to think if you want to work in silence, don't go to a coffee shop

[whimsicalname]

I was in a chain coffee shop this morning, across the road from our city museum, waiting with my 2 year old for it to open.

I was drinking my coffee, he sat opposite me eating raisins. Other people were working, or chatting, or reading the paper. You know, doing normal coffee shop stuff.

After a while, the boy gets up to wander around. He's not running, he's not sticky, he's just mingling. He walked towards a man with a laptop. Stood nearby him, and then said hello. Man looked up at me, and said 'do you mind, I'm concentrating here' in a really unpleasant way.

If I'd been with a couple of friends chatting we'd have made a lot more noise but I can't help but feel he probably wouldn't have told us off!

We were across the road from the university library (which has some open access areas) and all of 200m away from the city central library, so plenty of options for quiet. Blimey, he could even have sat in the cathedral for some quiet contemplation.

AIBU or was he?

op get to work chop chop
no more interruptions from your boy to hard working folk

He would have been nicknamed old grumpyarse if he had

We have lots of customer nicknames

And I'm sure being named grumpy arse would have made a huge huge difference to his life

This would never have happened in London

Nothing wrong in a child exploring either and not having to hold onto them and explain their little lives away. The man was a grumpy arse the same as a lot of adults around children these days. It's sad.

well maybe the mand was abrupt/rude but you shouldnt have been letting your child wander/mingle in a coffee shop, its not appropriate and yes it can be dangerous, hot drinks etc.

i would smile and say hello to a toddler and probably direct them back to their parents, i have 5 children and i DO actually like babies, and children of all ages but equally i teach my children how it is appropriate to behave in public and that inclued not wandering around in a cafe.

i had the thrilling experience of having to take my little 2 age 4 and 18mths to london on tues, a 2hr trip each way on the train and the seats that i booked happened to be ona table with a man who had a laptop and was working, my ds4 tried to talk to the man and said he is busy and entertained m children will toys and snacks, as it was the man was happy to chat to ds4 and was comlimentary about how polite he was and talked about his own childrne and grandchildren, but equally it would have been fine had he jsut said 'sorry i am busy' and i would have made sure my childrne didnt disturb him. most people i find are polite, i got a few catsbum faces when dd cried on the tube, and some more when i sang wind the bobbin up to stop her from crying, i cant sing to save my life but thought that was preferrable to a screaming child!

i am quite happy for stranger to talk to my children etc, but equally understand if they dont want to.

Not teaching children manners is sad.

Broken Britain.

Oh don't you just love a PA

See!!

I love the broken Britain posts on MN the most

Mama

I think just about anything is preferable to 'Wind the Bobbin Up'.Even being forced to listen to the entire Black Lace catalogue.

Very funny Noqontrol and so true!

But where are these kids to learn manners when their parents are so fucking insular and Lacking in the basic niceties! And miserable.

A good PA is my very bestest favourite.

I think Twinkle Twinkle beats Wind The Bobbin Up, no contest. Now if the toddler had have sung that the man wnbu.

What's a PA?

purple
And at your very funny son even though we aren't related!

Insular and lacking in the basic niceties??
I throw down my glove, wench!
You have never met me. I am telling you now - I am super nice and you'd love me!

I think wuthering heights would have been better than wind the bobbin up.

LOL! Wuthering Heights!

Hehe pictish I'm sure you are :-)

Has anyone seen the OP btw?

Love you already Pictish, it's like being married

Noqontrol

Thanks Mama he is a comedy genius...to me