Should I have said something? And if I should, what could I have said?

[madonnawhore]

Was getting off the bus today and there was a woman with a 6(ish) y/o boy and a baby in a buggy, getting off ahead of me. The boy was kind of standing in the way of her getting the buggy off the bus. I guess he was just daydreaming and not really paying attention.

Anyway, his mum yelled at him to "Get off the bus then instead of standing there like a dickhead!". Once they were off the bus and I had got off, they were walking in the same direction as me up the road and I could hear her behind me saying to him, "You're so fucking stupid you are. Standing in the way so I can't get off the fucking bus. You stupid little dickhead!"

My blood was boiling and I was seconds away from telling her she was a disgusting excuse for a mother, and to stop shouting such horrible language at her child in the middle of the street. But then I thought 'what's the point?'. It'll only make the child more scared and upset. And she'll probably just give me a mouthful if not a slap.

What would you have done? Should I have said something? I feel so, so sorry for that poor little boy who just remained silent the whole time. He's probably used to it :(

I wouldn't have said anything directly for two reasons.

1. cos the kid probably would have got it all the worse when he got home if that's the way she behaves in public, and
2. cos I wouldn't fancy a decking.

As horrible as it is to hear in that situation I dont think there is much you can do. If it was someone I knew then I would have said something but with a stranger its hard to pass comment on there parenting generally an dlike you said you dont know how she would respond to you.

I'd have said charming way to talk to a child.

^ what they said.

She'll get it back tenfold when he's older.

No she won't get it back - we will. DC who are treated like dirt and given this kind of upbringing often become society's 'problem'. Poor, poor lad. I hope someone steps in.

I would have said 'CHARMING' in a loud pointed voice - but I'm a chippy fucker.

But, sometimes people get to breaking point .... you never know what people have to deal with behind the scenes.

Did you offer to help? NO? coz I cant see that you did in your post. You just watched and judged.

All right, trois, what would you have done? Let's assume that you are without your DCs and not in any particular hurry. What would you have said or done?

and sometimes some people are just nasty spiteful people

troisgarcons she called her son a 'dickhead' before she attempted to get the buggy off the bus. After hearing that, I wasn't inclined to offer her help.

How people parent their kids is none of my business. But of course I judged her in this instance. There's no reasonable excuse for effing at a 6 year old child. Her having a 'bad day' doesn't mitigate it at all.

For the loud, public swearing alone I would be hoisting my judging pants and thinking 'how horrible'. But the fact that her loud, public swearing was directed at a child is inexcusable.

I have occassionally reached breaking point and sworn -but never AT DC, never about them. Everyone is capable of losing it - how you lose it is the key. The woman was a nasty piece of work. End of.

If she was reaching breaking point she could have just yelled 'get out of the way!' or something. The fact that she kept calling the child a dickhead is disgusting.
The only excuse may be is that thats how her mum spoke to her.
I'd like to think that as an adult, most people would know better than to talk to a child like that.

How exactly could she have "helped",? troisgarcons