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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Was I being unreasonable?

42 replies

StandingAlone · 09/05/2012 13:28

Yesterday I had a new friend and her DS round for lunch and a play in the garden (was nice weather for all of half an hour Hmm)
I also invited another friend and her DS's round who I have known for a bit longer. I basically want to know if how I reacted yesterday was unreasonable or not and if it was how should I handle it in future.

My new friends DS was quite horrid to my DD2 and to my other friends DS's, snatching toys, pushing, throwing wooden bricks inside the house, he even ran into the dog with the toy pushchair.

I had to remove a toy off him that he had snatched off my DD, who was actively playing with it, and give it back to her as his mum wasn't able to get him to give it back. Was I U doing that? I felt terrible for taking it off him but also felt bad for DD as well.

When we came back in, he had a huge meltdown, screaming and shouting, biting & kicking his mum. I didn't know what to do so asked if she wanted any help in calming him down, she said no, but I was unsure if I should have stepped in and helped anyway. Once he had calmed down and I had made another cuppa I thought that maybe putting the TV on for the kids for a bit would help keep him calm. It didn't work.

He then ran the toy pushchair into my dog while she was laid in the corner of the room, at which point I told him off, I didn't shout, just used my stern voice and told him not to do that as it is not very nice. His mum said nothing. Was I U for telling him off for that? I had waited a few seconds after it happened thinking his mum would say something but she didn't.

Then he started chucking bricks around the room (wooden stacking ones) at which point I thought his mum might actually step in and tell him not to, she didn't, so I did and I confess I shouted Blush
I know I am U for shouting but TBH I was fed up pissed off by this point Blush and told him not to do that. I then asked the kids to tidy the toys away, all of them helped baring my new friends DS.

So was I U to have told him off if his mum wasn't going to. Was I U for taking the toy off him that he had snatched of my DD (while she was playing with it)?

Another thing that kinda annoyed me was that his mum kept saying to him that if he doesn't do as he is told then StandingAlone will tell him off and smack him! I wouldn't have smacked him, I don't smack my DD's I certainly wont smack someone else's child. There are many other things he did that I didn't do anything about (neither did his mum).

I feel a bit horrid now that I told him off and I feel horrid for not helping my new friend when her DS was having a tantrum.

If you think I was U how do I deal with this in future as there are likely to be lots more times we get together with our DC's, and I really like my new friend she is funny, nice and kind.

Thanks for reading this far.

OP posts:
WilsonFrickett · 09/05/2012 13:53

Sounds like there's a reason she doesn't have many friends tbh. I suppose the DS could have been over-excited and then after the tantrum he wasn't able to find his way back to a reasonable place - I have seen that happen with my DS. But of course, at that point I put my coat on and take him home.

You were not U - apart from the shouting, but you know that.

Pandemoniaa · 09/05/2012 13:54

While the child's behaviour was bad enough, I'm actually most bothered by her telling him you'd smack him. That's wrong on more levels than you can describe really.

StandingAlone · 09/05/2012 13:57

It hadn't occurred to me that this could be why she hasn't any friends Sad

My dog is old and very placid and quiet and loves kids. I had put her away when they came (my other dog was hiding already as way too many people for her to deal with), tbh I cant even remember she got back into the room Blush, it wasn't until he ran in to her with the toy pushchair that I noticed her in the room. I know she wouldn't have bitten him but I wouldn't want to put either the dog or the child in a potential biting situation IYSWIM.
When he did it my dog just walked off!

I also have a 4.5 year old (she was at school) who gets boisterous but I tell her and give her warnings and 'the look' at which point she does as she is told. I will say though that I am lucky with my kids, they have their moments but I have never seen a child tantrum like he did. I will never see my DD's attempt at a tantrum as a PITA again Grin Wink I feel for his mum if he is like this a lot. It must be difficult for her.

OP posts:
StandingAlone · 09/05/2012 14:00

His mum telling him that I'd smack him did make me quite annoyed TBH, and didn't really say anything. I should have probably said something then shouldn't I?

OP posts:
claireinmodena · 09/05/2012 14:03

What pandemoniaa said, I'd be furious if anyone used me as a threat to make her child behave, who are you the big scary monster???

SarahStratton · 09/05/2012 14:04

I have told people to take their kids and get out of my house (politely). Last time was when some charming child hit my dog on the head with a toy iron.

Admittedly, this was a very long time ago, but I'd do the same again.

GrahamTribe · 09/05/2012 14:07

"I have told people to take their kids and get out of my house (politely). Last time was when some charming child hit my dog on the head with a toy iron.

Admittedly, this was a very long time ago, but I'd do the same again."

Shock

The only place you and I differ, Sarah, is that I wouldn't have been at all polite about it.

StandingAlone · 09/05/2012 14:08

I did feel like a monster TBH Sad

SarahStratton how did the person react to you and the request to leave? Are you still friends?
I am not too scared off confrontation, but will avoid it if possible, I just need to be comfortable in my knowing that I was not unreasonable to ask them to leave. I'm a bit of a wuss now I think about it Blush

OP posts:
SarahStratton · 09/05/2012 14:11

I wasn't that polite, Graham. Don't worry, animals and my DDs definitely come first in the Stratters Household. Grin

SarahStratton · 09/05/2012 14:12

No, we are no longer friends. I can't cope with drips who can't parent their children, they piss me off to much for me to be able to sustain a friendship.

StandingAlone · 09/05/2012 14:17

I think I will give it ago outside the house or try to see her without our DC and see if a friendship can be maintained that way. I certainly wont be having them round here again for a very long time.

Thank you everyone, did you see what happened there? I had a unanimous YANBU thread in AIBU Shock Grin Wink

OP posts:
SarahStratton · 09/05/2012 14:18

It wasn't LittleDog either, I think anyone hitting LittleDog with a toy iron, or anything else, would be thrown out of a top floor window. Head first.

StandingAlone · 09/05/2012 14:25

Poor doggy Sad
I would be mortified if my DD's had done that to an animal (accidental or not) and would have made them apologise as I would have done, profusely. I do know though that my DD's wouldn't do that. They have respect for other living things.

OP posts:
HexagonalQueenOfTheSummer · 09/05/2012 14:42

I couldn't carry on a long term friendship like that. Not if she is not prepared to discipline her own child.

His behaviour does sound quite naughty and tantrummy for a 4 year old. Sounds like he is probably spoilt and used to ruling the roost at home!

Ithinkitsjustme · 09/05/2012 14:49

I don't think YABU, but I do think you should have something when she used you as a threat to her child. Maybe along the lines of "I don't smack children, but I do ask them to go home if they can't play nicely". I'm actually going to go slightly against the grain here and say that I wouldn't suggest meeting up at a public place as it would be more difficukt to keep tabs on his behaviour, but I would lay down ground rules before inviting them again - and stick with them. Most kids respond well to boundaries and when she sees that it works she might try it herself.

GinPalace · 09/05/2012 16:57

Don't feel bad you didn't object to being used as a threat at the time OP. It is totally normal to only think how you would have liked to react after the fact when something surprising catches you off-guard.

Ithinkitsjustme makes good suggestion for response and approach.

I bet you'll be ready next time. :)

HipHopOpotomus · 09/05/2012 17:02

I would really think twice before inviting them back - personally I'd have more issues with the Mum than her son, esp waiving all responsibility for him then telling him you'd shout/smack him Hmm

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