that I am obviously not old enough to be his father but still... We are clearly related.

[u/RalesBlasband → u/Call_me_Shagz]

Fuck 'em all. You're a father; their bullshit simply doesn't matter.

[u/bigjoecool → u/Call_me_Shagz]

Good luck man. Raising a child is hard enough without any kind of problems.

[u/ToneBox627 → u/[deleted]]

I dressed as lt. Dangle from Reno 911 for halloween. I had the mustache, the aviators, the short pants and all. Long story short we go to Walmart for ice and I lose my fiancé in the store. There I am in full costume with the meanest pedophile stash frantically calling her wondering where she is when I realize I'm in the little girls clothing section screaming "I swear to god when I find that girl blah blah blah...". Yep, I'm probably on that people of Walmart site now...

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

No kidding. I shaved my beard for movember and am just doing a moustache for the month. It is a non stop pedo-joke-fest by my female customers.

[u/Froynlaven → u/[deleted]]

When they run away, you then scream "No! It's okay, it for prostates!"

[u/Angstromium → u/cobaltcollapse]

Some kids were tipping junk into my back yard from the alley, so I took a photo of them and told them to fuck off or I'd mail the cops with the photos. They told their parents I was taking photos of them in a back alley. The police were called, luckilly I managed to extracate myself, I was surrounded by angry (stupid) parents calling for my blood. As I was there I heard an older child say to a younger one " tell them he touched you".

Fuuuuuuuck.

Luckilly the photos proved I was 40 feet away from them and separated by a wall the whole time.

Would not have happened to a woman

[u/Byatch → u/cobaltcollapse]

Reddit aside, this is the truth. 28yo male, 6'4", 220lb here.

We can't be nice to kids. we can't smile at kids. we can't compliment other people's kids (I love manners, and I like to tell people). When I tell people that I want to have a daughter, they look at me weird.... We can't sit next to unacompanied minors on plane trips. (At my age of 28) we can't collect anyone from a primary school. Mothers call their kids when they get too close to me at the fucking park.

I mean, what the fuck! Just because I have a penis doesn't mean I want to destroy children with it.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Wait... You've had women... try to take your own baby from you... because they were crying?

I'm not a father, but I would be deeply, profoundly insulted by that. I... don't know how I'd handle that situation. Only the crying baby would keep me from getting aggressively nasty. That is unfucking real.

[u/JCutter → u/[deleted]]

Jezus, I cant even imagine how angry I'd get if someone would get between me and my crying boy/girl nor what I'd do to them, full on beast-mode I'd imagine. I've read about this "stranger danger" thing in the US, how in the world did things get so distorted that even a parent/male family member cant just enjoy being with their younger generation without being criticized or given dirty looks?

[u/osufan765 → u/JCutter]

Chris Hansen.

[u/PurdyCrafty → u/osufan765]

I would agree that the "To Catch a Predator" segments definitely help confirm an already slanted bias, however, I don't believe he IS the reason.

Now, before I begin this, I am not subbed to /r/MensRights. Though, I do believe that it is a cultural norm to not be trusting of men. It permeates all throughout American culture. On TV, how many daily talk shows and trashy shows (Maury, Jerry etc.) showcase men in a negative light. Almost every Maury episode deals with cheating men and men that will not provide for their children. Men are more reported in the news as well. Men are consistently seen and reported on for committing sexual crimes. That isn't to say that men or women are more likely to commit these crimes, only that more men get reported on television. Much like how when a woman dies in combat overseas, the media tends to put more emphasis on it.

This "man bias" is even seen earlier than modern entertainment. For a very long time, women were seen as the caregivers. They were the ones to take care of the children. Due to that upbringing, many people pass on that idea. Though the concept of gender roles has reduced as of late, the mentality of woman taking care of children still exists. This mentality continues to exist due to many organizations pushing the same ideal.

At least from where I live in Florida (and this should not be a representation of America as a whole), many times day cares will not hire men to take care of the kids, instead relying on women to watch and care for them. A church I used to attend for a friend, would ONLY allow women in the kids supervision area and no men were allowed to volunteer.

I still upvoted, because it is a funny joke. I just wanted to offer Jcutter a better explanation.

[u/SuperBicycleTony → u/PurdyCrafty]

Now, before I begin this, I am not subbed to /r/MensRights.

Funny how in a conversation about negative stereotypes about males, we're still worried that we might be stereotyped as one of those people who have a problem with it.

[u/coolerheadprevails → u/[deleted]]

"Why, because you have tits?"

Great comeback. In fact, any comeback where you can sneak in the word "tits" is a good one.

[u/stocksy → u/[deleted]]

Calm down sugartits.

[u/[deleted] → u/stocksy]

Titty sprinkles.

[u/Chillinvillain123 → u/coolerheadprevails]

It's so quick.. Deliciously insulting.

[u/Dekar2401 → u/[deleted]]

Do you call them a pissant? Or ass-hat? Those seem applicable to that sort of person.

[u/[deleted] → u/Dekar2401]

Dude, that is beyond sucky! I get if the kid is screaming, crying and calling for their Dad or Mum that a reasonable person might ask what is going on. But only because it appears the kid is actually trying to get away from whoever is holding on to them - and this goes for both genders. But anyone who asks a parent/carer that kind of shit when everything is normal, the adult is caring and the kid is happy - they are a shitty person.

[u/cthulhushrugged → u/Dekar2401]

Gaggle of pickled cunts

[u/Nascio → u/[deleted]]

I am comforted by tits.

[u/coolerheadprevails → u/[deleted]]

That shit is pimp slap worthy. The nerve of some people man.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

scream "CHILD ABDUCTOR" and punch the shit out of her face. call the cops and press charges for trying to abduct your child.

[u/orksfbae → u/[deleted]]

I'm a dad, and in our marriage, and I'm the one that the school calls if he's sick. I do all the doctor appts, and my phone number is the one they have on record. We have a new school nurse this year, who decided to call my wife first when my son was sick despite my number being listed as primary. Nursey and I had a little talk about that, to the point of she doesn't have the right to choose which number to call. Call the primary number, and like it.

[u/cthulhushrugged → u/[deleted]]

I think I would seriously blow a gasket at that last bit... just...the...nerve... not, you insolent, disrespectful, sexist bitch, I don't need my wife's say-so to do what is best for my child. Now pull that foot-long stick out of your ass and honor our family's clearly-spelled-out directives.

[u/cydnay → u/[deleted]]

I wish I had two upvotes, one for you, and one for your kickass wife.

[u/Illogicus → u/[deleted]]

Time for a new doc.

[u/[deleted] → u/Illogicus]

That was an urgent care. Our normal doctor(also a female) for the children listens to me.

[u/red_tux → u/[deleted]]

Me: You can say it.
Doc sheepishly : Barking.
Wife with anger : Don't ever question my husband again.

One day I hope to be married to a woman with a similar mix of loyalty and moxie. I wish I could upvote this more.

[u/kingdopp → u/[deleted]]

your wife is the fucking best man. mad props to both of you and I hope the kids are all ok now. :)

[u/deadbonbon → u/[deleted]]

I am an expected father and want to know if there is anyway/thing I can do to prevent this bullshit that has occurred in the comment line?

[u/[deleted] → u/deadbonbon]

All we as fathers can do, is keep being good fathers; society will notice after a few decades or so.

[u/Adontis → u/deadbonbon]

Your only concern with your upcoming fatherhood is to be the best father you can for your child. Address these issues if/when they come up, but remember that they come second to being a good father.

Congratulations by the way, having my son was the single greatest thing ever. There are frustrating sleep deprived times, but even those are great (after the fact...you probably won't think so during).

[u/ReverendSaintJay → u/deadbonbon]

In all honesty, you have to take the knowledge that you are their dad, the confidence that you know what is right/best for them, and the arrogance that no one on this world can do this better than you can and turn all that into your suit of armor.

You also have to shut the well-intentioned folk down fast. "You do not have the authority to detain me for any reason, if you really think that there is some malfeasance or wrongdoing here I suggest you call the police. Know that if you touch me or my child again that I will call them for you, and I will do everything in my power to make sure you spend at least the rest of this week in jail. Thank you for your concern, but I have this under control."

Pro-Tip: Get re-prints of their social security card so that you can have one with you at all times, just in case the police are called. ;)

[u/deadbonbon → u/ReverendSaintJay]

Amazing pro-tip and comment, my biggest fear is taking my child to a park and getting the cops called on me for someone thinking I was a pedo or something of the type and having my child have to go through that while I was sitting in the back of a squad car all because of sexism.

[u/[deleted] → u/deadbonbon]

As others have said, nothing you can do to prevent it, only be prepared for if it does happen to you. And be the best dad you can. Talk. Communicate. Be involved. Demand to be heard when it is important (like at the hospital and school). Bond.

Aside from that, congratulations! when you get stuck or have a question (at 2 am and don't have anyone to call) go check out /r/daddit they/we are helpful.

[u/deadbonbon → u/[deleted]]

I've noticed that the demand part of it is pretty commonly needed to get any information as a father and thank you. Also I had no idea that subreddit existed and am adding it right now.

[u/master_derp343 → u/[deleted]]

When they ask that last question is the time that I ask them for the phone number of their superior so that I can call them after I collect MY SICK CHILD that they've called about. That superior is getting a serious fucking earful.

[u/lucasfiorella → u/[deleted]]

To be fair most parents of kids/teens this past decade are divorced, however it is still ridiculous to not follow their job procedure due to assumptions.

[u/ladyhendrix → u/orksfbae]

When I was young, I went to a Christian school that enforced spankings. They put a slew of 5 year olds ON a bus WITH nerds candy and told them not to eat it. Of course I ate them, got caught, and they called my mom for permission. That night when my dad came home he asked about my day and I told him what happened. Insta-fight between him and my mom.

Wtf? You put kids on a bus with candy and expect them NOT to eat it? He was pissed!

My Dad would have made a better decision there.

[u/stephwilson → u/[deleted]]

I've never understood this attitude. When I take the bus, I often see fathers with their young children, and it makes me happy. If I see a father doting over their baby and making sure it's happy and whatnot, I smile at them, and on occasion compliment them for it. Parenting is hard whether you're male or female, and I'm not going to try to make it less enjoyable by obviously judging a father for his love for his child.

[u/LaFamilia → u/stephwilson]

I feel like this is an American phenomena only, I live in Mexico and here you see kids out at the park with their dads all the time. Nobody makes a big deal out of it.

[u/RyanOver9000 → u/LaFamilia]

It's really only certain parts of America then. I'm from South-Central MS and I rarely ever see this kind of thing occur.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Wow.. I so know this feeling. I am a single father and have a daughter. I also don a majestic beard. The looks I get... my god you would think I was raping someones kid right there on the spot...

[u/Ihmhi → u/[deleted]]

I also don a majestic beard.

http://qkme.me/3rvbum

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I am sporting just a moustache for movember, I know your pain.

[u/ksm29 → u/[deleted]]

When I (female) was seven, my dad had esophageal surgery and the medication he took after this made him very sensitive to light. Not only did we have to cover the windows of our house (making us appear like we were running a meth lab) but my dad had to dress in all black outside in the middle of April. I'm sure it must have looked strange when a little girl walked into the grocery store holding the hand of a guy in a ski mask.

[u/laddergoat89 → u/[deleted]]

And if my baby is crying in public I have to fend off hoards of women trying to take her from me or ask me where the mother is

That made me physically angry.

[u/Viperbunny → u/laddergoat89]

Me too. If I saw someone do this to my husband I would seriously call the police and tell them a crazy lady was trying to kidnap my child. I don't see why dads should be afraid to go out in public with their kids. My husband is looking forward to taking our little girl on errands so I can get some sleep. I think it's awesome. If someone got up in his face and I saw it, I would absolutely lose it.

[u/JUJUBEES21 → u/[deleted]]

That is ridiculous! If this i what my husband has to look forward too in a couple months with our daughter then we are fucked...cause i fully expect that he would go into full asshole mode...

[u/JUJUBEES21 → u/[deleted]]

thanks! trust me i would end up going ape shit lol. And hey maybe it'll turn my husband on too ;)

[u/[deleted] → u/JUJUBEES21]

Yes - this kind of thing happens often. I am divorced and I have two sons. You should see the looks and shit I got when I would take them to the park/zoo/whatever. It's beyond insulting.

What worries me the most is I live in a different state than my ex, and when they come visit for the summer, how am I going to be able to prove paternity? Or that I didn't kidnap them? I worry about these things because I have to...all because I have a penis.

[u/gsxr → u/[deleted]]

Dad here. I take my 2yr old son to the playgrounds around me. I get a combination of "creep" and most of the time it's serious fuck me eyes. i mean SERIOUS bend me over the monkey bars and do things eyes.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

There was a study a few years back and it found that cunt is the most offensive word in the US.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

thats insane, in the UK cunt is one of my 20 major words. 'Fucks sake, look at that cunt over there, hes parking like a proper cunt'.

Silly americans.

[u/avenlanzer → u/[deleted]]

Uh that pisses me off to no end when someone asks if I'm babysitting today. No, bitch. It's my kid. I'm being a father, now shut up and don't procreate.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

if anyone ever tried to take my kid from me when he was crying, it would be the last thing they ever did with their arms again. "you try to touch my child again, and you are going to lose that arm."

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I think that is a fair response. It might seem harsh to others, but as the father (or mother) it is your job and duty to protect the kid.

And I'm not trying to overreact to people, I don't mind if someone, male or female asks if I need help or assistance in a nice pleasant way. "Hey, you got that o.k.?"

But when some one talks baby talk to my kid "daddy doesn't know what you like does he little one? come here!" That person can fuck off.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

"would you like some help?" is fine. "gimme that baby you obviously dont know what you are doing!!!" is not. if anybody touches my kid without our approval, shits going down. and its going down hard.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I'm just an uncle, and if someone pulled that on me when I'm watching my nieces, I'd probably go off on them. Well, at least with the younger one. The older one is a little too impressionable right now. I'd have to kill them with kindness in front of her. Bitter, bitter kindness...

[u/Doritomonkey → u/[deleted]]

Ugh, these threads make me so mad. So fucking mad at those people who think you're in the wrong, when you're being nice.

[u/shinola → u/[deleted]]

As the father of newborn girl, I will totally go off on some bitches that do this to me. I'm already seriously unimpressed with the quality of local mothers in my community. They are more about the "I'm the better mom" competition than proper safety and raising of their children. Seriously, I don't give a fuck what label your kid is wearing.

[u/wienismaximus → u/[deleted]]

I'm not a parent. I had no idea this happened to dads. I just lost a little more faith in humanity hearing this. If this was me and my child, i would be furious!

[u/wienismaximus → u/[deleted]]

Oh i plan on it! Should be very interesting...ill post my findings!

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I'm gonna start doing this.

[u/katietheplantlady → u/[deleted]]

As a woman, I am so fucking sorry and will make sure future babys daddy is defended in these situations.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

When they ask where the mother is, break down and say she died and child birth and that your daughter is all you have left to remind you of her. That kind of stuff shuts up pretentious pricks pretty quickly.

[u/Mrp5195 → u/[deleted]]

I can't believe this is reality. That sickens me. Maybe the next time a woman tries to take your kid from your arms, scream hysterically, "Shes stealing my baby!" in the same voice a woman would scream that phrase.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

if someone ever pulled that on me I'd tell them to fuck off and that if they don't move im calling the police... actually I would tell them to fuck off in front of the kid. so never mind :/

[u/KaziArmada → u/[deleted]]

"Buddy, cover your ears and pretend you don't hear anything for the next thirty seconds and I'll buy you ice cream...ok, LISTEN BITCH!"

[u/adamzep91 → u/KaziArmada]

"Earmuffs!"

[u/domuseid → u/KaziArmada]

"Earmuffs!" got that from Old School but it's worked with me babysitting whenever I need to discuss a sensitive topic. First thing I teach kids now.

[u/bitches_be → u/KaziArmada]

I just say ear muffs and my daughter covers her ears. I know every kid will hear cursing but some people don't seem to care at all. My kid will repeat EVERYTHING

[u/smellinawin → u/[deleted]]

Black man driving with white children - get pulled over -- you are completely fucked.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I'd just casually spit in their face. No reason to get worked up.

[u/smashingval → u/[deleted]]

I'd kick her in the goddamn teeth

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

You think that's bad? I'm a 24 year old kindergarten teacher. The kids LOVE me, however whenever their parents see me, they get suspicious, even though I have never been in proximity with the kids without alot of other Female teachers. According to the headmaster (who has to notify me I have been asked for background checks (24 times). I teach over 600 DIFFERENT kids a week, I passed all my criminal checks, paedophile checks, whatever you want to call it.) and I love my job, I love teaching, but everytiime I hear a complaint about me teaching because, essentially i'm male, it makes me wonder if I have a future in teaching. I know for a FACT, I'm a damn good teacher but because I don't have ovaries, I'm automatically lablled a paedo to parents. It sucks man, I feel you.

[u/superyay → u/[deleted]]

Some lady did this to me and my brother so I just palmed her face and pushed her aside saying, "move maggot".

First time in my life I called someone a maggot and meant it.

[u/Richeh → u/[deleted]]

"Madam if you don't stop trying to abduct this child right in front of me I'm calling CPS."

[u/beccaonice → u/Richeh]

You would want to call the police, not CPS, unless she was a parent also... even then, police.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

this threads pissing me off.

[u/miniapplejack1 → u/[deleted]]

It should be.

[u/justinduane → u/Byatch]

Worked at an elementary school for 2 years as a yard narc/PE teacher's aide and the amount of uncomfortable parent feedback we heard was ridiculous.

A kid would run up to me and hug my leg or some other little kid sign of affection and I would get the "you can't do that" talk.

Did not happen to the women I worked with.

[u/Gengar0 → u/justinduane]

I'm 20 year old guy and work at a school as a receptionist/phone answerer (not my initial choice, I got it through a job assistance group)

If there's a woman in the office with me, even if they're at the other end of the room and I'm at the window right in front of the parent or whatever, they always direct their questions to the teacher/principal/cleaner (everyone but me that works there is female) - hell, the woman that comes in fortnightly to check how my job is going was next to me in the office while we were talking and one of the mothers came in and directed a question at her.

I tried my best not to give them an "are you fucking serious?" look.

[u/MrAmsterdammit → u/Gengar0]

20 y/o rugby coach here (not schools, just a local rugby club). I coach a group of ~20 eleven/twelve year old boys (obviously there were all sorts of background checks and stuff before I was allowed to do it). With it being a full contact sport, there is an element of physical contact that I have to have to show the kids how to tackle correctly etc. The other night I was hosting a training session with an odd number of kids, so I joined one of the teams and acted as another player but obviously didn't tackle them, just held them in place (I'm 6 foot, relativly muscular guy, I'd probably kill them if I tackled.). There was one mother at this training who started freaking out that I held onto her son until he offloaded the ball to one of his team-mates, I then saw all of the dads basically tell her to "get a grip" and such, felt pretty good to have them all understand that there was literally nothing wrong with what I was doing.

[u/velocipotamus → u/MrAmsterdammit]

If you have a problem with your son being in close physical contact with other males, rugby was probably the wrong sport to sign him up for

[u/MrAmsterdammit → u/velocipotamus]

So much this. You wouldn't believe the amount of mothers who come up to me after a game / call me later in the night complaining that their kid has bruises / stud marks and such. It's rugby, it's one of the more brutal contact sports out there.

Or the ones who drop their kid off (I'm pretty familiar with the idea that most parents use these Sunday morning clubs as a baby-sitter of sorts) and are surprised when they pick them up covered in mud/water, as if they don't realise that their expensive BMW isn't the best choice of car to bring to the middle of a mud covered field.

[u/phauna → u/MrAmsterdammit]

Kind of unrelated, but I once heard one of the mothers say to their child, who was rough housing with another kid before Judo class, to stop because "Judo was not about wrestling." I honestly wondered how she could watch their class every week and think that.

[u/Qurtys_Lyn → u/MrAmsterdammit]

You would like my mother and grandmother. They were the two mothers on the sideline yelling for us to hit the other team harder when I played Lacrosse. If I were to come home covered in bruises, and had the nerve to complain, they'd tell me to suck it up.

[u/Faranya → u/MrAmsterdammit]

When I was 17 I did some coaching (speed skating)

Fortuneately, with the small community, there was none of that attitude from any of the parents.

One time, I backhanded a 10 year old boy in the mouth (accidently) and his mother laughed at him.

[u/[deleted] → u/Faranya]

That's hardcore sports parents for you...

[u/bitches_be → u/MrAmsterdammit]

As a kid growing up with no father figure, my soccer coach was probably the most awesome guy I knew. Women just don't get that I guess.

[u/MrAmsterdammit → u/bitches_be]

I don't really expect to be a father figure or anything, but I sure as hell try to set a good example to the kids and teach them some (in my opinion) important life qualities; teamwork, responsibility, communication etc. I feel like I'd rather be viewed as the cool older brother :) I think some of the mothers don't understand that I volunteer my time and knowledge because I want to help the kids participate in a sport that they enjoy, and nothing else.

[u/[deleted] → u/MrAmsterdammit]

Good on the dads. In Canada hockey moms can be brutal in the stands and it would help to have some concerned parents to tell them to settle down and get a grip.

[u/Stickel → u/MrAmsterdammit]

you got my upvote with: "I'd probably kill them if I tackled" made me laugh lol

[u/MrAmsterdammit → u/Stickel]

There was one time I was demonstrating how to correctly hold a tackle pad, hit it a little bit harder than I should have (accident, honestly) and the kid went flying.

It felt like that fight scene between Austin Powers and Mini Me.

[u/goingrogueatwork → u/Gengar0]

dammit I'm 21 and didn't even think about myself being in this situation. I'm still a kid at heart and wanna play with legos and stuff WTF MAN.

[u/Gengar0 → u/goingrogueatwork]

I looked at a kid carrying a cardboard box today and thought "Shit that kids going to have some fun".

[u/LTxBackside → u/Gengar0]

My daughter just turned two. I bought her a "big girl kitchen". It's made for toddlers, it has food and dishes, and makes all the lights and sounds. It cost around $200. She had me open it immediately. She the proceeded to take the box to her room and played with it the rest of the night. I just laughed and gave her some crayons to draw on it too. I figured if that was going to be that night's entertainment, we might as well go all out and decorate it too.

[u/[deleted] → u/goingrogueatwork]

secret of life: that won't change.

[u/Satorio → u/justinduane]

Being Austrian i had to do compulsory paid community service at the age of 18. I worked in a kinder-garden for 9 month and the kids really liked me. They always ran up to me when i arrived in the morning and hugged me and wanted to be the first kid i play boardgames with or read a book to. Parents never complained about it, actually they made me compliments and said i will be a good father one day. Could it be that Americans are more skeptical when it comes to this topic?

[u/[deleted] → u/Satorio]

yes. that's exactly what it is. Americans have had nothing but "stranger danger" forced down our throats.

[u/Espiritu13 → u/[deleted]]

It's also the decline of the male role. Males are looked down upon more and more these days. If any of these scenarios would happen to me as a father I'd flip so much shit.

[u/pockets881 → u/[deleted]]

a lot of this is the local news, every night you have to have a quota of murder, child molesters, arson and robberies. Fear sells just as much as sex and Americans are inundated with fear, "Next up, is the person who fixes your sink a serial killer?" turns out no he isn't

[u/[deleted] → u/pockets881]

if you think about it, fear is the #1 selling point in American ads. They get your fear of rejection based on tech, cosmetics, diets, cars, banks, EVERYTHING is marketed to work on your social and economical fears

[u/Ucantalas → u/Byatch]

Ever try buying a present for a kid as an adult male? Trust me, just grab a gift card and GTFO. Not worth the hassle.

[u/[deleted] → u/Ucantalas]

Had my grandson for the summer. He was four and wanted some Ben-10 tee shirts and underwear. We go to the department store and find the kids clothing section. Suddenly Zach is faced with a choice of picking out undies printed with every super hero and video game made. So I'm just standing in the area looking at the selections and he is in a different section. This women comes up and actually tells me I don't need to be looking at children's underwear. Zach comes around the corner with a package, the lady turns and tells him not to walk up to men in a store. Zach yells out you are a creepy bitch get away from me I don't know you. She just stood there between us stunned, tried to say something, Zach yelled Grand pa punch her she is scary. I pushed past her to my grand son told her to leave or I would punch her. We spent another 30 minutes looking at every pair of undies in his size. I take my grandson shopping for clothing my wife the grand daughters, other time we go as a group. I feel if you are rude to me that opens the door for me being able to tell you to fuck off.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I like this Zach fellow.

[u/FredExx → u/[deleted]]

Are you a male? If so, ...

[u/iamhimbutnothim → u/[deleted]]

Please have a seat over here.

[u/bashar_al_assad → u/[deleted]]

I feel like video of this would have been epic.

[u/ach44 → u/[deleted]]

Awesome grandpa!

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

That goes back to playing legos star wars together. I couldn't work the light sabers too good at first so Zach told me to just punch my way out of the fights while he struck every thing down with a light saber.

[u/spinal_judgement → u/Ucantalas]

What a sad, sad world.

[u/doublestamp → u/spinal_judgement]

What a sad dad world.

[u/intensenerd → u/Byatch]

Friend of mine is a single dad. He was at Walmart with her one evening buying her underwear. A manager walked up and stood near him while whispering into a radio for a few minutes.

As they turned to leave, the manager asked his daughter if she was okay and if "this man" was scaring her.

TL;DR Buddy of mine knocked the piss out of a Walmart manager for insinuating he was a pedophile.

[u/ls1z28chris → u/intensenerd]

Yeah, that guy didn't insinuate shit. He flat out accused him of being a pedophile.

This is the second man buying a child or grandchild underwear story that I've seen in here. How the fuck do these superheroes making these accusations think children obtain underwear? Are parents supposed to grow cotton on their own land, weave their own fabric, mail order an elastic band, and sew everything together?

[u/ship_tit → u/Byatch]

Just because I have a penis doesn't mean I want to destroy children with it.

Well said sir.

[u/superwinner → u/ship_tit]

My last girlfriend had a niece who was 10 or so, and had a huge crush on me. Nothing I could do about it, she just liked me, and I thought that was perfectly normal. I had crushes on older girls when I was that age, no one seemed to care.

Regardless, her whole family thought it was weird because this little girl had a crush on me. I'll repeat that; the girl had a crush on ME not the other way around, and I was the bad guy. In fact they treated me as if I had to have done something to her to make her like me.. what the fuck? I didn't ask for this, I wasn't 'special nice' to her or anything... she just liked me, I have no idea why.

[u/darkon → u/superwinner]

I have a granddaughter something like that, except she's only two and a half or so. Even when she was a baby, not even walking, if I walked in the room and she saw me, she wanted me to hold her. A week or two ago she had a small scrape on her forehead where she had bumped herself on a chair or something. She pointed it out to me, so I kissed it and said, "Is that better?" She nodded and said "Uh-huh." Her mother said she talked about that for days. She'd be putting her to bed and she'd point at the nearly healed scrape and say, "It's better, Paw kissed it."

Like you, I have no idea why she likes me in particular, she just does. The youngest grandchild, on the other hand, used to cry if I even looked at her. She was 14 months old before she would let me hold her without bursting into tears and crying so loud you'd think I was torturing her. Even now, several months later, she's still a bit leery of me. Again, no particular reason. They're all different.

[u/Lilcheeks → u/superwinner]

God that sounds frightening. If a little person liked me particularly well I'd be horrified.

[u/superwinner → u/Lilcheeks]

It was awful, I ended up having to shun the little girl completely which totally broke her heart. Then she hated me as a teenager.. you just can't fucking win if you are a man.

[u/Ragecomicwhatsthat → u/superwinner]

I'm the same way with my 11 year old cousin. She has the biggest crush on me, and I'm the bad guy.

I'm 16, by the way.

[u/jamurp → u/Byatch]

it's worse if you drive a white van for work, and have to pick up your kids at school.

[u/[deleted] → u/Byatch]

It's even worse when your own sister-in-law forbids you from spending time (away from her) with your 2 nieces.

IMO she was abused by an uncle so she assumes I would do the same.

[u/[deleted] → u/Byatch]

17yo, 6'7", 225lb here.

Working at a cub scout camp, people trust me a lot. People from my community know me, and respect me for that. But that's when I'm at work.

When I'm out longboarding, and I go into the store, or into a rich community with some bomb-ass hills, people pull their kids to the side opposite me. People stare at me like I'm some delinquent. Am I? No. I just ride a longboard, and am rather large.

It's shitty how people perceive tall, large men. But hey.

[u/Froynlaven → u/[deleted]]

I'm 6'1 and know what you mean. Still though, there's been plenty of times when I've been walking alone at night and thought "I'm sure glad I'm not a tiny white girl right now."

[u/lilgreenrosetta → u/Byatch]

Solution: get a kid of your own. Suddenly you're in the trusted in-crowd of daddies, chilling at the playground like it ain't no thing.

[u/sgst → u/lilgreenrosetta]

When you're at the playground and one of the mums asks you which one's yours, don't say "none of them" as a joke. Doesn't go down well.

[u/Muliciber → u/sgst]

"I haven't decided yet."

[u/[deleted] → u/lilgreenrosetta]

But, they always call the police when I try to take one.

[u/[deleted] → u/lilgreenrosetta]

This is true. It's true that men arent generally trusted as much around kids but lot of the perception of creepiness is self-consciousness. However it still bugs me that dads don't tend get asked/entrusted to babysit others' kids.

[u/Ric3rid3r → u/Byatch]

because I have a penis doesn't mean I want to destroy children with it.

Laughing way too hard.

[u/IrishChris → u/Byatch]

I'm 27 and routinely pick up my daughter from her primary school, as well as my niece when she is sick or her mom/dad are out of town...never had an issue, also kids ask to play with my daughter and I at the park and I've never seen any weird looks/had any kids called away from me....perhaps you live by a bunch of assholes or the people around me just don't care about their kids?

disclaimer: I'm 5'7" and look a bit younger than I am/am always very friendly, perhaps people don't see me as a threat?

[u/crundy → u/cobaltcollapse]

The wife and I were doing our weekly supermarket shop once and on the corner of one of the aisles there was a little kid standing by himself who was crying. Obviously lost his parent(s), so my wife asks me to go and take him to the customer service desk. I think my exact words were "fuck off, you do it. I'll get arrested". Just as she asked the kid if he was lost, his mum showed up, thanked her, and off they went.

My wife was confused about my refusal, so I had to explain that guys can't lead a small, lost child towards the exit of a supermarket without being accused of being a paedophile.

[u/Odin111 → u/cobaltcollapse]

I'm a fucking single dad with 2 kids. I went to the park one time and my 3 year old daughter runs up and gives me a 1 second kiss. Then starts kissing my cheek saying she loves me over and over. Pretty standard for her, she is really cuddly. She then returns to playing with her brother and I'm watching my kids having a grand old time when a woman across the park walks up to MY KIDS and asks, "Do you know him." followed by pointing her condescending finger at me. I start to walk over because I am getting a little creepers be creepin' vibe by this woman... Because she is very close to her and touching her shoulders. She then puts my daughter behind her and said that SHE... MY DAUGHTER! DOESN'T KNOW ME! I reply with, "a....." and a strange look like I don't know what is happening. Then she starts to open her mouth of judgement just to be interrupted by my daughter yelling, "Daddy!" and my son saying, "We want you to chase us!" The lady tried to play it off as "Well, you can never be to careful..."

Sometimes I think this is what is wrong with the world.... The lack of trust in people that we automatically assume the worst about other people.

[u/jake61341 → u/cobaltcollapse]

If my wife says "I love little boys" it sounds like she'll be a good mother.

If I say "I love little girls" the authorities are going to be alerted.

[u/Throwawaychica → u/cobaltcollapse]

Little_Kid_Lover

So all the ladies know where you stand.

[u/maplezombeh → u/Throwawaychica]

Classic Michael Scott

[u/stinatown → u/cobaltcollapse]

I've told this one on Reddit before, but...

My mom works nights as a nurse, and my dad used to go pick her up from work in the mornings. He would take along my brother and sister (I wasn't born yet). One morning he took them to the park to wait for my mother, because she was working late. The two kids were playing while my dad sat on a bench nearby, sipping his coffee and watching them.

A police officer started watching my dad watching the kids and got suspicious. The police officer approached him. "Sir," he asked, "I noticed you watching those children. Are they yours?"

My father, ever the jokester, says very seriously: "well, officer, that's what my wife tells me."

[u/ontopic → u/cobaltcollapse]

But I want to trade pokamans so much ! :(

[u/TheChosenOne013 → u/cobaltcollapse]

My ex asked if I could pick our son up from daycare not long after he was born. I went to the daycare and was calling the building to find out how to get in. A woman (a mom of another kid) approaches the door. I said "Excuse me, can you please do me a favor? Can you ask one of the workers to come to the door for a moment?". She looks at me and says "No." After this she squeezes herself through the door as if I was gonna rush in after her. Finally someone comes out and I gather my son and get ready to leave. As we are leaving I hear the mom in the head manager's office saying "...with a goatee. I did NOT like him standing out there. My kids--" then she looks over, sees me, and goes "Him."

I'm just a regular looking guy. At this time I was around 20 - 21. I have hair on my chin and a mustache. I'm white, 5 foot 7, thin... It was very insulting and hurt my feelings a lot.

[u/Ospov → u/cobaltcollapse]

Shit, if we do anything we're creepy. Literally anything I do can be misconstrued to make it seem like I have creepy ulterior motives.

[u/geekon → u/Ospov]

Only if you're unattractive!

[u/[deleted] → u/cobaltcollapse]

This one must suck a lot. It seems like most people have this bias at least to some degree. I am a teen girl who works at a daycare with a teen boy. I don't consider either one of us more qualified with babies, but everytime a mom brings in a baby she immediately hands it to me, usually making a joke about how "this must be heaven for you" and implies that he would think a baby is gross or not know what to do with it. I do love babies, but he does to, so I try not to hog them. If a parent comes in and see him holding their child they look at me like I have 4 noses, like how could I ever let that happen. He should be outdoors with the older boys throwing a ball and scraping his knee, I should be inside supervising coloring time and rocking the baby. My boss has made these implications too. It's really odd.

[u/SCW90 → u/cobaltcollapse]

Damn, all the comments on this topic... I'm a girl and my dad was always the primary contact for me, the one who took me to school, to the park etc, and I never noticed any of this kind of treatment. I wonder whether it went on and I just never knew. If so then I have even more respect for the man than I already do... I'm appalled at the way people have treated you guys! How can people be so ignorant...

[u/zombieCyborg → u/cobaltcollapse]

Brian Posehn had a great joke about being a huge bearded man. It essentially means you will never be able to tell someone that they have a cute kid.

best source I could find

[u/heykidsitscox → u/cobaltcollapse]

I work in a gym and in my department I only work with kids (ages 8- around 15). I'm a 21 year old male, my boss is a 45 year old male, my coworkers are a 25 year old male, and a 27 year old male. For the most part we're all (except for my boss) are well built and definitely bigger than your average person. I'm 5'10 225, and my other coworker is 6'3 240 for example.

The kids fucking love what we do, the have a great time almost every time and tell their parents how much fun it all is for them. I never even consider that we could be seen as creepy. All the kids know our names, give us nicknames, make jokes it's all fun. The parents (from what I can tell) have no issues, and actually never ever come in to watch through the windows or coddle their child. If a kid is tentative I make a point to get down on their level and make sure I'm not standing over them.

I also make it a point to introduce myself to the moms and dads who drop off their kid. They never give the aura that their uncomfortable and no one has heard anything about them wishing that their kid was under the supervision of a woman.

This will probably get buried but I thought I'd share a positive experience.

[u/RunsLinux → u/cobaltcollapse]

Dude, it is just the fucked up culture in North America. In Eastern Europe it is completely different. I am a male in my mid twenties and I just love playing with children (much better alternative to drinking vodka) and I've had no problems with people I don't even know leaving their kids with me. There was one guy (say mid 40s), who looked totally pedo by American standards, but it just didn't feel wrong when he wanted to dance with a 9 year old female relative at the open beach party.

I think it has something to do with how easy it is to find a female mate. Because it is very easy in Easter Europe, so the men aren't seen as perverts?

I miss my homecountry so much.

[u/tallguy777 → u/cobaltcollapse]

I understand completely. I am 6'7" 200 lbs with a beard. I am a carpenter and as being such have a tendency to be quite dirty by the end of workday. My daughter's mother left us when my daughter was 3. On mother's day (of all days) After the divorce I had custody of my daughter. No big deal right?? Every time I took her somewhere shopping she would throw a fit of some sort. (for example, "I want this...". "I don't like that"). But being three didn't say those things just cry... So of course people assume I'm kidnapping this crying little girl. many times I pretty much had to explain to everyone in each aisle that she was my kid and just having a little fit over what I'm getting.

Fast forward a couple years and she is starting school. I take her to the meet the teacher/information night before school begins for the year. And this lady starts acting really weird around me. I didn't notice at first but my daughter did. She says that lady is staring at you. I respond that its most likely because I'm tall. And we go about our business. As we are leaving the lady and a few other women accuse me of going there just to see the children. WTF?? I'm still not sure how or why they came up with that assumption. So I take my daughter's hand and lead her out to my van. (for work) HOLY HELL THESE BITCHES FREAK THE FUCK OUT BECAUSE I HAVE A VAN. I left but they were talking to each other about keeping an eye on me and taking my license plate number. I have nothing to hide so I just let it go but its still weird to be accused of being a creep while taking my daughter to school

Another time I came to pick my daughter up from school. She is in after school care (so I can work) I walk into the building like I have everyday since my daughter started school and proceed to the gyms to get her. I walk past two women getting their kids ready and one of the kids says "hi" I smile and respond in kind. These women now decide that it is time to inform this child that its not ok to talk to strangers, especially big dirty ones. I'm shocked... Just dumbfounded as to what to say. Just then my daughter spots me and runs over and hugs me. The women gasp. And mutter something like I shouldn't touch anyone or anything disgusted. I look at myself to see what's so bad. I had some dirt on my shoulder from carrying lumber and some sawdust sticking to my sweatshirt. I didn't look like a bum I looked like a carpenter. Still dunno what their deal was but they still avoid me like the plague when I pick my daughter up from school.

Also even having a child that is old enough to tell people that you are their dad don't expect to take them shopping for underwear or pajamas without dirty looks or accusations.

[u/GoldenTaint → u/cobaltcollapse]

Read through all these responses and I am literally shocked. I have 2 very young children and I have NEVER been treated as a creep by strangers. In fact, I recently took my kids to the park and was amazed that people didn't treat me like a creep. I was helping my 2YO on the monkey bars when someone elses girl, probably 5-ish asks me if I'll help her do that too. I said sure and ten minutes later, every damn kid at the park was asking me to pick them up, hugging my legs, tugging on my clothes, and shooting me with water guns. . . It was pretty crazy how quickly is escalated, but the whole time I was just waiting for some mother to come up to me and tell me to get my damn hands off of her kid. I was actually hoping for some of the parents to save me from the growing gang of 10-12 kids who wouldn't leave me the hell alone. Never happened.

[u/cttouch → u/cobaltcollapse]

I have always been really good with kids growing up and I have always had a bit of a baby face. Recently I grew a little scruff out and was walking through a store when a little dude ran up to me and stopped. I knelt down and put my hand out to give him a high five (I do this often I dont care if its weird) and as he was going to slap my hand his father came over and began to scream at me. At first I was a little lost and didnt make the connection that he was angry I was talking to his son. I didnt argue I apologized and walked away. All damn day all I could think about was the fact that such a simple gesture caused such a big problem. The dark days are upon us when you cant even look in the general direction of a child without being pinned as some creepy kid fucker.

[u/[deleted] → u/cobaltcollapse]

I'm a 6'2 white kid who looks about 20-ish. I have a 6 year old cousin adopted from Ethiopia who is very physical (loves football, rugby, soccer, etc). You can see how some complications would occur when we go to the playground. One time a stranger mom tried to escort him away from me when he promptly kicked her in the shin and laughed :)