My kiddo plays soccer and he is 3.
I signed him up so he could get fresh air, make little friends and for character building. He loves it but he just doesn't always want to play the actual game.
Yesterday, at my kiddos game I was going to move the car to a closer spot while my husband sat with our youngest. My soccer kiddo saw me walking off and darted from the players benches over to me upset that I was leaving and I explained that I was planning to move the car. In that moment my husband and I were having an exchange and he agreed to move the car and I stay when all of a sudden a man picks him, my son up. The man is the father of one of the kiddos on the team but I've never actually met him, I generally only see mom at practices and games. Either way he scoops up my son while my husband and I are mid convo. Now keep in mind my soccer playing kiddo is standing between us. My husband is holding the baby. So when the guy picked him up I was shook. The man did not speak english and said in Spanish to another man who's daughter was going to play on the same field afterwards "this is one of the other players on the team, then told my son you need to go out and play".
I quickly grabbed my kid and walked him to the players bench and we talked about not letting people pick him up and using his voice to say no. Granted I think he was equally shocked to have someone randomly pick him up + language barrier. (I can speak Spanish my son does not)
The verbal exchange itself was seemingly innocent but the fact that someone could so comfortably pick up my kid had me shook. I dont know this man and im not picking up people's kids on the field or in general.
The field is massive, and at any given time there are 15 games going on. So parents stay alert and diligent. I regret not saying "hey do not pick up my son" but my mind couldn't even figure out the correct words in Spanish and my body and heart were only focused on grabbing my kid.
Sorry to vent its 5am and im still troubled by this.