Why do people find it so difficult to get their children out of the way?

[ZeldamayXWA]

I am the mother of two small children but I also like to go for a walk in my small hometown without the children sometimes. I went for a walk early to avoid the crowds and strait away I encountered generic middle class, middle aged, mummy and daddy with two small children a similar age to my own boy and girl.

I waited for the parents to move the children as they had obviously seen me standing there waiting for the boys to move so I could get passed. Instead they just started grinning at the little brats and gently trying to encourage them to move when they felt like it. So I was polite and waited for the boys to move, they just got off their bikes and started staring at the field.

It was a narrow area and there was no way I could get passed without the children being moved, Emphasis - they are children, the parents should have the required level of intelligence to move them out of the way. I know I would have been able to get my two children to move for an adult who wanted to get passed.

Does anyone else think it is abnormal for toddlers who can be picked up and moved to have more human rights than an adult who needs to get passed them? I know they were toddlers and the husband screamed at me "They are toddlers you need to wait for them to decide to move"

How is this behaviour acceptable? Also am I losing my mind I was so shocked by these rude parents complete inability to have any authority over their children. Any thoughts?

Next time just say ‘excuse me, can I squeeze past please?’. Similar if anyone else got in your way when out and about. I would have thought it was quite a common situation to come across, and it’s a good opportunity for toddlers to learn the norms of social interaction and manners. I wouldn’t expect them to jump out your way though- they are still young and still learning.

Little brats and an adult has more human rights?
Yeah whatever, get over yourself.

You have equal human rights.

@ZeldamayXWA

Lou197 - I'm genuinely sorry that you might be in a position where you lose your job. I myself am not on furlough, I'm in the very lucky position of not having to work, I stay at home while my husband chooses to work.

Are you the lady who didn't want the riffraff who couldn't afford big houses like yours taking walks in your village?

@BatShite I remember reading that thread too!

I'm with allnamesaregone here, log it with NASA. Perhaps they can lend you a space suit and a jet pack to get past all these annoying toddlers and screaming parents.

@BatShite that’s exactly what I said in the other thread. Difficult to believe parents are wildly screaming at strangers all over the country. Fully innocent strangers just delicately trying to walk past as well

Another saying you lost me at little brats.

I doubt he screamed at you.

Take a look at yourself.

It's highly unlikely that he actually screamed at you so forgive me if I take the rest of your account with a pinch of salt.

Op, either you are mind bogglingly intolerant and grumpy or this is a windup.

But if it is true, console yourself with the fact that they were toddlers, any virus they may have breathed out, would be at knee level and so you are most unlikely to have breathed it in.

Maybe you need a job, something to do, to give you something more important to worry about.

i need to wait till toddlers decide to move?

no i dont think so-ignore the pp on here op im with you

If course he didn't scream because this is entirely fictional.

1. If the reason you couldn't get past them is because they were spread out on the path, why was it the toddlers who had to move/be moved rather than the parents moving (closer to the toddlers) so you could pass in the space where the toddlers had been?

2. How long did you stand waiting for all the moving to (not) happen before you asked the toddlers (why would you ask the toddlers to move? See 1) above) to "excuse" you?

3. Where were the toddlers meant to move to? Could you not have used that space to move past the group? Even if it meant walking in a circuitous track?

4. If the path was so narrow that you couldn't pass, why did you not take the initiative to walk into the road/on the grass/wherever else possible to pass the group (unless it was surrounded on both sides by walls)?

I live on edge of London, all the paths I walk on have people, including generic middle aged ones and generic toddlers. So far I have managed to pass them all without anyone screaming at each other. Must celebrate my excellent generic people passing skills.

So far I have managed to pass them all without anyone screaming at each other. Must celebrate my excellent generic people passing skills.

You could maybe create some kind of online course specifically for MN posters. As it appears a problem that comes up here a fair bit, especially since the lockdown. Its obviously extremely distressing to have random people just randomly screaming at you wherever you go, so sharing your secret to avoiding such behaviour would likely be highly beneficial for the good of society. Could maybe even charge a bit for it given its such useful information? Bonus!

You okay hun?

Wow, calling toddlers "little brats". Projecting your dislike of their parents onto the children, no?

I keep walking and give a loud cheery excuse me, and don't seem to have too much trouble.

get past not get passed