Thoughts?

Drake (a rapper) is being criticised for having a friendship with millie Bobby brown (the girl in stranger things) due to their age, he is 31, she is 14

What are peoples views on this?

They text each other, he gives her dating advice and according to her he texted her saying "I miss you" to which she replied "I miss you more" and she has stated that it is a friendship and nothing more.

Is it inappropriate for an adult to be friends with a child/teenager?
Does the fact that her parents know make a difference?
Does the fact that they are both famous people make a difference?

 

Probably for the first time I can remember I agree with you, it’s inappropriate

 

Sad sign of the times, unfortunately.
Rap music really is not my thing, but I remember seeing one at Glastonbury by the name of Scrubious Pip, and one great line in one of his 'songs' was - 'just because a man gives a child sweets, doesn't make him a paedophile'.

Also, I was in Meadowhall, earlier this year when a young toddler walked past me and fell landing, chin first, on the hard floor. As a parent, I wanted to pick the little un up, and reassure him til a Mam or Dad came forward, but imagine what folk would think, in this day and age, when a 'strange' man picks up a screaming child in a shopping centre? Decent bloke or potential paedophile? I walked away and left the child screaming in pain.

Sad sign of the times.

 

It's just wrong completely.

Imagine if you had a son or daughter who is 14... they had a friend who was in their 30s.. that should ring alarm bells surely?

 

I wasn't giving an opinion on whether it was inappropriate or not. I genuinely can't make up my mind.

Logically speaking there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Why can't friendships bridge ages? The fact they are both celebrities also makes me think that there is nothing wrong with it because they will have things in common that most other people don't. Then there's the fact her parents are fully aware which makes it seem even more innocent.
BUT no matter how much my brain says its all perfectly innocent and there shouldn't be anything wrong with it, it's impossible not to also think 'yeah it's inappropriate'.

 

If the 31 year old bloke lived in Coronation Street, and the 14 year old girl lived in Inkerman Street, there'd definitely be something funny going on.

In the crazy world of US celebrity... who knows? I'm just glad she ain't my daughter.

 

Like I said you’re right it’s inappropriate, but only due to her young age, up until last year for the previous 10 years I knocked about with a bloke I met through work, watched under 23s Friday afternoon, pint before match Saturday, nipped to his for a pot of tea and a chat in middle of week that sort of thing. He’s one of the best blokes I’ve ever met, a proper mate,he died last year at 71 I was 36. Friendships can and do bridge ages. But because of the amount of proper sick ******** out there, in my opinion kids being friends with adults as to be deemed inappropriate for the youngsters protection.

 

Drake also appears to be dating an 18 year old (*allegedly*) whom he has been close with since she was 16, so he’s hardly the most scrupulous character.

 

Ageism plays a big part. The world has less racism and sexism than it used to, but ageism still needs a lot of work to be taken as seriously.

It's all probably innocent. Like you said they are both famous so going to probably trust others in the business more than average joe public. If their was more to it I doubt she would be mentioning him so much. Drake seems a decent enough guy. Not a R Kelly or Cee Lo Green type.

 

I wouldn't have allowed a 31 year old man to be so friendly with my daughter when she was 14. Even if it innocent l would have been extremely uncomfortable with the relationship. I honestly can't believe they would have all that much in common.

 

In most cases yes.

Massively, as they can monitor the situation. If they were unaware it would be a definite "yes"

No, why should it?

PS, Drake is more of a singer / producer, than a rapper.

 

What part does ageism play?

 

Wonder what all these live and let live folks in this thread thought of Macauley culkins friendship with Michael Jackson

 

How is protecting children ageism? Should we let 10 year olds drive?

Although you're probably not the best person to offer an unbiased view on this subject...

 

Who are all the live and let live folks in this thread? Care to name them all based on their posts in this thread? Must be loads of them right?

 

When I was about 10 and 11 I used to play chess at The Polish Club. Everyone else there were adults. When I was in my early teens I used to go sea fishing with a bloke who is my senior by about as many years as Drake is to this lass. We'd sometimes stay over in Scarborough or Brid. Did I have anything in common with these people? Well, obviously, chess with people at the chess club and fishing with the guy I went fishing with. But much more than that. I never texted any of them because it didn't exist, but I used to talk to them. And laugh. So much. In the car on the fishing trips we'd play punk music or listen to John Peel. And I've been to F1 races and countless Barnsley matches with him. He's still a mate. That any of the above could be viewed as inappropriate doesn't just make me sad, it makes me angry. I had a great childhood. I had a lot of mates my own age, but I could also comfortably talk to adults. I wasn't talked down to or patronised and I certainly wasn't fiddled with.

 

Absolutely spot on there, Jay.
Similar here. As a 10/11 year old lad, I used to avidly watch a pub football team that played at end of my road. Used to enthusiastically run to fetch the ball for them, etc. They might have felt sorry for me, but then used to let me train with them, where the keeper would let my tame shots in, and they'd all celebrate. They'd then ask me if I wanted to go to away matches, and would pick me up in car, and drop me off after. Or take me to the pub after and buy my pop for me. A genuinely good bunch of blokes. I grew up and eventually played for this team. At 16, I was still 'babby', but grew up to be one of the lads.
Now, I know wrongdoing towards kids happened long, long before the Jimmy Savile business, but that has really changed people's outlook on society with regards to kids. Terrible shame really. And bizarrely, would I let my 12 year old go to the pub with a bunch of blokes in their 20s? Probably not. But did I ever feel unsafe, back then? Absolutely not.

 

Good post. It's nice when older people can be avuncular to younger heads without having a darker agenda, but understandably these innocent relationships are never reported. It's the other stuff that makes the headlines and colours everyone's judgement (including my own, I'll admit). It's sad that we think that way, but it's a sign of the times we live in.

 

Similar experience, I played cricket as a young un with blokes that were much older than me and they'd take me with them and we'd have a chat about the England test team or Barnsley FC or something. Now I'm 26 and in our team is a 14 year old lad and I treat him the same as the rest of the lads, he's one of us his age doesn't matter at all (his only problem is that he's a Wednesday fan).

 

Though shall always kill

Thou shalt not think any male over the age of thirty that plays with a child that is not their own is a paedophile; some people are just nice