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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not have given their toddler my phone?

70 replies

LifeIsButtercream · 03/12/2010 13:44

I was waiting in the doctors this morning, and was putting my mobile phone on flight mode when a little boy, 2 at the oldest, came and stood infront of me, pointed vaguely at my phone and started whining and stamping his feet.

There was only me and two other ladies in the waiting room, one of them says (without looking up from magazine) "He wants to play with your phone".

My phone is a touch screen and tends to unlock easily and dial people without warning (I dont let my 19 month old play with it for this reason!), so I told the little lad - gently - that it wasnt a toy and I'm sorry but he cant play with it. I put it away in my pocket. Cue more screaming.

The mum says "arn't you going to just let him play with it?" I reply no and explain above. She gets up, takes little boy by hand and drags him back to his seat saying loudly "No, the mean woman wont let you play." over and over, then muttered "bitch" under her breath.

AIBU to have not given my slightly dodgy mobile to someone elses child? I was definitly made to feel very unreasonable! I'm not unsympathetic, I know what its like to have a restless toddler in a waiting room, but I would never expect another mum to hand over their property to keep my DD happy.

OP posts:
RosieGirl · 03/12/2010 13:46

Definitely YANBU

LunaticFringe · 03/12/2010 13:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Meglet · 03/12/2010 13:46

YANBU.

I won't even let my dc's anywhere near my phone.

RJRabbit · 03/12/2010 13:46

YANBU. God, some people have such a sense of entitlement.

CommanderDrool · 03/12/2010 13:46

What a strange woman.

kreecherlivesupstairs · 03/12/2010 13:47

Bloody blimey. I won't even let my 9.7 DD play with my steamdriven quite old Nokia.
Of course YANBU.

mollymawk · 03/12/2010 13:47

Bizarre. YANBU.

MrsMoosickle · 03/12/2010 13:47

Shock No amount of medication could cure what she has. What an utter disgrace!
YADNBU

Serendippy · 03/12/2010 13:48

YANBU. She was weird!

AgentZigzag · 03/12/2010 13:48

YANBU! What she was saying sounds a bit odd, saying it over and over and muttering bitch under her breath??

It's not for you to amuse her DC, especially if he was tantruming over not getting an expensive mobile phone.

Perhaps she was having a bad day?

harassedinhertinselpants · 03/12/2010 13:48

YAdefNBU - what on earth is wrong with some people??!!

I don't let my own dd play with my phone, never mind someone else's.

PinkIsMyFavouriteCrayon · 03/12/2010 13:48

OMG, you are DNBU! Shock I let my DD play with my phone, but I'm not keen on my friends offering theirs to her, incase she breaks them! What a stupid bitch! Don't worry, you've just taught that kid a very important lesson that his mother obviously isn't going to bother to do, he can't have everything he wants!

Joolyjoolyjoo · 03/12/2010 13:48

YANBU! Folk are weird

curlymama · 03/12/2010 13:48

YANBU

The mother in question was a self centred bitch that thinks her child should be the centre of everyone elses universe. She will not be doing him any favors by setting examples like that.

BootyMum · 03/12/2010 13:49

What a bizarre rude woman. I think you should have reported her to the Dr receptionist as she was being verbally abusive towards you. Completely inappropriate behaviour anywhere but particularly in a Dr's waiting area where you could have had goodness knows what and been potentially infectious or desperately worried about a health issue and not wanted to be bothered by someone else's 2 year old.
Did you ask her why she didn't hand her own mobile phone over for child to play with if he was so desperate for one?

moajab · 03/12/2010 13:49

YANBU. Many toddlers love phones and I do let my DS play with mine once locked. But when he eyes up other people's phones I always tell him he can't have it and I wouldn't want anyone else to let him play with their phone in case he broke it or something!

Original poster
LifeIsButtercream · 03/12/2010 13:49

Phew! Thanks for the reassurance, and lollage at kreecher steamdriven phone idea made me laugh! I remember the days when a mobile phone came with a battery pack housed in a seperate briefcase!

OP posts:
LaWeaselMys · 03/12/2010 13:50

She is majorly unreasonable.

DD would probably have wanted to play with it too, but I would have said no and/or given her my phone.

jinnyandshantih · 03/12/2010 13:50

YANBU. Cannot believe how weird and rude some people can be!

LisaD1 · 03/12/2010 13:51

Maybe the woman needed her meds?! She sounds seriously unhinged! YADNBU, she's a loon!

Miggsie · 03/12/2010 13:52

YANBU...there are some children though who just seem fascinated by screens. My friend's boy will just walk off and go and stand over anyone who has any sort of screen on, in any situation. It's a bit creepy after a bit, sort of like he can't see anything except a screen even in a really busy room, he once knocked a small child over because he was so busy heading to the screen.

You could have sold it to the woman for £100?

JamieLeeCurtis · 03/12/2010 13:54

YANBU. I suspect she gives in to her child to avoid tantrums.

SkiingGardeningTwinklyBauble · 03/12/2010 13:54

YANBU. She was crackers.

SantasENormaSnob · 03/12/2010 13:55

Bizarre.

GetOrfMoiLand · 03/12/2010 13:56

Perhaps the mother had a migraine and couldn't cope with the toddler screaming? She was in the doctors after all, she may have been ill.

What would have been the problem really in letting a child play with a phone?

I think you are a bit selfish. You could have made a child happy. I personally believe in the sentiment 'it takes a village to raise a child' Smile

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