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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that Waitrose cafe is not the place

174 replies

pussycatwillum · 14/08/2013 12:45

to start singing Old MacDonald to your baby?
DH and I went for our free coffee in Waitrose this morning and first of all we were near a woman who was loudly talking to her child about CAKE. 'Mummy likes CAKE. Daddy likes CAKE' etc. So we moved to let her get on with it without an audience.
Then a woman with a small baby in a first size carseat started singing Old MacDonald. I didn't see the baby, only the seat, but surely singing in a cafe is inappropriate.
Or am I just showing what a Grumpy Old Woman I am?
I've still got it in my head as an earworm and it was over an hour ago!

OP posts:
TwasBrillig · 15/08/2013 10:07

You sound quite odd!

I can't imagine moving simply as a mother was playing with their baby in a cafe nearby!

Emilythornesbff · 15/08/2013 10:12

So, you moved to get away from a woman talking to her baby and then moved again away from a woman singing to her baby.

That would've looked a bit huffy IMHO.
Are you in the process of giving up smoking?

BewitchedBotheredandBewildered · 15/08/2013 10:28

I think you were being a bit grumpy.

I would have been exactly the same, but I would have known, without a shadow of a doubt, that I was being totally unreasonable Grin

Misspixietrix · 15/08/2013 12:21

Littlemog and Emilythornesbff I have gotten soo used to other Peoples attitude towards young children now it's almost second nature to me to expect at least one negative comment if someones' DC is cranky/tired/hungry we shouldn't set foot out in Public.

Thumbwitch I have a Policy of not twatting arguing with people whilst out with the DC's. So calmly just replied "Kids make noise get used to it" as I was walking out. She didn't say anything back.

There's a local pub that we go to occasionally as a treat, it has a designated Family Area where we always go and so do other Families. Only the Coal Fire is there for the Winter and the Big windows are always open in the Summer. So we always get the Adults come down to either hog said fire or windows and sit amongst us and then moan at the level of Noise when there's a nearby Baby crying for his Milk that isn't quite warm enough yet? Hmm

OP As others have said she was probably only singing to prevent a full meltdown, believe me Dogs can hear my Ds when he's in eardrum bursting BloodCurdling Wail mode!

An Airconditioned Conservatory too? That's it! I'm boycotting! Grin
~

YouTheCat · 15/08/2013 12:30

Blimey! You must rub shoulders with some really rude people.

For all my grumpiness I would never say anything to anyone because that would be a shit thing to do. I can judge in my head all I want though.

Even with my very loud and colicky twins, I never encountered any negative comments, quite the opposite really.

Original poster
pussycatwillum · 15/08/2013 12:39

I'm actually very good at blotting out the sound of babies crying Grin

OP posts:
Misspixietrix · 15/08/2013 12:39

YouTheCat I think I attract them! Grin.

To be fair, I've rubbed shoulders with some really nice people too but the negative ones tend to stick in your mind more as I'm sure other Parents will agree.

Ds once had a meltdown in a Hospital (outpatients for dd) and kept on wailing outside until we got to the Bank. An old lady stopped to talk to him and offered him a Polo whilst all the others tutted and walked off ~

Misspixietrix · 15/08/2013 12:43

pussycatwillum I once asked my DS how she managed and she said she 'blocked it out'.
I've now had 7years practice at doing just that! ~

Ev1lEdna · 15/08/2013 12:45

YANBU, in Waitrose it should have been 'Wind the Bobbin up' in French, bien sur.

aquashiv · 15/08/2013 12:46

You should have joined with a moo moo here and moo there then proceeded to do the funky chicken round the cafe

YouTheCat · 15/08/2013 12:49

On some occasions I have been so astounded at the loud level of nursery rhyme singing that I'd half expected Mr Sodding Tumble to jump out. Grin

Original poster
pussycatwillum · 15/08/2013 12:50

The baby in question was very small, and was not as far as I know, of an age to join in, unless it was one of those that impressed the midwife with its abilities at birth of course Wink. Therefore the impression given was of a performance by the mother.
I wish I'd started a rendition of Jerusalem (or Yellow Submarine) now. Given the age of most of the other customers they would probably have known the words to both by heart and joined in Grin.
I did move quietly. I did not huff or puff (which my mother would certainly have done). They probably thought the aircon was too much for me or something. (Another stealth boast there you see?)

OP posts:
MrsHoarder · 15/08/2013 12:59

I was very disappointed by this thread. I was hoping for something like

"... To participate in rowdy drinking games"
"... To take illegal drugs"
"... To sign up pole dancers"

To have a little singsong at a baby is fine. For all you know the baby screams if the mother doesn't sing and she's at breaking point.

gazzalw · 15/08/2013 13:24

DW and I find that we are a lot less tolerant of other people and their DCs when we've escaped got time out from ours.....sometimes you just want so peace and quiet and not to be reminded of parenthood.

I would however suggest that if you want peace and tranquility you might be better off having a coffee in a bar/pub....

YouTheCat · 15/08/2013 13:27

You aren't safe in a pub these days.

Everywhere is child orientated.

vtechjazz · 15/08/2013 14:14

Well, I should get a gold medal if being a fun and involved mum counts as 'performance parenting'. Singing is the least of the things I do to raise a smile on my boys face. I pity women who are too embarrassed or scared of being judged as 'pfb' to be silly with their kids.
Life is short, you know.....way, way too short to ration fun.

MrsDeVere · 15/08/2013 15:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

littlemog · 15/08/2013 15:39

Seconding what vtech said.

YouTheCat · 15/08/2013 15:42

I feel your pain, MrsDeVere.

I once spent a long train journey with a youngish child sat behind me (about 5/6). First there was the Disney crap blaring out from his laptop and then it was interspersed by his mother singing along with all the cheesy songs. The whole time he kicked the back of my seat and shouted at his mother to shut up.

Littlegreyauditor · 15/08/2013 16:06

I was judged out shopping recently as I was absentmindedly singing Old MacDonald to The Boy. Apparently having Velociraptors on the farm is "inappropriate". I accept that is a valid viewpoint, but do not believe that Old MacDonald's poor business decisions are a good reason to tut at me in the homeware aisle. If the untimely demise of several cows, sheep and pigs are what it takes to stop The Boy's best Banshee impression then so be it. Hmm

Emilythornesbff · 15/08/2013 16:15

vtech that is so true. Life is indeed too short to ration this kind of fun.

Nanny0gg · 15/08/2013 18:48

I cannot imagine what sad, bitter little lives people live to be bothered by stuff like this

Hm. Not perjorative. Just rude.

TroublesomeEx · 15/08/2013 20:49

I used to sing The Spider and The Fly to my son when he was a baby.

In public.

AdmiralData · 15/08/2013 22:59

YABU. I 'loud parent' to my baby all the time, singing wise at least. I feel that anyone who doesn't like it, can feck off. People would have enough to say if I ignored him and just texted on my phone during my coffee drinking, so tough. In all fairness - this is the harshest YABU I have ever done. Cheer up ;)

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