Whether or not you have kids, you're bound to have to interact with them, and their parents, at some point. Parents will know the following, but these tips might be useful for others.

Steps

1.Understand that parents take pride in how they raise their kids. Unsolicited parenting advice can hurt their feelings.

2.Point out dangerous situations as necessary. Comments like "Sir, I think your son just swallowed a quarter." should be appreciated. Parents quickly develop their own definitions of "dangerous," so they may not act as you expect but they shouldn't be offended if you stop short of giving them advice on how to dislodge the quarter.

3.Don't offer things to other peoples' kids without their parents' consent. A piece of candy is a nice gesture, but there will be fireworks if you and your candy aren't there the next time. (Besides, many parents are wary of strangers giving things to kids, for good reason.)

4.Bear in mind that parents have a lot of legitimate concerns for their kids' safety and their parental rights. It's just not a good idea to approach kids directly, especially for men, and there isn't really any good reason to be alone with a kid you don't know. In many states, even the most reasonable parent will sleep better with you in prison if they suspect you pose a threat to their kids. The other states offer concealed handgun licenses. If a kid smiles at you, be gracious and smile back.

5.Ignore it when kids throw tantrums in public. Giving them attention just prolongs the activity, and makes the parents more embarrassed. Allow the parents to take care of the situation themselves. Also, try not to get too frustrated with young kids in public places--it's the only way they can really learn to interact.

6.Watch your step. If you're not accustomed to watching kids, it's very easy to trip on them, knock them over, or lead them astray if you're dressed like the person they're following. Both the kids and parents should be used to this sort of thing, so there's no need to do more than gently return them to their original state or leader.

7.Parents devote much of their lives to presenting a united front. If a kid drags you into an act of parenting, take the parents' side.