Get off your phone and supervise your toddler!

I hate kids that treat cafes like a playground. If they come near my table it's a stare and a very quiet evil "go away" tends to give them a shock. 👹

Another thing (I hadn't picked up the bit about the toddler playing with people's phones) - do kids not get taught not to touch other people's belongings any more?

Theunamedcat · 15/10/2024 12:47

HappierTimesAhead · 15/10/2024 12:46
And you are on your phone here
**
Presumably she doesn't have a toddler that's wandering around begging to be scalded

This. Why the bloody hell should complete strangers in coffee shops have to watch out for someone else’s small child because that someone just can’t be arsed.

I can’t understand at all why so many parents seem to just not want to talk to their child.

That’s horrible. If I saw a kid whose parent was slacking I couldn’t sit back and let them hurt themselves! I’d say something to the parent but to just ignore a toddler isn’t nice.
edit to say this was posted in response a pp not the op. It didn’t link for some reason. Op this is not aimed at you.

Well, they'll have to, won't they, if the kid looks to be in danger. But they shouldn't have to. So much neglectful parenting around - and, most probably, entitled assumptions that as there are other women around they will keep an eye while the parent goofs off on their phone. It takes a village, after all. rolls eyes

@PinkSparklyPussyCat yes, of course, they could. But as far as we know, they are not the ones vocally expressing some distress about it online to strangers and then equally vocally saying they are not going to do anything about it.

What about the other people in the cafe as well? You know the ones whose hot drinks and phones the kid is touching? Perhaps they should say or do something as well.

The fact is if you have a toddler in an environment with hot drinks there is absolutely no excuse for not keeping that child under your supervision and control, it starts and ends there.
As the OP works on a ward there is a good chance she is a nurse/doctor so if an accident were to happen she would no doubt be first on the scene to help. As she works in this profession and environment I don’t find it hard to imagine she has genuine concerns and cares about others.
Yes it is a good idea to let staff know but generally they will have already noticed as they repeatedly try to navigate safely around said unsupervised child.
We all know exactly why it’s not so easy to let a parent know; they are acutely aware of all the dangers from drinks and strangers etc and they have actively chosen not to parent. Do you think this person will take kindly to your pointing out their negligence no matter how kindly you attempt to say it? Maybe sometimes yes, but more often not, and then your coffee break is ruined as you face a barrage of abuse for your efforts.
I love small children but I don’t encourage them to get too close in a cafe situation because whilst I will immediately move my drink the next person may not have children and therefore may not know this is necessary.
You have a point OP so you are not being unreasonable, but the parent definitely is.

So because it's not your job to supervise a toddler, you're fine letting the toddler potentially hurt themselves pretty badly? Which you're extra nervous about because you've seen the consequences yourself? So nervous, it seems, that you need to go online to talk about it?

Do you not see how that makes no sense?

hi op,

with the new tech…I am afraid things will look more and more like this! And with the disappearance of the « village »…women may not have any other option to get a break.

Gosh. Just poor babe.

I find the kind of people who do this kind of thing do not usually take well to you saying anything to them. Why is it OPs responsibility to keep that toddler safe when her stupid mother is right there?

Sadly it's the same in so many places, a parent who cba to supervise a toddler. If they are wandering about, put bloody phone away and observe the dangers and reactions of people! Many times I've kept an eye out on them and loudly said oh be careful there, hot drinks, big step, loud enough for parent to hear.

It’s not her child?

In this completely hypothetical scenario she has ordered an Uber with a car seat 😂

You would walk out? Why not just ignore the child and carry on with your day if you didn't want to tell the parent/staff to move the child.

Lots of shit parents don't watch their children properly, I don't then think I need to watch their children for them. As much as I feel sorry for the kids, they're not my problem.

For a forum dedicated to parenting there's a remarkable tolerance of relying on complete strangers to parent your children. I'd honestly walk out. No way am I looking after stray kids because their actual parents can't be fucking arsed. Cop yourselves on. Or are you admitting that you don't want to parent and just farming it out without checking that's okay? Surely not, you all love parenting so much, yes?

The mother maybe watching but she isn't looking after her child. No doubt she will be the first to scream if her child pulls a hot drink over herself.

Like a lot of the posts on forums 🙄

100% agree

And what’s the discussion?

OP posted on AIBU, I’d read the OP and her other replies, OP had made it clear she was not going to intervene, so what was the point in posting other than a moan.

Since she posted on AIBU and she made it clear she was not going to do anything, I’d ask again what’s the point!

Common sense tells you the adult should be supervising, they choose not to supervise and OP other than to moan, was not going to intervene, so a pointless discussion that no one on the internet could elaborate on!

You didn't have to supervise her, just alert the staff.

I assume they responded when you alerted them?

This 💯

And it breaks my heart to see adults on their phones ignoring their children.
Pushing a buggy, in a cafe - no interaction with their little one.

These two statements directly contradict each other. If you have a genuine concern for the child's safety then you need to tell someone. If you don't want to address the parent directly then you can tell a member of staff.

Of course, if you just want to froth with like-minded souls about parents today then do crack on, but maybe say as much in your OP.

Yes, all of this.

If you were so concerned, why didn't you say something to the mum or a member of staff?

I would say excuse me love your darling child is about to have/cause an accident!!!