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Original poster

Was I being out of order to my family member

14 replies

Cruiser24 · 14/10/2023 23:22

We was at a child's party today and my great aunt(of which has no children her self but is in her late 50s) can be very overpowering and controlling at times, anyway there was bouncy castles shes stood in front of them telling the children off, telling them to get down, don't run, don't climb, don't slide backwards, don't miss the steps, sit on your bottom, no jumping the queue, general interfering ect

so I told her in the nicest way possible come and sit down and relax its not her responsibility and explained kids do play rough at these things. Kids will be kids type thing and they will not listen to you as your not someone they know -of which they didn't and the parents of the child whos party it is will deal with it if they feel the need to . (Which when I spoke to them had the same view as me)

Was I out of order

OP posts:
SoEffingGrumpy · 14/10/2023 23:26

you were very diplomatic 😁

saraclara · 14/10/2023 23:27

Not at all out of order, since you said it nicely.

MrsCobbit · 14/10/2023 23:28

You was🙄

Justleaveitblankthen · 14/10/2023 23:58

She's your Great Aunt in her 50's?
I feel old now 😔

FictionalCharacter · 16/10/2023 02:26

You were completely reasonable. She was spoiling the kids' fun and you very diplomatically encouraged her to back off.

WhereYouLeftIt · 16/10/2023 02:30

No, you were not out of order. You were considerably more diplomatic than I would have been!

I'm surprised she was invited to a child's party, and that the host hadn't had a word with her before you.

lilmishap · 16/10/2023 02:55

You should teach courses in diplomacy, most of us would have been a bit more "fuck off away from the bouncy castle and be nice"

StoneWashJeansWithAMatchingJacket · 16/10/2023 05:28

You weren’t out of order and sound like you handled it well. Has someone else said you were out of order?

ittakes2 · 16/10/2023 06:20

Is there a chance the party organiser asked her to make sure the children played safely?

Doingmybest12 · 16/10/2023 07:58

I always avoid supervising bouncy castles for this reason. I am far too risk averse and can see an accident at every jump. I hate the mixture of ages ,too mamy children and general boisterousness of it. She was trying to help and you handled it well. It wasn't her responsibility (a parent should be supervising ).

Riverlee · 16/10/2023 08:03

It sounds like she was supervising, and trying to be helpful. Was no parent overseeing the bouncy castle? Maybe she was being stricter than you would have been, but it sounds like she was trying to prevent accidents rather than being interfering.

Mistressanne · 16/10/2023 08:03

Doingmybest12 · 16/10/2023 07:58

I always avoid supervising bouncy castles for this reason. I am far too risk averse and can see an accident at every jump. I hate the mixture of ages ,too mamy children and general boisterousness of it. She was trying to help and you handled it well. It wasn't her responsibility (a parent should be supervising ).

I’m the same. Terrified a dc will break their neck. I have to walk away and distract myself.

Vocaladvocaat · 16/10/2023 08:05

No you did it right. It’s the subtle art of diplomacy- build people up, make them feel great and they will WANT to do the things you ask of them.

helpfulperson · 16/10/2023 08:23

So who was supervising the melee on the bouncy castle? They are a nightmare for resulting in broken arms etc.

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