tbh, i would have probably turned round and said loudly "how dare you speak to my little girl like that, she has done nothing to you" so the mother could clearly hear. i hate it when kids get nasty like that

sorry didn't respond earlier and don't know if anyone was following this. thanks for replies!

She defo said bossy bitches and it was very much in keeping with the way she was talking to them the whole time they were there...for example when the girl took some food off the mum's plate she said 'look at you, you little scratter' (northern phrase meaning beggar). I was .

yup, i thought bossy britches too when i read OP.

MUST have been bossy britches.

Never heard that phrase before.

Yup, a fairly standard thing for little girls to do (though mine is quite lovely <polishes dd's halo>) - but I would have put my hands on my dd to keep her back, said firmly but nicely to shouty girl 'it's ok! you have a turn then she will have a turn.' and waited.

Maybe it's the teacher in me, but I have no problem talking to other children (politely, and if getting nowhere then obv would have to walk away). Haven't had any issues yet...

You did the right thing looking out for your dd, but be careful you don't let her think that the person who shouts loudest wins. Saw a bloke in play session just allow a boy take something from his daughter (who then got understandably cross and threw something else across the room). He then left !!! Jeez, I don't agree with conflict, but you can be assertive (not aggressive) rather than passive. All he had to do was gently take the item and say 'no sweetie, she was playing with it. Try this one.' or even at a push try and persuade his daughter to give it away.Think it breeds MORE grabby/shouty behaviour tbh as kids think that's what gets results.

understand why you were pissed off. It's annoying - but try to let it go. You did the right thing at the time. Think the boy was joining in the game/protecting little sister - they should have been told off by their mum.

DD went through a phase of doing that (turning round and screaming 'noooooooooooo' at anyone behind her in a queue), that or getting really, really upset that someone was behind her. She had a really phobia about people being behind her in a line. Thankfully it only lasted two years <groan>

I would never have just sat there, though, I was always mortified when she did that and would leap in to tell her not to do it! And as for her brother joining in

Not surprised you're p-ed off.

(but I suspect she was saying 'bossy britches', it's a phrase my mum uses).

Might she have said bossy britches?

It wasn't me, I hasten to add!

She was still in the wrong though.

I get incensed when parents sit there ignoring their little monsters bullying my dd's.

She may have said "bossy britches", a fairly common saying in the antipodes.

I despise these places,i took ds in the Summer for a friends b'day party & ds who wasnt quite 3 then was playing happily in the ball pit when a boy who looked about 5 run up behind him & told ds to get out,ds ignored him so the boy moved on.

Then ds was playing on the climbing benches when this same little boy came up behind ds & snarled at him 'you have to listen to me,I am bigger than you' unluckily for him i was right behind him & i couldnt stop myself,i came out with 'Yeah,& i am bigger than you'

He turned white & went off,i was half expecting his Dad to come over but he never.

I hate these places & avoid them as much as i can.