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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

A shopkeeper hit my baby

192 replies

LoopsInHoops · 17/11/2012 16:06

Firstly, we're not in the UK, and here people to beat smack their kids. It is socially normal.

DD (17 months) had a bit of a breakdown in the chemists. She was tired and hungry. I was holding her and a few things at the checkout. She grabbed something and threw it on the floor and screamed. I was just about to pay, so couldn't really leave. She grabbed my neck and clawed me, then bit my shoulder. The shop assistant rang up the amout, then insisted on the correct change, which delayed things further, DD still screaming. She put the stuff in a bag, handed it to me, them smacked DD on the arm. Not hard, but deliberately. At this point she was screaming but not hurting or grabbing.

I didn't know what to do. I just glared at her and walked off. DD carried on screaming.

What should I have done? WIBU to walk off, or should I have said something?

OP posts:
Whatnowffs · 17/11/2012 17:14

Oh, but you said you where the head of HR for Shell, i just wanted to see if we had someone so very important spouting shite on here. I'm quite disappointed now.

Loopy - i would see if you can get local consensus. If they are outraged complain. Otherwise let it go. At least this thread will have provided you with some light releif.

LoopsInHoops · 17/11/2012 17:15

Well, I've had a laugh tonight! Thanks folks, night. :)

OP posts:
ThatBastardSanta · 17/11/2012 17:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

snooopy · 17/11/2012 17:18

I never said I worked for Shell.

Whatnowffs · 17/11/2012 17:20

The thing is, if you are going to tell big fat lies, you need a really good memory - you said you were the HR for a big oil company, i said, ooh i hope its not BP, you'd rather have your hands full if you did and not have time to mnet. You correctly me in your next post, saying Shell. So yes luvvie you did. Sorry to confuse you. Oh, i mean, sorry to confuse you mate (you are a man after all!)

I'm going to have a nice hot bath now, provided by either shell or BP indirectly im sure, so thanks snoops.

hobnobsaremyfavourite · 17/11/2012 17:22

I can smell burning pants.....

MrsWolowitz · 17/11/2012 17:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MissAnnersley · 17/11/2012 17:25

I may be misreading this but it was the OP that said snooopy worked at Shell, not snooopy.

JustFabulous · 17/11/2012 17:25

slartybartfast - are you seriously saying it was fine for a stranger to hit a toddler?

Bloody hell.

OP, I would definitely write and complain to Head Office. She can't go round smacking babies ffs.

PoppyAmex · 17/11/2012 17:27

I'm trying to picture an inverse thread:

"I'm forrin and in my country we lightly smack children but I was just prevented to do so in the UK because apparently it's frowned upon. How dare they?"

I know some cultures see it as "it takes a village..." so if that's the case in KL you really only have two choices, suck it up or leave. I wouldn't expect a whole culture to change to accomodate your sensibilities.

Whatnowffs · 17/11/2012 17:31

Poppy, are you snoopy in disguise?

snooopy · 17/11/2012 17:32

Please copy and paste the Shell quote.

JustFabulous · 17/11/2012 17:32

A head of HR in an oil company who recruits teachers?

Right.

PoppyAmex · 17/11/2012 17:33

No Whatnow, I just think that for all the pseudo politically correctness, we still expect other cultures to conform with our Western values and it's not right.

Especially when you're living in their country.

I don't think this is unreasonable?

Whatnowffs · 17/11/2012 17:34

scroll back dear, this is not your thread.

Poppy, i don't think the OP was bemoaning the other culture, she was just saying that as they do things differently in that country, she wasn't sure if it was acceptable or not and therefore didn't know if she should complain, at least that is how i read it. My advice was, and still is, find out what the "locals" would have done - if they would complain then complain, if they wouldn't then i guess it was fall on deaf ears.

GhostShip · 17/11/2012 17:35

Poppy - when it comes to assault of a child, I dont think anyone should conform to that, culture or not.

Just because it's 'culture' doesn't mean its right

snooopy · 17/11/2012 17:36

Luckily I am. Otherwise I would have bowed out by now. How else do you think we get them? Divine intervention?

PoppyAmex · 17/11/2012 17:36

That was excellent advice Whatnow, totally agree.

When in Rome...

MissAnnersley · 17/11/2012 17:36

Whatnowffs

I am quite sure it was the OP who mentioned Shell and not snoopy.

Whatnowffs · 17/11/2012 17:39

I wouldn't imagine the HEAD of HR would be doing the recruiting herself though, i would have thoguht HE would have more important things to do.

Whatnowffs · 17/11/2012 17:40

Ah, yes you are right there :) I have to concede to not having a clue who snoopy is then Grin

PoppyAmex · 17/11/2012 17:40

But that's the point Ghost, it's not assault in that culture to them because they have different sensibilities.

Same way that a man touching the arm of a woman in the UK as he passes by isn't a crime, but in some countries it would be construed as nothing short of a serious violation. Should we follow their model too?

snooopy · 17/11/2012 17:43

Again, please copy and paste me saying I work for Shell. That is slander in itself.

snooopy · 17/11/2012 17:45

I am a woman as well, not scared. Maybe the head of HR for Shell is a man but, luckily, we don't bother with that. Google away, or maybe just get a life dears.

JustFabulous · 17/11/2012 17:46

Don't be so precious.