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AIBU?

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Original poster

To have screamed like a fishwife in the middle of a packed high street?

153 replies

staylucky · 29/10/2011 23:28

Walking through town today, busy saturday afternoon full of shoppers. Dp and I hadn't taken the pushchairs for DS as I'm trying to get him into the habit of walking more. Toddler DS ran in front of some guy, DP immediatly apologised and picked up our DS. Chap then does this huge 'comedy' kick and laughs to his Gf like he's the funniest
man alive.

Ok so I'm 5 months pregnant, hormonal and perhaps I was being a bit precious but I just saw red Blush and said to the guy "as if you just did that right in front of me" this quickly turned into a huge slanting match in the middle of the street. I know he was joking I never thought for a minute he was going to kick my son but why would you even joke about something like that???!! If an old lady had stumbled in front of him would he have done the same? TO HER FACE?!

He told me to get a grip Grin

I await more of the same... No but honestly would you have let that go?

OP posts:
A1980 · 29/10/2011 23:59

I've heard worse than that Worra, my mum used to say "I'll kill the pair of you" to my brother and I. Frequently. "I'll kill you" is often said by parents. They don't mean it FFS.

EllaDee · 30/10/2011 00:00

worra - TBH, I assumed the child would be in people's minds already at the mention of violence towards a child. He's one of the people I automatically think of - which is awful, but it's the case. It's hard not to think of him surely, it was so shocking. I don't think I will forget that story.

I certainly didn't mean to offend with the reference though. I wasn't trying to say the two things were remotely, remotely the same - just saying why IMO it's not a thing to joke about.

Kayano · 30/10/2011 00:00

I don't even have a cupboard to fit the child in come to think of it Blush maybe the gas meter outside cupboard... Thingy...

There is a good winter threat actually... Hmm....

squeakyfreakytoy · 30/10/2011 00:00

Comedy "violence" is so poles apart from real violence. From Laurel and Hardy, Fawlty Towers, Tom and Jerry.. even Punch and Judy... it isnt real. It is slapstick comedy, and the whole point is that nobody gets hurt for real. That is a world removed from actually causing someone any pain.

crazynannawitchbitch · 30/10/2011 00:01

I usually plump for the term "I will weigh you in like a kipper"...only to the Under 8's,obviously Grin

EllaDee · 30/10/2011 00:02

squeaky - but would a toddler know that? All he presumably saw was a stranger in the street aim a kick at him?

That image really upsets me - it is not the same as a cartoon or TV, which even as a toddler you know is not going to come out of the screen and hurt you.

worraliberty · 30/10/2011 00:02

A1980 My parents used to say "You didn't get home last night til this morning" when I'd been out clubbing as a teenager?!?

Personally I think that's a cruel thing to say to someone who's trying their hardest to act sober Hmm Grin

worraliberty · 30/10/2011 00:03

We don't even know the toddler saw it Ella

squeakyfreakytoy · 30/10/2011 00:04

The toddler had already been picked up Ella.. he didnt see anyone aiming a kick at him.

PumpkinSizedEmmaRoyd · 30/10/2011 00:05

In the OPs defence, being pregnant is an excuse.

When pg with DD I once looked out the window and saw a huge wood pigeon in the garden which I pointed out to DH, by the time he looked up (prob 1 second) it had flown away at which point I burst into tears and gave him a tirade of abuse along the lines of 'you don't care about me, you don't take anything I say seriously, if you did you'd have looked up at the pigeon straight away' Blush

we now refer to it as the fat pigeon incident

one day you will look back and laugh ...

as for Baby P, I'm disgusted that this was mentioned in this context

A1980 · 30/10/2011 00:05

^ That's brilliant Worra Grin That's quite clever!

EllaDee · 30/10/2011 00:05

That's true worra, I guess the dad could have caught him up so he was facing away. I hope so. Smile

rubyrubyruby · 30/10/2011 00:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DogsBeastFiend · 30/10/2011 00:06

"Because violence is inherently oh-so funny? Especially in the context of small children - anyone remember Baby Peter?"

Hellooo! It was a JOKE, Ella, not "violence" and to compare a man playing silly buggers with a horrific case of child abuse is just sick.

Here, get hold of this... it's called a grip. Share it with the OP too.

rubyrubyruby · 30/10/2011 00:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EllaDee · 30/10/2011 00:08

I did not mean to cause offense with that reference. I do sincerely believe it is disrespectful to his memory and the memory of other children to joke about violence towards children.

EllaDee · 30/10/2011 00:09

ruby - I was visualizing it differently but I expect you're right. I am being emotional about this I know, and worrying about it. I don't like it. I'm not likely to change my mind about that. But I do see you're all telling me I'm OTT and there's strength in numbers I know.

Kayano · 30/10/2011 00:10

LMFAO at the fat pigeon incident!!!!

cantspel · 30/10/2011 00:11

It would never happened in the first place if the op had shown a bit of sense in the first place and used reins.

next time it could be a car he runs in front of.

And whilst we are on the issue of toddlers being allowed to practise their walking. Why do some parents think the supermarket is a good place to have a go. Do they relise that their childs head is about level with my shopping trolley and i wont always notice them running for the sweet isle.

rubyrubyruby · 30/10/2011 00:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

worraliberty · 30/10/2011 00:12

So what can we joke about?

I'm sure if we all look really really hard and over analyse everything we can probably find offence in absolutely everything if we over react enough.

The saddest thing of all would be that it would create a world where no-one dared laugh or joke with anyone incase they linked it to some random event in their mind Sad

EllaDee · 30/10/2011 00:13

DBF, I did say it was the joke bit that I had a problem with. I didn't say a fake kick was actual violence. And I've explained that I didn't compare this incident to what happened to baby P, I explained that baby P's memory makes me think why such jokes aren't funny.

GothAnneGeddes · 30/10/2011 00:13

I'm with edam here. There's a massive difference between joking amongst family and friends and for a complete stranger to "comedy kick" your child.

Op YANBU, I would have been a bit fishwifey about that too.

EllaDee · 30/10/2011 00:14

ruby - you're right and it's very kind of you to say it too.

I think I should leave this.

worra - I know, I know. What can we joke about? Sometimes it does feel like that. But IMO, it's not too much hardship to avoid joking about this sort of thing because it's just not funny.

LadyEvilEyes · 30/10/2011 00:14

I used to threaten to sell my ds to gypsies when he was little.
I suppose that would be seen as racist and abusive now.