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AIBU?

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Original poster

Was I in the wrong here?

51 replies

Ilovemyshed · 06/11/2026 16:26

Stopped at a motorway services and as we came out a little girl 9 ish took the wrapper off a muffin and dropped on the ground about a metre from a bin.

I said excuse me, perhaps you could put that in the bin? Quite politely with a smile.

Young girl went to do exactly that whereupon her mother grabbed the wrapper and flung it back on the ground shouting at me “don’t tell my child what to do!”

How would you have reacted?

OP posts:
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Katemax82 · 09/11/2026 20:58

I'd be very embarrassed if I were the mum...I don't let my kids drop litter.

zoeslim · 09/11/2026 20:27

LemonPuppyPorkChop · 08/11/2026 12:33

I have just read a scene in a novel in which a character says he thinks all pigeons are Tories. I realised I think this too.

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Really

zoeslim · 09/11/2026 20:25

welcome to liberal Britain

WitchesBritches · 09/11/2026 18:35

Isittimeformynapyet · 08/11/2026 12:36

I wonder what @WitchesBritches thinks about the political leanings of pigeons. She's probably setting up a Pigeon's Suffrage movement right now.

Let's not forget that you responded to a post on litter (which bothers me much more) with a hypothetical comment on pigeons

what are you on about???

It's incredibly rude to talk about a poster like you have. Have you no manners??

Isittimeformynapyet · 08/11/2026 12:36

I wonder what @WitchesBritches thinks about the political leanings of pigeons. She's probably setting up a Pigeon's Suffrage movement right now.

LemonPuppyPorkChop · 08/11/2026 12:33

Isittimeformynapyet · 08/11/2026 12:30

Because pigeons and humans are different. I daresay you disagree but I won't change my mind for you.

I'd tell a child with me not to do it, but other children? I'm not prepared to take the entire world and every miniscule occurrence on my shoulders - that would be a direct path to misery.

Let's not forget that you responded to a post on litter (which bothers me much more) with a hypothetical comment on pigeons. 🙄

Show quote history

I have just read a scene in a novel in which a character says he thinks all pigeons are Tories. I realised I think this too.

Isittimeformynapyet · 08/11/2026 12:30

WitchesBritches · 08/11/2026 12:13

You think it's OK for children to run at pigeons because they can just fly off

So why do you not think it's OK for a much bigger human to run at you because you can just runoff??

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Because pigeons and humans are different. I daresay you disagree but I won't change my mind for you.

I'd tell a child with me not to do it, but other children? I'm not prepared to take the entire world and every miniscule occurrence on my shoulders - that would be a direct path to misery.

Let's not forget that you responded to a post on litter (which bothers me much more) with a hypothetical comment on pigeons. 🙄

WitchesBritches · 08/11/2026 12:13

Isittimeformynapyet · 08/11/2026 00:59

Err... What?

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You think it's OK for children to run at pigeons because they can just fly off

So why do you not think it's OK for a much bigger human to run at you because you can just runoff??

WitchesBritches · 08/11/2026 12:12

UndeadLife · 06/11/2026 17:05

Report mum for littering, get her number plate and 101 it.

🤣🤣🤣

i'd be very surprised if the police did anything if they were standing right there there alone respond to a message on 101🤣🤣

Isittimeformynapyet · 08/11/2026 00:59

WitchesBritches · 08/11/2026 00:42

So you wouldn't mind some big scary bloke jumping at you because you can run off after all and that's what you should do so you don't get hurt🙄🙄🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️

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Err... What?

WitchesBritches · 08/11/2026 00:42

Isittimeformynapyet · 06/11/2026 17:48

Not so bothered by this tbh. As you rightly say, pigeons will fly off. And the reason they "should" is so they don't get hurt. It's very sensible.

Litter won't put itself in the bin.

NB. I leave all wildlife in peace myself.

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So you wouldn't mind some big scary bloke jumping at you because you can run off after all and that's what you should do so you don't get hurt🙄🙄🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️

WitchesBritches · 08/11/2026 00:35

seahorsessky · 06/11/2026 16:52

Funny how people have a go at dog owners for being disgusting, isn't it? Everyone seems quite happy to complain about them, but too many people are acting like OP's wrong for intervening when this is a human, who will grow up to be an adult probably choosing to have kids of her own to "bring up" like this.

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Yep' 🙇🏻‍♀️

RobertaFirmino · 08/11/2026 00:24

I have no problem with challenging litter louts. Probably because I am 50 and no longer GAF. Some people are just dirty bastards.

OnTheBoardwalk · 07/11/2026 23:55

@DreamyAmberKoala i understand your daughters needs and I would expect you to be with her to not get her put in that scary position for her

OnTheBoardwalk · 07/11/2026 23:54

In Sainsbury’s car park a woman was eating a yogurt (not sure what the urgent need was) and dropped the pot and the spoon on the floor behind her boot.

I mentioned to her she’d dropped it by accident, she picked it up and I continued walking. As I walked past she dropped them on the floor again. I walked back round and pointed out to her again she’d littered the items. She did have the grace to look embarrassed this time

littering and throwing things out at any age really fucks me off. Who do you expect to clean your shit

DreamyAmberKoala · 07/11/2026 23:45

(we do teach ours not to drop litter) but if my honest if it was my daughter, she would probably have a panic attack (she is neurodivergent and gets very anxious) at thinking a random was getting her into trouble, if I felt I had to say something about what a child did I would always try and speak to the parent and e.g. Saying I think you dropped something.

SarahAndQuack · 07/11/2026 22:58

If you do think it's right to say something, 'excuse me, you've dropped this' with a smile works better. It gives the parent a way out if they genuinely didn't see, so they can say 'oops, thanks, let's bin that!' and it gives you a way out if they respond nastily. And the child learns that it was a mistake to drop something, rather than being totally confused by someone they don't know talking to them about what to do - which, actually, they might find tricky.

Dimsumthang · 07/11/2026 21:03

JMSA · 07/11/2026 19:43

The mother is a scumbag.

Thats the one and a beitch to boot

Flamingojune · 07/11/2026 20:47

Or you could have done the passive aggresive version, scuse me i think you dropped something

SockPlant · 07/11/2026 20:43

well done, OP. This absolute batshit "nobody speaks to my child" that happens these days is why none of us can have nice things.

FWIW i do this kind of thing, and i have a rhinocerous hide so any pushback just washes over me these days.

RaraRachael · 07/11/2026 20:41

I'd never say anything as you don't know what people's reactions will be.

A child was once riding a bike very unsteadily towards us and I had to jump out of the way. No adult was within 30 feet so I remarked to OH that I wondered who was with him. The mother came flying up shouting and swearing at me , "How dare I tell her child off etc" I said I had spoken to OH, not her child.
Thankfully she went off but I could quite imagine a crowd gathering and believing her side of things.

Since then I haven't intervened in anything.

sweeneytoddsrazor · 07/11/2026 20:20

When my daughter was younger she was very vocal if people dropped litter or showed lack of manners. We were once on an absolutely packed train with a large group of drunk men and one of them belched really loudly and she said equally loudly You are supposed to say pardon me when you burp. His mates all fell about laughing but to his credit he did say yes I should have sorry

guinnessguzzler · 07/11/2026 20:10

Well done OP. I occasionally will pick up dropped litter and go after the person who dropped it. I just say 'Excuse me, I think you dropped this' and pass it to them like I'm doing them a favour. It normally works out ok. People are awful but then they can also be wonderful. Shame for that kid though, she's not got much chance.

LittleMi55Nobody · 07/11/2026 20:09

Ilovemyshed · 06/11/2026 16:26

Stopped at a motorway services and as we came out a little girl 9 ish took the wrapper off a muffin and dropped on the ground about a metre from a bin.

I said excuse me, perhaps you could put that in the bin? Quite politely with a smile.

Young girl went to do exactly that whereupon her mother grabbed the wrapper and flung it back on the ground shouting at me “don’t tell my child what to do!”

How would you have reacted?

littering boils my piss...

Autumngirl5 · 07/11/2026 19:53

Weeelokthen · 06/11/2026 16:37

Good for you! I would have said the same.

Me too. Well said and I wish others would follow your lead.