...To Expect People Not To Look Down Their Noses At Me In Argos????

[WestCountryLass]

Went in to this delightful retail outlet today with the kids in tow (DS 5, DD3 and DS 4m btw).

Purchased said camping item and was waiting for it, it was really busy, lots of people waiting and the kids started climbing on a sandpit/sand POS display. Obviously told them not to and got them off, then decided would buy a sandpit and some sand which is when things turned disasterous....

Item originally purchased was called and was given a ticket to wait for the sand and sandpit, despite theses items being on the shop floor. DD then takes her chance to run around, DS was trying to catch her for me whilst I was trying to find out why I was queueing for sand/sandpit? Had to reprimand DD, told her to stand by me and if she did not then I would hold her there. I held her there for at least 10 minutes with her going mental and no one came to serve me/sort out the sand/sandpit.

I told the assistant I would wait in the car, got the kids in the car and blew my top with them for playing up and thought "sod this" and went and got my sand/sandpit and my camping stuff. Had to do 3 journeys with the kids left in the car and on my final journey, a man came down with the sandpit. I did shout that I had done it myself as my daughter was screaming and I had had enough

Anyway, if you have reached the end of this epic rant, AIBU to expect the gawping masses to not look down their noses at me and my kids because a) they were runnign around and b) I disclipined my DD. I could see people looking at me like we were a nightmare family but you can't do right for doing wrong in these situations.

Rant over, thanks for lsitening!

[EscapeFrom]

YOu lost.

Guess what?

YOu would have lost anyway. Well done for not knifing anyone.

[RedtartanLass]

I guess they were not looking down their noses at you but were genuinely sympathising. We've all been there!!

[MorocconOil]

Oh I can't remember all the times I have been in situations like that, there are so many. Argos is always particularly stressful. You are conned into thinking it's going to be really quick and easy, but then you have to keep queueing up which is really difficult with small children.

I always think the gawping masses should be grateful it isn't them going through hell, which is what it feels like when it's happening to you.

At least you're all home now in one piece, and the DC will enjoy the sandpit.

[indiasmum]

my sympathies. my day has been almost exactly like yours (see thread in special needs section with bllody in the title!!!).

and obv no, yanbu!
bloody kids and shops and most of all bloody bloody bloody other bloody people

[lljkk]

Sympathies -- dragged my lot thru Tesco today. SHUDDER.

[OrmIrian]

Never, I repeat, never look at other people when you are having a child and shop related nightmare. Because whether they are sympathetic or not, your fevered brain will assume they are judging you. Ignore them breezily, talk in a normal voice not an agonised hiss and just get on with it.

[Troutpout]

Ooh i've been there lots. I tend to look too ,if someones having a bit of a mare with their kids.. always with what (i hope) is a sympathising 'oh i know how you feel...can i help' sort of look or comment. Then i realised the other day that people in the throws of it...aren't really thinking straight and just perceive that everyone is looking daggers anyway (i've done that too)

Hope the rest of your day went ok anyway...and that they enjoyed the sand pit

[Katy44]

Next time bury the kids in the sand
By the time they've escaped you'll probably be at the front of the queue

[Katy44]

But seriously you sound like you've had a nightmare day, I should probably be sympathising rather than teasing you!
Do you have a glass of wine for tonight?

[JeremyVile]

Personally, i ALWAYS look down my nose at parents of unruly children.

I feel its my right, nay, my moral duty to do so.

[Desiderata]

[JeremyVile]

Retract! Retract!

[binklehasflipped]

my dd is five and always plays up in supermarket etc and I would tell her off...then we had a convo about it and I asked why she was always naughty and she said because she was bored and it was such a lightbulb moment..I know it sounds thick of me but it had never occurred to me before that shopping for carrots with mum wasnt as enthralling as auntie mabel and pippin made it appear and that she just hated it. So we agreed she didnt have to come again 0 only good girly shopping (clothes etc) and she's fab now.

[NearlyHeddaslessNick]

WCL, you have my sympathy.

DD is usually a nightmare to take shopping (also 3!) and people do stare, it's so annoying! I give them 'THE LOOK' as in 'what the fuck are you looking at, piss off, you are not helping'

YANBU

[helenhismadwife]

my 3 year old dd is a nightmare she gets bored chases younger dd round then usually embarasses us totally by shouting at the top of her voice 'i need a poo/pee and its coming out'

and YANBU

[3andnomore]

WEeat..you could have describe don of my typical shopping outings with teh Kids in tow...it's normal..ad sometimes I start to think that people may have just looked at us feeling sorry, ratehr then judgemental...
wishful thining possibly but makes me feel morempositive, lol

[LittleBellatrixLeBoot]

LOL at your thread title, the immediate thing that springs to mind is "No, YANBU, if it were Waitrose they'd be within their rights".

Sounds like you had a crap time, hope you're feeling better.

[Nightynight]

If I'd been there, I would have been sympathetic. or actually, I would have been too busy running after my children.

[MumOfTwoMinxers]

Honestly, it's so easy to criticise but honestly what's the point coz it achieves nothing? The real heroes are people who step in and help...

My DD1 decided to throw a supermarket special because I'd picked up the wrong pizza (i.e. not the one she wanted). After about 5 mins I was seriously thinking about abandoning the half-full trolley and going home. I was saved by a lady who rushed over when she saw what was happening, stated "It's allright, I'm qualified, I'm a Granny", grabbed DD!s kicking feed as I tried to put her into the trolley, stood VERY close to her and said sternly (to DD1) "I WILL NOT GO AWAY UNTIL YOU STOP CRYING".

Those sort of actions display better character than hushed tuttings and other random criticism. As I said, it's easy to criticise and I think those that do are downright ignorant.