Out of Order?

[JS35]

Hi, I'm not a parent-hope you don't mind me crashing your club for a post, but I don't really know many parents and wanted to hear the thoughts of some parents.

I commute every day on London Underground and it is usually very crowded. Last week I managed to get a seat, and as I sat down a mother and her (I would guess about 6 year old son) sat in the same seating part as me.

About 5 minutes into the journey, the mother picked up a book and the child looked bored. Then he looked at me and stuck out his tounge and blew a raspberry. What I thought was innocently, I blew a raspberry back and put my head back into my Metro paper. At which point, his mother shouted "how dare you, you peadophile" at me. I was flabberghasted by this and just repsonded with "I think you need to stop reading the Daily Mail and seeing Peadophiles where there aren't any", but she got up and got off at the next stop.

I don't think I was out of order, its not like I was trying to talk to a child who was alone or something and it was just a harmless raspberry. But I certainly don't think I'll bother again.

What are your thoughts?

She is a stupid women!

I agree she was way over the top how embarrassing for you.

YADNBU that was such a over-reaction! it's not like you were offering him a bag of sweets or luring him to a dark corner. His mother was right there and I imagine it was very crowded.

You must have been mortified when she shouted that across the carriage- if someone had thought she was serious it could have been very dangerous for you.

I can only hope this hasn't put you off being nice to small kids, though I could understand if it had.

Yes shes a very silly woman how horrible for you.

Try not to take it personally, she over-reacted and we are not all like that!

My ds's were mucking about waving and sticking tongues out at a car full of young males, who were doing it back, they thought it was funny and so did i.

she is a reactionary weirdo

she sounds v v weird!

Oh dear.

Very silly. Her I mean. If you blew a raspberry at my son I'd assume you were child-friendly and was playing along. Mind you if my son blew a raspberry at a complete stranger I'd have a word with him.

Ditto Orm!

I would love it if more people interacted with children!Instead of ignoring them and treating them as some sort of disease

she was reading DM so ignore her.

Next time a kid blows a raspberry at you - please blow one back

What a freak" Not you, just her

If someone had done that to my DD aged 2 I'd have just breathed a sigh of relief they hadn't got all cats bum face with her and me.

But then again, I haven't been "allowed" to read a book in my daughter's presence (except the sodding gruffalo and similar) in 2 years so this scenario wouldn't have happened!

Ooh I agree how weird she is! I also agree with orm I would be having a word if my child blew a raspberry at a stranger. Good on you though for being a decent sport and having a sense of humour.

She sounds like a complete twat.

YABU, You cant go about blowing raspberries at other peoples kids.. she had every right to shout at you!

Umm.. you werent being unreasonable of course but I felt uncomfortable that everyone on an AIBU thread was agreeing.

She should have been grateful to you for entertaining her son. Strangers often interact with mine on the tube. He likes it, they (seem to) like it, everyone's a winner.

What a silly woman.

I was on a train for about an hour with my toddler DD recently. I was doing everything I could to amuse her but she was getting a bit restless. A man a few seats ahead of us caught DD's eye and started playing 'peekaboo' by hiding under his baseball cap. Result- one happy toddler and one grateful parent.

She sounds like a right weirdo, I wish more people would interact with children in situations like that. Some people can be so stuck up!! Ignore her, you did nothing wrong, please don't let it put you off doing things like that, kids love it!!

OK, good to know that I wasn't being unreasonable. Thanks for the replies.

She was silly. There is another thread here about paedophiles on every corner, which is a similar weird mother.

Please keep interacting with children like that, and the occasional smile of sympathy for a Mum whos frazzled. It certainly brightens my day (I would of course tell my kid off for the sticking tongue out though).

raspberry blowing and smiling unacceptable behavior????? OMG she needs to get a life and a firm grip of herself, she was embarrassed that you were paying more attention to her DS than she was!!!! My boys like nothing better than a friendly chat with fellow travellers, it keeps them amused, and most of the other passengers too!!!!!!!

Are you serious? I can't imagine someone overreacting quite that badly. How does blowing a raspberry equate to a paedophile?

She sounds like a twat! I love it when strangers interact with my ds and he loves it too, I've never accused anyone of being a paedophile over it. Good response from you though, I'm sure the other passengers shared your opinion of the stupid woman!

Prozacfairy - 'The Sodding Gruffalo' - sounds like an interesting rewriting of the original!

OP - as everyone has said, you did nothing wrong, and in fact it was nice of you to interact with the child. I occasionally do this if I see a fratchetty child with a frazzled mum - I never realised this made me a paedophile!

Definitely a nutter. I stick my tongue out and blow raspberries at kids all the time. Is fun.