To have confronted this poor excuse for a mother?

[TeddyPickleStick]

So I'm sat at work, window open. I hear a commotion outside so get up and look out the window. There is a heavily pregnant woman with two small children - a boy of around 3 and a girl of maybe 4.

She is screaming at the boy .. ' you fucking piece of shit, what the fuck are you doing? ' and ' Come on you little prick ' etc etc.

I shout down ' Don't do that! Don't say that! ' in complete shock. ' Who the fuck are you? Fuck off ' she shouts back.

I then deliberated on what to do. I felt really angry so ran down the stairs onto the street but she had gone into the bank. And then I ground to a halt and couldn't work out what to do.

So did nothing more. I mean, what CAN you do? Only a bit of swearing after all eh? I have no idea what I would have done if I'd managed to confront her anyway.

I detest this, really hate it. If you swear at your children like this, in the street, then you are a shit parent.

Aren't you?

[Twirlyhot]

SS won't do much about DC being sworn at full stop.

[maja00]

That kind of verbal/emotional abuse isn't an otherwise decent parent having a tough day imo.

THINKING that way about your little child, let alone SCREAMING it at them is not good enough parenting.

I'm sure she does love her children. But love isn't always enough if you are an inadequate parent for whatever reason.

[TeddyPickleStick]

Why are you trying to < mildly> defend this MrsD? Out of interest?

I have stated very factually exactly as it was. Exactly what she said. And you're saying .. ' it's awful..but but but '

[KirjavaTheCat]

I agree that it was just a few seconds. I think I'd have done the same in your situation, I'd have been upset too, but to suggest ss should be called for swearing at your children, however unpleasant it is to hear, is very silly.

I'm not saying that using that language was justified, but how do you know that she wasn't having a really bad day, with hormones added to the mix? Had you just seen her win the lottery or something? Confused as to how you can be so sure.

[ViviPru]

yellowsnow

how bloody awful for you

[TeddyPickleStick]

Yello - please report immediately. It is anonymous so no come back on you. Don't stand by

[hermioneweasley]

You stood up for those kids. They saw another adult take their side. That is massive.

We have all had parenting moments we're not proud of. I have screamed at my kids. But I have never spoken to them like that. It is abuse.

[TeddyPickleStick]

OK.

Maybe she is a perfect parent just having a bad day.

Still defending her actions today?

[Turry]

Yellow, please, please report your neighbour.

MrsDeVere, really?! Good parents do NOT call their small children pricks. EVER!

[LookingForwardToMarch]

You don't have to be psychic.

I'm not saying no good parent can swear in extreme circumstances.

I'm saying that NO good parent would ever ever scream 'fucking piece of shit' and 'prick' at their tiny child.

If it looks, smells and tastes like crap. It's crap.

[KirjavaTheCat]

How could you tell? How?

[TantrumsAndBalloons]

but the point is you cant tell. you dont know. you know nothing about this woman whatsoever.

Its not about defending her actions, its just the way you presume to know her circumstances. And to be honest, the way you said that you didnt want to describe her just makes me thinkof the sort of description you are likely to give. And why you are so certain that you know something.

The poster who is actually hearing dcs being physically abused and saying "oh ill have a word with the dad is acceptable though?

[yellowsnownoteatwillyou]

The dragging an thumping happened yesterday and has never happened before.

What would have been the best reaction to this?

Me dragging myself out to chap their door which they will ignore as I have done it before when the screaming got too much.

Was this better than me shouting thru the ceiling that "enoughs enoughs"

As I said im very pregnant and in a lot of pain and she would ignore the door or probably try and attack me.

[Turry]

Yellow, please, PLEASE, PLEASE report! It can be anonymous. If you don't trust that get somebody else to report. Sod it, tell one of us her address and WE'LL report. This must be reported.

MrsDeVere, perhaps you've been desensitised by the nature of your work, if you're ok with children being spoken to that way, and keen to scoff at mention of unreported physical abuse, rather than asking - begging! - for it to be reported?!

[ifyourehoppyandyouknowit]

We'd all get on with our lives with a bit less stress if we stopped making vast sweeping judgements on everyone else based on a 2 minute sample of their life.

[TantrumsAndBalloons]

well no yellow of course do not go and confront her.

but you phone SS.

[GoodTouchBadTouch]

Social services? Really?? Perhaps you could've made a citizens arrest

You think yelling and swearing warrants SS involvement?

There are LOADS of parents like that. Horrid, but true