You can be having a totally shitty day, but when a toddler waves at you, you can't NOT wave back.

[charlie and algernon]

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[seabeyond]

1. that's sweet. and obviously so true. nt

[HopeHoops]

2. She looked deeply hurt when the woman texting didn't bother to notice her existence.

That's a sad statement about our society.

[charlie and algernon]

5. I don't know, I think that's just a sad statement about the woman

Most of the people on that elevator DID acknowledge the toddler's existence.

[HopeHoops]

6. Yes. It was the one self-absorbed woman who crushed the poor girl's enthusiasm.

I hope there's a room in Hell with nothing but cell phones.

[AmyDeLune]

8. Cell phones that constantly lose service

at just that vital moment...

[HopeHoops]

9. Skype's much better for "phone sex".

[Pool Hall Ace]

12. You know for a fact that the text was not of an urgent nature?

Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, but it's a bit harsh to damn her to hell for not acknowledging a toddler who was talking to no one in particular.

[HopeHoops]

13. She was talking to EVERYBODY in particular! Well, so was my eldest when she yelled,...

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON DOWN THERE?" from the upper level of a mall. My wife was mortified. I don't even know how she knew the words (about the same age as the toddler in the video) because we didn't swear in front of them back then and didn't watch TV. We've got an open language policy now, but they're all adults (almost - youngest is 17).

Still, you at least acknowledge a child even if you're dealing with a life-threatening situation. That's just standard procedure, just the way that taking a wad of whateverthefuck a toddler hands you and saying "THANK you" is standard procedure. Some things are just innate and those that lack the instinct are questionable by nature.

[Pool Hall Ace]

16. Oh, now that is priceless!

So what the hell exactly was going on down there??

[HopeHoops]

19. Best I remember, people laughing and talking. I wasn't there.

[mythology]

21. You don't have to acknowledge somebody else's kid

Most of the time in my experience they are an obnoxious bother. If you want to entertain somebody else's kid, that's your business, but I feel no such obligation nor should I just because you stomp your feet about it.

[Pool Hall Ace]

23. Welcome to DU, where Child Worship rules!

If you're childfree or not enthralled by children you are either damned to hell or written off as mentally ill.

[HopeHoops]

24. Not at all true - KITTEHs rule on DU. Kids come second.

[MiddleFingerMom]

3. I wave "hi" AND "bye" to very little children on the bus.

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I often get a double-take from the kids and they giggle and look at their moms (sometimes their
dads) as if to say, "LOOK, a big person who knows how to wave!!!"
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Instead of the "royal" side-to-side wave, I wave to them by opening and closing my fingers (most
adults have forgotten how to wave).
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We BOTH get a boost out of the encounter.
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[hedgehog]

4. Do that to a little one who is fussing, and often they are so startled

they calm right down!

My kids call me the "baby whisperer"!

[Odin2005]

11. It seems that when I smile at crying babies they stop crying.

It's magic, I tell you!

[HipChick]

22. ugh..that happens to me too...and then they stare stalk me

weird I tell ya

[Baitball Blogger]

7. I have a special wave too.

It looks like an apoplectic version of the Fosse happy fingers.

[HopeHoops]

14. "Hey MOM! I saw SANTA today!!!!"

[MiddleFingerMom]

18. Oh... I get THAT every once in a great while!!!

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[HopeHoops]

20. Dude, you're as close to Santa as I can imagine. I'm starting to go white and so want to do that.

My beard isn't as long, but I do have long hair and don't shave at all so I might get to the point where I can do the mall Santa thing. I'm thinking five years, if I live that long. Not to be a bummer, but I don't expect to live to that point.

On Edit: I know I'm not immortal.

[Odin2005]

10. LOL, one day at work...

...a woman with a little girl came and and the little girl kept on saying hi to everyone! Way too cute!

[HopeHoops]

15. Sadly, my mental image was a cubicle farm. I spent way too much time in those.

Twenty years ago, I had my own office, a big one, with at least six terminals in it and a 4x8 white board. I even put a Barney the dinosaur poster on the wall. Ten years before that I had an even larger office. Now you're lucky to get a 4x4 with a stool and a laptop.

[woo me with science]

17. That's sweet. Reminds me of: