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AIBU?

AIBU to think that was very inappropriate and to wish I'd said something

47 replies

Littlestgirlguide25 · 27/07/2017 21:26

Out for a bike ride at a local beauty spot/nature trail place with 2dc's today Age 8 and 3. Dd had a mild strop about something minor and was following a few feet behind DS and I, scowling.
We were stopped by two ladies in their 60's, DC asked their names (he asks everyone) and I exchanged a couple of sentences worth of pleasantries with one lady while simultaneously preventing DS from balance-biking into a pond. I looked up from this to see and hear the other lady, showing DD something on her mobile phone and telling her to read it out - it was the number for childline!
I was silently a bit 'wtf?!' But didn't say anything at the time, just sort of hustled the kids away and carried on. But now I think about it, IANBU to think this was out of order, am I?!

OP posts:
Isadora2007 · 27/07/2017 21:30

Which one is which? Dd3 or 8?

It's weird. But asking random strangers their names is also weird in my view.

Aeroflotgirl · 27/07/2017 21:30

What a couple of weirdos, just ignore, your not likely to come across them again hopefully.

Littlestgirlguide25 · 27/07/2017 21:31

Sorry. DS(3) asks everyone's names. DD(8) was in a strop.

OP posts:
MooPointCowsOpinion · 27/07/2017 21:33

Bloody hell thats a bit off! I expect you've missed out something like your children look half starved or you were smoking pot or carrying a meat cleaver?

averylongtimeago · 27/07/2017 21:36

3yr olds often like asking people things Isadora.

Unless dd was being dragged along screaming then random woman wbvu.
She would have got a piece of my mind. Who starts showing a strange child something on their phone without asking first?

Isadora2007 · 27/07/2017 21:36

Maybe your daughter looked really upset and the woman was trying to help?
It's weird. I don't know what you've had said though, not really. How many abusive parents actually admit to being so? If you'd said your daughter was fine and how dare the woman share childline number then you'd have come across badly anyway.
It's not really worth stressing over now.

Isadora2007 · 27/07/2017 21:38

3 year olds like doing all sorts. Doesn't mean they always have to be allowed to do so.
If a random 3 year old asked my name I'd be a bit surprised and probably wouldn't answer. Unless I knew their mum:dad/person they were with.

averylongtimeago · 27/07/2017 21:41

Well if you stop and talk to someone with a 3yr old, then often that 3yr old will talk to you. Have you actually met many three year olds??

requestingsunshine · 27/07/2017 21:43

isadora2007

Seriously?

If a 3 year old asked my name I'd tell them. Because I'm fucking normal.

WellThisIsShit · 27/07/2017 21:43

Well yes, but a 3yr old asking a question doesn't often result in his sister being given the childline phone number does it?

No matter how irritating the question!

BzyB · 27/07/2017 21:45

How weird!
What did your dd say about it afterwards?

Imstickingwiththisone · 27/07/2017 21:51

Ffs there's always one on these threads who blows a tiny unimportant detail out of proportion.

Op I'd be pissed off but i think asking them what they're doing would have resulted in a scene or conversation you wouldn't want in front of your DC. I hope your DD realised they were odd.

Littlestgirlguide25 · 27/07/2017 21:51

DD was totally unperturbed, she said she wouldn't phone anyone if she was sad, she'd talk to her mum.
I think I need to cover Stranger Danger again though.

OP posts:
Cupcake1315 · 27/07/2017 21:54

My 4 year old son says hello to everyone and asks everyone their names, it takes us forever to get to anywhere. Isadora2007 I suppose you think we should tell these chatty 3/4 olds 'I forbid you to talk to anyone.' I hope to God my 4 year old never sees you to tell you hello or ask your name. To date everyone has said hello back even those on their phones 😂.

To the OP ignore, some people see drama everywhere, children sulk all the time. If I barely touch my child as in come along we need to go, he shrieks, 'you're hurting me.' I think it was wrong but hey ho don't lose any sleep over it.

AnnieAnoniMouse · 27/07/2017 22:03

They probably meant well.

8 year olds in a strop can often look like they're suffering terribly...it's a skill 😬

No need to cover 'stranger danger' - she handled herself well (and she was with you!). Strangers are often weird, but very rarely the cause of harm to children. Sadly, it's those we trust who do the most harm.

VestalVirgin · 27/07/2017 22:03

Eh, they probably meant well.

With tantrum-throwing children it is not always easy to tell if they are just throwing a tantrum or whether their parents are being cruel.

No harm done. Good that the ladies took an interest, I'd say.

You never know, perhaps the next child they interfere with actually is in an abusive family.

VladmirsPoutine · 27/07/2017 22:07

How did you know it was the number for childline?
Your dd read it out and you instantly recognised it?

JessieMcJessie · 27/07/2017 22:10

I was about to ask that Vlad. Great name by the way.

MsLexicon · 27/07/2017 22:11

Sorry but all sounds a bit hilarious. They are probably obsessed with child protection.

Littlestgirlguide25 · 27/07/2017 22:14

Vlad, I have recently had Safeguarding training and yes I instantly recognised 0800 11 11.

OP posts:
RandomDent · 27/07/2017 22:16

Who doesn't remember the song on the ad? Oh eight hundred, double one double one!!!

lalalalyra · 27/07/2017 22:18

Christ, if someone had done that in front of my father I'd have paid a hell of a price once we got home.

I get that people want to protect kids, but a bit of common sense wouldn't go amiss sometimes. Getting a kid you think might have family trouble to read the Childline number aloud in front of the parents you think might be the reason they need it is hardly helpful.

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Squarerouteofsquirrel · 27/07/2017 22:19

As if an abused child is gonna write the child line number down in front of their 'abusers'. Can't imagine for the life of me why those women where showing your child the number.
Did you see the number has your child perhaps got the wrong end of the stick?

KERALA1 · 27/07/2017 22:21

Not so much inappropriate as utterly weird.

You'll laugh about it in the future but I would have been pissed off too.

Littlestgirlguide25 · 27/07/2017 22:22

The woman held her phone up in front of DD and told her to read it out. DD read out 0800 11 11. I didn't see the screen, but I heard her read it out.

OP posts:
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