To be perturbed that a woman felt compelled to come into a coffee shop today with the sole purpose of telling my 9 year old son ...

[QuintessentialyHollow]

"You will become fat" with an evil grin.

After his terrible migraine attack last weekend, we had an optical appointment today, so I took him out from school quarter past two. He was really worried about the appointment, and the optician was very thorough. It took half an hour. We went to a coffee shop for a snack, as we then had a 30 minute walk up to his tutor, where he was going to do one more hour of learning. It is important that he eats on regular intervals. He is skinny as a rake, and usually eats little and often.

So, we shared a ham and cheese panini, he had a rasberry water, and a chocolate muffin. We were sitting on bar stools, looking out the window, eating. By then it was 3 pm, and he had not eaten since lunch time at 12, dinner would be at 6pm.

So, a woman was looking at him from the bus stop outside. She suddenly opened up the door, came in and said something to him. He did not respond, and she left. I asked my son, "what did she say to you?"

"You will become fat"

How on earth can a total stranger make such a comment to a child?

I hope you told him she was a weirdo freak with too much time on her hands.

Honestly, some people!

She sounds as though she has a mental health problem

Otherwise that's just too random for words.

That is not the behaviour of a sane person. How horrible.

It does sound like she might be unwell. Was your son upset?

What an odd thing to do - did you follow her and ask her why she'd said it?

Did she look dishevelled/mad?

She's an idiot.

Not sure why your child had a full meal at 3pm when he'd had lunch 3 hours earlier and was then going to eat in 3 hours?

I've got a nearly 9 year old. If she'd have said that to mine, I'd have just told her to ignore her as there's sometimes weird people out there!
Some people are just strange.

She looked perfectly normal. Possibly in her fifties, maybe older.

Granted, if you eat chocolate muffins every day, you will become fat, and it wont do your veins any good. My son eats good and healthy food, and this was a treat. But even so, not her business.

I told him that some people are really rude, and what he was eating is not anybody's business, and that she was really strange.

He had half a ham and cheese panini, (I had the other half), aside from the muffin. Well, more a cupcake really. I would not classify it a full meal. He eats little and often. He loses his concentration if hungry, and would not be able to focus on his tutorial, from 4-5, if he had not eaten since 12.

I would imagine it was a very poor attempt at a joke or that she had some level of confusion for some reason.
It is not something a rational person would do. So I would assume it was an irrational person.

My DD is 9. She would either laugh or go [shrug]

My son just looked at her a bit nonplussed. It did not really bother him. He was surprised, thats all. I am in a way glad that I did not hear her. As it was, I just had a dumb look on my face.

That's a very rude thing to say. Not normal at all.

I'd have eaten the same amount at that age and I was the skinniest kid ever. Seriously, the woman seems not entirely sane, I really hope your son realises this and takes no notice of her whatsoever.

TBH if he has 'migraines' I wouldnt be poking chocolate down him.

Amazing though that within a week hes been diagnosed with migraines, seen a GP ( for the diagnosis) and been to specsavers, not to mention tutoring ..... and owns a neurotic mother who feeds at regular intervals .... I suppose, normally he would have been at school that time? Does he have to leave class for his regular feeding? Or do you arrive @ the school gate with a snackette?

Maybe he isnt as skinny as you think he is.......

Does sound as if she has either mental health problems or early dementia. It is not the actions of a healthy person.

Very odd indeed!

I went to Asda one evening (some would say it serves me right, I am sure!) and was replying to a text outside the entrance and suddenly realised a woman of about 50 was ranting at me 'fat, your fucking fat and disgusting, fat, fat..' etc. I am a bit fat actually, 5ft 6 and a size 14, but I'm not exactly huge FFS.... anyway, she was drunk and when I came out the police had her in a head lock and she wa sbeing rather violent towards them, so I suppose I got off lightly really....

Her life must suck to an insane degree if all it takes to get her riled up is seeing a child eating some food. Isn't being really stressed all the time also quite bad for your physical health?

Nice reply trosigarcons.

And you would know all the circumstances then?

Trois, did you mean to sound so rude there or was it accidental?

My DP who is fat went to the launderette and a woman came in and started shouting at DP saying you are fucking fat you are. Sounds like we have all met the same woman

Half a panini and a muffin would just about keep my 19 month old going from lunch til dinner Not really a full meal for a 9 year old.

It's not rude it's a mental health problem. I guess that is perturbing but it is something our children will come across sooner or later - good that you were there and able to lead a discussion on mental illness in the community so your ds will understand such behaviour is not really about him

It's not rude it's a mental health problem. I guess that is perturbing but it is something our children will come across sooner or later - good that you were there and able to lead a discussion on mental illness in the community so your ds will understand such behaviour is not really about him

Not sure whether to hand troisgarcons this or this...

How bizzare.