Back when I was single, I developed a talent for calming down crying babies. I never did get a break this way. Years later, and seeing much better now that I am not suffering from loneliness, I figured out the approach. This can also work in another situation, read on.
I walk up and start talking to the crying toddler, saying that everything is okay, your mother is here taking care of you. I use a normal but calm, reassuring voice. Often the baby calms down. My blunder was observing that it must be a lot of work to take care of a baby, wait for the mother to reply, and then ask if anybody helps her. That can be construed as impolite.
A better approach is to tell her, you know, what I’m doing, is getting practice calming down babies. Someday, the mother will turn out to be a single mom, and I’ll be able to get her telephone number if I can impress her that way, so in the mean time, I hope you don’t mind that I calmed down your baby for practice.
Notice you did not suggest that she might be a single mom, but she can break the ice if she so chooses. When she says she is definitely NOT a single mom, you reply that you are only getting practice this time.
The other situation, as I said above, was a recent visit to a restaurant where I sat near a rather attractive mother young enough to be my daughter, and she had to be careful that her baby would not fall off the fixed-to-the-floor seat next to hers. After I finished eating, I went and fetched one of the high chairs in the corner for her, saying Mire, señora, si usted quiere, puede poner al niño en esta silla y abrocharlo. She lit up and accepted, thanking me. Y la próxima vez, puede pedir que un empleado le lleve la silla alta. Then I walked away because asking for a date is out of the question while I am happily married, but I was glad to help the baby and his mother. You single men can use the approach that you are getting practice with your caballerosidad because one day the mother will turn out to be a single mom. If the lady might be interested, she will break the ice and invite you to sit down.
I walk up and start talking to the crying toddler, saying that everything is okay, your mother is here taking care of you. I use a normal but calm, reassuring voice. Often the baby calms down. My blunder was observing that it must be a lot of work to take care of a baby, wait for the mother to reply, and then ask if anybody helps her. That can be construed as impolite.
A better approach is to tell her, you know, what I’m doing, is getting practice calming down babies. Someday, the mother will turn out to be a single mom, and I’ll be able to get her telephone number if I can impress her that way, so in the mean time, I hope you don’t mind that I calmed down your baby for practice.
Notice you did not suggest that she might be a single mom, but she can break the ice if she so chooses. When she says she is definitely NOT a single mom, you reply that you are only getting practice this time.
The other situation, as I said above, was a recent visit to a restaurant where I sat near a rather attractive mother young enough to be my daughter, and she had to be careful that her baby would not fall off the fixed-to-the-floor seat next to hers. After I finished eating, I went and fetched one of the high chairs in the corner for her, saying Mire, señora, si usted quiere, puede poner al niño en esta silla y abrocharlo. She lit up and accepted, thanking me. Y la próxima vez, puede pedir que un empleado le lleve la silla alta. Then I walked away because asking for a date is out of the question while I am happily married, but I was glad to help the baby and his mother. You single men can use the approach that you are getting practice with your caballerosidad because one day the mother will turn out to be a single mom. If the lady might be interested, she will break the ice and invite you to sit down.
