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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

cardboard fixture fell on my son while shopping

237 replies

shminkie · 08/04/2014 16:51

I visited a matalan store on 10th Feb with my almost 2 year old son and my mother. My son loves exploring his world right now and I'm happy to let him under my watchful eye. He was doing his usual 'taking things off prongs for mummy to put back' when he tried to take some socks off one of their cardboard display units. As a store planner and shop fitter, it never occurred to me that the fixture would be unsecured, especially placed so close to the children's department. I was therefore horrified when the 4 foot, front heavy fixture with eye threatening prongs fell covering my son. I settled my son who was thankfully ok, but thought that it needed reporting to duty manager. After paying for my goods I asked to speak with someone. A young lady arrived and I explained what had happened and was utterly astonished at her response. There was no concern, no apology. She just said 'well he must have pulled on it' I replied yes he had, as he explored, as he should be able to without the fixture falling onto him. She then told me 'that's why our trolleys have child seats in them, we recommend you keep them in a trolley.' I was utterly enraged with the 'well it's his fault or your fault' attitude. This attitude has been repeated by their own h and s dept and by my local council. I simply cannot believe that this is OK?! That because these are temporary fixtures and because he was not injured I should accept the vouchers they offered and shut up!? I have asked them to donate them to charity as i do not plan to revisit while my sons safety cannot be guaranteed. Please let me know your thoughts, or knowledge of other incidents/ways I can report it. Either way, watch your little ones in matalan, as ease of sock management comes before your child's safety.

OP posts:
ExitPursuedByABear · 08/04/2014 16:53

I don't think you should be letting a two year old 'explore' in a department store.

ThePigOfHappiness · 08/04/2014 16:53

Errr... Seriously?
I think that actually that game is not safe. You need to make sure your toddler is with you at all times to be safe. I don't think her should be pulling on fixtures actually.
Hope your son is ok though

RedHelenB · 08/04/2014 16:54

YABU - he shouldn't be encouraged to pull things off displays & i say that as a mum who had a very active toddler. Your the parent so keep an eye on himor use a trolley as suggested!

ThePigOfHappiness · 08/04/2014 16:54

Too many actuallys there

RedHelenB · 08/04/2014 16:54

You 're the parent rather!

Princessolipops · 08/04/2014 16:54

Sorry but you could guarantee your sons safety by not letting him roam
Free pulling at things.

Think you should accept the vouchers and take some responsibility yourself.

Goblinchild · 08/04/2014 16:54

Manage your child's safety better if you want him to remain unsquashed.

Cereal0ffender · 08/04/2014 16:55

Lol

Gurnie · 08/04/2014 16:55

I think you are both right in a way but I think that it IS worrying that a fixture can be so easily pulled off the wall by a 2 year old and they do need to address that.

LadyMaryLikesCake · 08/04/2014 16:55

If your son climbed on a shelf and then fell off would it be the shop's fault? There's places to explore and there's places to stay in a buggy/hold mum's hand and a shop isn't a place to explore, sorry.

Hope he's OK too.

BoiledPiss · 08/04/2014 16:56

YABU

Dawndonnaagain · 08/04/2014 16:56

Oh dear. School holidays, again.

Joules68 · 08/04/2014 16:56

er,YOU should be 'watching' your little one! supervising and not letting him roam free pulling stock off

as the parent,you should be supervising him....you wernt doing a very good job of it

Feminine · 08/04/2014 16:56

YABU.

You sound slack!

BellaVita · 08/04/2014 16:56

This has got to be a wind up surely? Who would let their 2yr old explore in a store?

BuzzardBird · 08/04/2014 16:57

I am glad that your son is ok but if my toddler had pulled down a shop display I would be mortified and embarrassed that I had allowed that to happen.
All places, without exception are dangerous to a toddler.

SillyTilly123 · 08/04/2014 16:57

If my dd had pulled over a display, I'd be more embarassed about messing the display up than complaining it wasn't secure. Confused

MaxPepsi · 08/04/2014 16:57

Erm, YABU and surely you know that?

What the hell are you doing letting a 2 year old explore in a shop for? Taking things off for mummy to put back on? This behaviour is not ok!

You need to guarantee the safety of your son. Not Matalan.

Fakebook · 08/04/2014 16:57

Ffs. Don't let a 2 year old explore a shop. Yes they'll say it's your fault for insurance purposes.

A 5 year old boy was crushed to death by a mirror in Bicester Village a few years ago. I'm really shocked that fixtures aren't secure in some shops, but realistically, you wouldn't expect a child to go around touching everything, so just keep them out of the way in a pushchair or trolley.

Joules68 · 08/04/2014 16:57

gurnie it wasn't fixed to the wall?

BabyDubsEverywhere · 08/04/2014 16:58

You are totally right OP! How dare they suggest that you parent your own child and that a department store is not in fact a play park fit for exploring! Awful attitude! Hmm

Feminine · 08/04/2014 16:58

Reverse?

thehairybabysmum · 08/04/2014 16:58

I agree that it should be secured!

My mum had an 8ft cardboard sign fall onto her in Tesco, sounds bonkers but it has permanently damaged her shoulder and despite an op she will never recover the range of arm movement she had before.

If I were you I would report to matalan senior management and also consider the HSE. Just because its cardboard doesn't mean it can't hurt..the one that hit my mum was quite sharp and heavy. Whether it is secure or not needs to be considered in the same way as a permanent fitting.

lucycoco · 08/04/2014 16:58

I did something very similar when I was little, I pulled on a mannequin's toe in Marks and it toppled over! I was a little older than your DC (I remember it!) but I was little and only touched it lightly, but there was no question of it being the shop's fault! My mum was very apologetic and I apologised and we left, chastened.

How silly that you're taking this as something to be upset or angry about, when really it's for you to feel a bit sheepish and resolve to act differently next time.

bobberdobber · 08/04/2014 16:58

Perhaps report it to The Daily Mail. They love this kind of thing. Get practicing your 'sadface'.

As for the incident YABU. You should have been watching your son.