WIBU to have entered in to a Loud Parenting stand-off at the library?

[welliesandpyjamas]

I think I know I WBU. In fact, I have brought shame on MN by stooping to these levels rather than just smirking and ignoring. I apologise.

I arrived early with DS2 to library rhymetime and was sitting reading quietly in the corner. Other mum comes in and announces to the whole place to her toddler that they will now sit and read. Cue LOUD reading of and over the top expressions and actions to the disinterested child. Very LOUD and ARTICULATED. And for some reason, I decided to out-loud-parent her and do the same, but going up one, by reading the bilingual books

In my defence, I did very quickly get a grip and stop.

She didn't, though. Went on for another 15 minutes and then was the loudest singer with the biggest actions during Rhymetime. Her dc did I mention his name was Zebediah? was more interested in making piles of books and picking his nose.

These mums remind me of a time I was in a supermarket years ago.

I was half day dreaming while I was looking at something or another and in the background I heard a childs voice saying ' hello, hello' over and over again. I didn't think for one second the child was taliking to me because I was only half aware. I carried on walking and I heard a woman say very very loud 'Take no notice darling, some people are just SO IGNORANT! I looked around and realised there was only me, her and her child in the aisle so it was aimed at me!!! It was one of those if looks could kill moments I would have dropped dead!

Gotcha, pagwatch. Thank you I have seen those threads get messy!

Fab story about the fishtank-thumpers mum

I know mums like that,

I just laugh at their pathetic embarrassing supermum behaviour....

Good grief - doesn't anyone realise that you have to sign the bilingual books to your DCs otherwise it's just lazy parenting.

How weird, upahill!

Pmsl piprabbit! Will practice for next time

Overheard in a park recently
"No darling you can't have a drink now because we are going home and we have some lovely elderflower cordial to drink"

Said to a fairly tired and stroppy 10 year old girl.

p.s. I was sitting at least 5 metres away watching my own children so clearly a broadcast comment.

thanks pag :)

i can outperform any performing parent anyway, in the books department. "no, dear, you don't have to take out a library book - we've got all of that series at home, haven't we?"
or something.
i might have to work on it.
"you spent all week in the bookshop at half term, didn't you, DD! your favourite place to go with mummy"

Feel sorry for me then, i have to do these at work. I can't get away

Once, a woman actually stopped me mid sentence when i was singing Miss Polly had A Dolly, and told me she thought it was preferable to sing it from the female perspective i.e. The Doctor came with HER coat and HER hat. She had a PHD and was a bit intimidating. I think i was brainwashed because i now always sing it that way and this happened about 8 years ago.

I also used to work in a group who i swear used to compete over having the best papooses and tupperware boxes of houmous, wholemeal breadstick thingies and cous cous. And they used to sit and read loudly to their kids too, leaving a mess behind them when they eventually left.

my DCs were brought up in a bilingual environment too and years ago I did the dreadful thing of musing aloud in an English bookshop as to whether or not my seven year old had read a particular book in English or German. I blush to this day because people must have thought I was a knob of the highest order. I shall proffer a biscuit to myself.

Ooooo nickel - you get to say "but darling, we live In A Bookshop, so we don't need to borrow these books, we have lots already" and yet too

Secretly, I would actually love to performance parent. Sadly my urchins ruin every bloody opportunity with little gems like these.....

Mum! My bum's itchy!

Me(to DS2's little friend).. 'get your hands out of your pants'. Friend responds with,' my willy is stuck'. DS2 then tries to drop his pants to show that his willy is not stuck.

DS1 (7) once chose to inform me (in a crowded libabry after school) about the current nit infestation in his class.

Best one was me in library trying to interest them in a book about castles (current school topic). DS1 snorted and held up a Docgor Who book. DS2 (small 5), started yelling, 'I love Doctor Who!'. I think I just dug a deeper hole by prattling on about Octonauts......

Thank you OP and Highlander for making me weep with laughter on an otherwise crap day. Cheered me up no end.

Perhaps you should respond by you and your children sitting around the mother in a semi circle, and if she questions this say, 'Oh, I'm sorry, you were reading in such a loud, animated fashion that I assumed you were employed by the library to do performance reading.'

My DS3 goes to the library every week...and heads straight for the DVD rack .

Highlander my boys complete sabotage any Performance Parenting I might want to try

We were by the Houses of Parliament recently (we live in central london) and I was just about to do the matinee performance of
"So who can tell me the name of the big clock?"

Only to find that my 2 DS had been shoving each other until they fell over and were now sitting on the pavement at the bottom of Whitehall

My DCs won't let me be a performance parent either, I'm normally the mum trying to make sure no one can hear me saying things like "no I dont think the baby in Mrs xs tummy came from (head teacher) mr x,
No I'm sure they were not kidding in the classroom at lunchtime
No I'm not going to explain RIGHT NOW how babies get into your tummy
No you can't have a baby, you are a 4 y/o boy
Yes I do have a place babies come out of
No you don't have one
No please do not take down your trousers and check

This was a very loud conversation which happened in church

tantrums, totaly PMSL!!

I think clothesofsand has the winning suggestion

Highlander-brilliant ! you have cheered me up.Was having such a rubbish day.