Uh, could you please move your kid? Update post 55

[oz diva]

We went to to a kids festival once and we were asked to put our cell phone number on a wrist band. In a rather Freudian slip, I actually got my number wrong on one kid's band.    Something I didn't notice until I took it off. Luckily neither kid was lost.

[lollylegs]

I think the... problem, for lack of a better word, with just saying "Excuse me," is that it can also be used to get someones attention.  So with PPs who have said excuse me to a child only to have them stare blankly, it could be because they think you're using it that way (e.g. "Excuse me, can you tell me where the restrooms are?")

So I think, "Excuse me, I need to get past please," might yield the best results.

[Rohanna]

Or as an apology- my 3 year old mostly uses "excuse me" after ...emissions.. from one end or another. I've been teaching him the other reasons to say excuse me, like when you want to interupt or get around someone, but with a 3 year old boy it's the body functions that stick out the most. If it's a little kid they're probably wondering why you're apologizing for tooting...  Definately qualify the phrase, IMO !