To think this Mum was horrid and ruined a little girls birthday party

[WonderBarbara]

We were at a party today, and the kids were playing happily on the bouncy castle, parents chilling and supervising. Suddenly, from what seemed out of no-where, one Mum, who had been watching the bouncy castle from the other side of the hall, came running up and shouted (and yes, I mean she actually shouted) "STOP IT, DON'T YOU DARE KICK HIM, HOW DARE YOU, YOU STUPID BOY!" We called for her DS, who was not crying at all and who otherwise seemed unharmed, and left with him without saying anything. She didn't even put her ds's shoes back on.

Now, the little boy who she had been shouting at did not have a parent who stayed at the party, and I felt so sorry for him. he stopped playing on the bouncy castle and went to play with some balloons and although he seemed happy, I just couldn't believe that another mum had just screamed a him public like that!

I asked my Dd what had actually happened (she had been on the bouncy castle) and she said that the boys had been playing a game and had been pushing each other down and standing and stamping on each other. Ok I admit no a very safe game, but surely this mum could have got the whole story before going crazy.

The Mum of the birthday girl was horrified and she went out after the Mum I assume to talk to her, but came back in shortly after and tried to act like nothing had happened. Most of the children left the bouncy castle, and a few of the children, including my DDs then came over and started being clingy, whereas before they had been fine. Most of the other parents, like me were shocked, and embarrassed. The atmosphere changed. The birthday girl from that moment on would not leave her mums side.

I just feel like this woman behaved abysmally really and I feel really unsettled about it. But then again, children being called stupid usually is enough to set me off......I wanted to give the poor little boy a hug.....

And to any posters using the misogynistic adjective "hysterical" to describe a woman protecting her son, shame on you.

get a grip, in the nicest possible way, people can be hysterical, of both genders, people are trying to get her sectioned and talk about moving wombs then I might agree with you.
Her son was also being rough , and you do not scream and shout stupid boy at a 3 year old, must have been very scary.

*people are not trying

Yabu. I would yell if my kid was getting stamped on too.

The other child did it too, why does mummies pwecious' get off scot free?

not setting a good example at all. I hope you told the other little boys parents.

Hmmmm. I think the original fault lies in 2 places:

1. Parents leaving a 3/4yo at a party alone when he is not old enough to behave safely in that environment.

2. The host not putting a responsible adult by the bouncy castle the whole time to stop children injuring each other.

Both these things caused a child to get stamped on whilst using a bouncy castle. That child's mother got cross. It was wrong of her to call the stamping child stupid but other than that, I would say she was justified. Hopefully the stamper will remember that stamping on someone is actually stupid and he will not do it again.

both kids were doing it.

I wonder if she was waiting for the people hosting the party to stop what was going on, then, because they didn't, got really annoyed and took matters into her own hands?

Since I became a TA I find it really hard,outside of school, not to say something to other people's children who are acting badly. At school we have to stop children from doing things that are remotely dangerous,then to see parents letting their children get away with similar behaviour outside of school...well it is hard!! Ask yourself,where a 3 year old got the idea that stamping on someone is a good idea?

"She handled it badly. She could have intervened in a calmer way and stopped the rough play without creating such a drama."

This exactly. Sounds like a horrid game but there are better ways of dealing with these things. She does sound a bit of a loon.

The parents who were chilling by the bouncy castle didnt even see the stamping game.

The worst party I've ever been to was full of parents chilling and children being completely unsupervised on the bouncy castle, till one kid cracked his face open.

I'm completely agree with the above poster who suggested parent was fed up with lack of supervision. It's really hard when its someone else's party and there is an obvious lack of supervision and safety.

If a child is hurting my child - or indeed any other child - I will intervene and stop it. If that means raising my voice then so be it.
I would never call a child stupid but I will tell them firmly to stop what they are up to.

When I was a kid people weren't so precious about these things.
If we hurt ourselves whilst out playing then any of the parents would help us out - equally if we were little buggers they'd tell us off too.

I hate bouncy castles, shouting and leaving is very off, she was either having a really bad day or isn't terribly good at the social awareness thing. I may have shouted initially to break them up, but would then have calmly explained the danger.

I say that but i lost the plot with my two in Asda today, must have looked like a loon, was a wee bit hungry and at the end of my tether. Don't think I've ever lost it with other peoples kids though..

She sounds totally OTT. All she needed to do was tell both of them to stop it and then stand and supervise.

Idespair - both boys were stamping on each other. As they do at age 3 or 4. She could have told them both to pack it in then stood, watched and reminded them to behave.

both boys were stamping on each other. As they do
..if they are feral or psychopathic!!

Oh don't be ridiculous. They're 3 or 4 - who on the whole do idiotic things - in some cases it's things like stamping, in others it might be throwing themselves off something. My 3 boys were never particularly 'rough' - they tended to sit back & observe or roll around on the floor or climb or run around madly but plenty of their friends were pretty physical. They weren't psychopaths. We knew quite a few young girls capable of delivering a well placed kick as well. It's what young children do

Tbh this is why at this age I find it a bit strange that parents don't stay at the party - especially if they are 3. I feel sorry for the little boy who was shouted at and think if that was my DD I'd want to be there to give her a hug. It seems like both children were playing the slightly dangerous game and the little boy without his mum bore the brunt. DD was at a birthday party where a friend's younger son lobbed a knife at her and it hit her in the head. I was in the loo at the time, but if I'd just dropped her and left they probably would have had to call me as she was screaming the place down. Parents should be supervising their own kids at that age.

Shouting to gain attention in a noisy place is nothing out of the ordinary, so YABU there but by calling the boy "stupid", she ended up making a prat out of herself. Leaving the party was way OTT too. So mostly, YANBU. It's not OK to call a child "stupid"!