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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be angry woman at soft play told ds to stop bothering her

217 replies

mynME · 24/12/2025 18:02

Apparently ds had gone to her several times in the play session to tell her about her child, he was sitting on one of those cars you pay to have a turn on and not letting my ds touch the wheel, and for being quite noisy. Apparently she was OK at first but then said ‘ok I really need you to stop bothering me now and tell your own mum,’ but what’s it got to do with me if her child isn’t behaving??

OP posts:
VanillaIceIceBaby · 24/12/2025 18:16

mynME · 24/12/2025 18:10

I’ve always taught him to tell the child’s parents if they are not behaving. Surely that’s the right thing to do.

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This is so preposterous that I can’t believe that it is true. Nobody encourages their child to talk to strangers for a start.

Original poster
mynME · 24/12/2025 18:16

Clefable · 24/12/2025 18:15

Doesn’t sound like the child was misbehaving? Just playing on something your child wanted to and didn’t want to get off. I probably wouldn’t have said anything but would inwardly have groaned when I saw your child approaching yet again. This is exactly the kind of extremely low/level disagreement children need to resolve for themselves.

Hitting, pushing, shoving, yes tell me. But this? Not sure it warrants a parent being told repeatedly about it, just go and do something else.

He was pushing ds’s hands away when ds was trying to take the wheel

OP posts:
Sprookjesbos · 24/12/2025 18:16

mynME · 24/12/2025 18:15

But then otherwise I have to rebuke a child who isn’t mine which doesn’t seem quite right?

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No but you can speak to the child's parents yourself if you deem it necessary? And probably more diplomatically than a five year old can!

Barnbrack · 24/12/2025 18:15

mynME · 24/12/2025 18:06

@AnneLovesGilbert my ds is five. I don’t need to follow him round like a toddler, and he wasn’t doing anything wrong 🤷‍♀️

He was annoying another parent over what was essentially nothing

Original poster
mynME · 24/12/2025 18:15

12345onceIcaughta · 24/12/2025 18:14

She paid for her kid to go on the car, why should he share?
you sound as annoying as your kid.

No, he was just sat on it. It wasn’t moving.

OP posts:
Clefable · 24/12/2025 18:15

Doesn’t sound like the child was misbehaving? Just playing on something your child wanted to and didn’t want to get off. I probably wouldn’t have said anything but would inwardly have groaned when I saw your child approaching yet again. This is exactly the kind of extremely low/level disagreement children need to resolve for themselves.

Hitting, pushing, shoving, yes tell me. But this? Not sure it warrants a parent being told repeatedly about it, just go and do something else.

SillyNavyTiger · 24/12/2025 18:15

mynME · 24/12/2025 18:10

I’ve always taught him to tell the child’s parents if they are not behaving. Surely that’s the right thing to do.

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you are telling your 5 year old to track parents and tell them about their mis-behaving children? really? 😂😂

ok I really need you to stop bothering me now and tell your own mum
she sounds lovely, that's the kindest way to deal with an irritant.

Original poster
mynME · 24/12/2025 18:15

Sprookjesbos · 24/12/2025 18:14

Oh wow I've never taught my kids this. We can't trust the judgement of small children when it comes to what is and isn't worth tattling to their parents about! He's going to annoy other kids and their parents. My kids come and tell me if they're having an issue and I step in if needs be!

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But then otherwise I have to rebuke a child who isn’t mine which doesn’t seem quite right?

OP posts:
Original poster
mynME · 24/12/2025 18:14

vodkaredbullgirl · 24/12/2025 18:11

How many times did he bother her?

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Three times

OP posts:
Sprookjesbos · 24/12/2025 18:14

mynME · 24/12/2025 18:10

I’ve always taught him to tell the child’s parents if they are not behaving. Surely that’s the right thing to do.

Show quote history

Oh wow I've never taught my kids this. We can't trust the judgement of small children when it comes to what is and isn't worth tattling to their parents about! He's going to annoy other kids and their parents. My kids come and tell me if they're having an issue and I step in if needs be!

12345onceIcaughta · 24/12/2025 18:14

She paid for her kid to go on the car, why should he share?
you sound as annoying as your kid.

OchonAgusOchonOh · 24/12/2025 18:14

mynME · 24/12/2025 18:10

I’ve always taught him to tell the child’s parents if they are not behaving. Surely that’s the right thing to do.

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So because the other child wouldn't do what you son wanted, he decided the other child was misbehaving. And you have actually encouraged him to go and annoy parents when he doesn't get his own way.

Good luck with that.

Christmastimeandwine · 24/12/2025 18:13

You sound completely unreasonable! Stop your child bothering strangers and supervise them or entertain them yourself

Whaleandsnail6 · 24/12/2025 18:13

mynME · 24/12/2025 18:10

I’ve always taught him to tell the child’s parents if they are not behaving. Surely that’s the right thing to do.

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But your kid was the one being annoying...he was trying to touch a toy another kid was playing with and them repeatedly telling tails

You should have told your kid to stop telling tails and go and play with something else

Theslummymummy · 24/12/2025 18:12

He sounds like a tattle tale and her child wasn't misbehaving, your kid isn't entitled to a turn until her kid has finished. I'd be pissed too if my kid was having a nice time and your kid came over several times to tattle on something that isn't an issue. Get a grip.

TMess · 24/12/2025 18:12

“Apparently” - you weren’t paying enough attention to 1) see the issue with the other child and 2) see yours talking to another adult repeatedly? I don’t love it when someone else’s child comes tattling to me about some non-issue just because I’m the only one watching!

vodkaredbullgirl · 24/12/2025 18:11

mynME · 24/12/2025 18:10

I’ve always taught him to tell the child’s parents if they are not behaving. Surely that’s the right thing to do.

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How many times did he bother her?

Original poster
mynME · 24/12/2025 18:11

HoorayHattie · 24/12/2025 18:10

Sorry, this has made me laugh! Your DS was complaining that another child was being noisy . . . in a soft play?!!!!

He was kind of whooping and screaming in a closed area, a sort of den thing.

OP posts:
romdowa · 24/12/2025 18:11

mynME · 24/12/2025 18:09

Because he was explaining to her that she needed to control her son (didn’t use those words, he was very polite?)

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Its not your 5 year olds place to tell that woman to do anything. Instead you should have parented your own child and told him he cant always have his own way and that theres plenty more to play with.

OchonAgusOchonOh · 24/12/2025 18:10

mynME · 24/12/2025 18:06

@AnneLovesGilbert my ds is five. I don’t need to follow him round like a toddler, and he wasn’t doing anything wrong 🤷‍♀️

Yes he was. He was being a nuisance to the woman.

Sounds like her child didn't want to share which is perfectly reasonable in play centres. Most kids play on something until they're finished and then whoever is waiting goes on it.

In contrast, your child was repeatedly bothering a stranger.

12345onceIcaughta · 24/12/2025 18:10

If my child was playing happily and some random kid kept interrupting me I would get very annoyed. More so with the slack arse mother who couldn’t be bothered to parent her child.

Createausername1970 · 24/12/2025 18:10

Agree with other comments - why did you not see your son approach a complete stranger on more than one occasion?

The fact that the stranger told your child, politely, to bugger off is not the thing you should be questioning.

HoorayHattie · 24/12/2025 18:10

Sorry, this has made me laugh! Your DS was complaining that another child was being noisy . . . in a soft play?!!!!

TenderChicken · 24/12/2025 18:10

YABU, your child was annoying another table. If her son is playing on the car then your son needs to come back later.

Original poster
mynME · 24/12/2025 18:10

Theslummymummy · 24/12/2025 18:09

Well stop him from bothering people then

I’ve always taught him to tell the child’s parents if they are not behaving. Surely that’s the right thing to do.

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