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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

If I said 'no thanks' to a religious leaflet, this extends to ds (6)?

15 replies

AaDB · 06/07/2013 14:53

We usually meet people handing religious leaflets out after our Saturday morning activity. We politely decline but pass the time of day. Today, I said a polite "no thank you". As I passed, the lady in question, she tried to foist it onto ds(6). I said politely again "I said 'no thanks'". The response gave me the rage: "you should raise him to think for himself". I said that it was inappropriate for another adult to hand something to my child. I didn't take it but I'm not sure what a 6 yo would get from this material? In most cases a child would pass it to their parent and they would throw it away.

Cue shouting and frothing from her; polite, firm and mind your own business from me.

I don't think the subject matter should be an issue. If an adult says they aren't interested, then a distribute should not try to hand something to a young child. Aibu?

OP posts:

Squitten · 06/07/2013 14:57

YANBU - I would have been furious too.

If she said that to me, my answer would have been "I couldn't agree with you more so please stop trying to indoctrinate my child." Outrageous

ConferencePear · 06/07/2013 15:00

"Cue shouting and frothing from her"

I wonder if she really thinks this is the best way to convert you to her point of view.

You are right - the content was probably beyond a six year olds reading ability anyway.

YouTheCat · 06/07/2013 15:00

I actively seek out these leaflets. They always seem to find their way into dd's school bag/pencil case especially ones about joining the army.

However foisting this stuff on a 6 year old is not on.

MagzFarqharson · 06/07/2013 15:02

YANBU - who do these people think they are - You did well to not wipe her frothy mouth with this material.

Original poster

AaDB · 06/07/2013 15:24

Ds asked if she had been naughty. I told him that it is for his parents to decide what he should read. I also said that I hadn't shouted but it is ok to disagree with someone and that's what happened. In the background she was shouting "you're turning him into a mindless robot". I'm impressed that I kept my cool and didn't tell her to fuck off to the far side of duck off and...

It would mean nothing to him. It was snide and pointless IMO.

OP posts:

BlameClaimProfit · 06/07/2013 15:28

If the woman knew how to think for herself she wouldn't be handing out religious propaganda.

SsimTee · 06/07/2013 17:43

If the woman knew how to think for herself she wouldn't be handing out religious propaganda.-

That's a good one:)

TroublesomeEx · 06/07/2013 18:51

Yup!

pointythings · 06/07/2013 19:10

YANBU - I'd have done the same and probably said something icy and sarcastic about setting a good example when she started shouting too.

My DDs are 10 and 12 so I'd have let them take the leaflet and then talked about it with them, but at 6? No way.

Original poster

AaDB · 06/07/2013 20:43

Well I wonder what will happen next week? She wasn't there on our home. Nutter.

OP posts:

raisah · 06/07/2013 21:00

I saw this brilliant poster which said:

"Your beliefs doesn't make you a better person, your behaviour does"

I think that says it all regarding the ranting religious fanatic. Use this line next time & stand back while steam pours out of her ears while she tries to respond to that comment.

BlackeyedSusan · 06/07/2013 21:25

theres nothing wrong wth handing out the leaflets if that is what they believe, but she should not have handed it out to a child when a parent has said no.

I can't get past the stupidity really... not exactly the best way to get your point across. alienating the parent and being rude is just going to put parent and child off those particular beliefs for a long time/forever.

pigletmania · 06/07/2013 21:32

Raisa that's is a good one, Ithink I will keep that one

MalcolmTuckersMum · 06/07/2013 21:34

Blimey! What religion was it?

Mumsyblouse · 06/07/2013 21:43

You are the parent, perfectly fine to decide what they do and don't watch/see/hear when in the street, there are plenty of things I shield my 7 year old's eyes from, usually the headlines in the newspapers, and certainly anything like animal rights posters/leaflets as she would find them incredibly distressing (which they are designed to do, but won't necessarily give an adult nightmares for weeks).

I would find this very irritating, because you are the parent, having said that, I don't mind my children picking up or being given religious literature or judo flyers or a whole host of stuff that I don't mind having a discussion about, but that's my decision to make and she should have respected yours.

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