AIBU To think I should have done something,anything to help this Family

[fluffyfanjo]

I've just returned from a city center shopping trip and seen (to me) the most heart breaking scene.

I was sat upstairs on the bus on the outskirts of town, as we stopped outside the City's Housing Aid offices. Outside there was a Family -Mum,dad two girls aged about 9/11 and a boy who looked about 3,stacked up beside them was what looked like everything they owned. The girls were perched on a suitcase looking bewildered ,the little boy was asleep laying on the fucking pavement.I have a DS aged 4 and I have tears in my eyes just typing this.

By the time I registered it, the bus had moved off,I did consider getting off,but what could I have done ? there were no shops nearby so I couldn't have got drinks or snacks for them, suppose I could go back,but its a 40 min bus ride and they (hopefully may not be still be there)

I know the staff at The housing aid place will find them emergency accommodation, I just hope someone at least give the kids food/drink.

If anyone is passing Nottingham housing aid offices in the next couple of hours and has a spare packet of biscuits lurking in their bag, I know where there are three children who may appreciate them........

MrsV
I might change back to MrsD just to make it more interesting

Awww, MrsD.

I miss those days !

Oh go on then. Take the piss to deviate from the fact that I called nobody a nasty name but was called a cunt and nasty and vile....just for sharing my thoughts on this. That's MN for ya!

I've seen quite a few people on here that haven't sworn but still really disagree with you mrs. Myself included.

But that's ok

( I was going to jokingly ask if you want a biscuit to lighten the mod but didn't think you'd find it funny today, as you seem annoyed)

Well, I was gonna offer everyone virtual and but don't think I should now !

I don't know what lighten the 'mod' is.

But lightening the mood sounds better

MrsWinnibago, are you having a bad day? You're like a dog with a bone, barking about a stranger's invasion of privacy and appear to know exactly what a homeless family would feel and need.

You can stop standing up for what you feel and sit back down again.

Fuck's sake, talk about missing the bloody point.

I hope they get a nice place to live.

You sound lovely op

The poor family

Hope they get sorted x

I'm sure your heart is in the right place op...but I think you're really misguided to post where a random family are, who you know nothing about, and ask people to pretty much go and make a donation to the 'poor children'.

You have no idea of their circumstances or feelings. Some people may appreciate it, sure. But if it were me in that situation, I can't think of anything worse than some bloody do gooder turning up with biscuits for the 'poor kids'. Totally humiliating and would probably take the last scrap of pride I had.

But basically you could say no thank you?

I wouldn't want other people to miss out on something they may want or could help them just because it would hurt my pride.

(It wouldn't, it's happened, I was very grateful)

I hope that they get a nice place to live too, and soon.

It's a shame that someone can't express a different opinion in AIBU than the majority without being sworn at and shouted down.

MrsW has a POINT OF VIEW, is that not allowed now?

Apparently not Workhouse if you express an opinion which differs to that of the majority you get called names, ridiculed and told you're a mean cunt.

I was in that situation (although in a different town) last year. I'd have appreciated some kindly words and a little treat for the kids, it was miserable and even a little thing to make my poor kids smile would have meant the world to me!

This is Mumsnet professionally offended finally EATING THEMSELVES.

Being upset at an OP showing a bit of empathy and concern for a homeless family. Well what a cunt SHE is.

But basically you could say no thank you?I wouldn't want other people to miss out on something they may want or could help them just because it would hurt my pride

You could say No...from my pov, it wouldn't make it any less humiliating though. The charity for the poor was still there. I would probably want the ground to open and swallow me whole if I was standing on the street with all our stuff anyway, that would be the icing on the cake for me.

Personally, I would rather have a chat, ask if they were ok and if there was anything I could do, and leave them be. Or if I wasn't in a position to speak to them, i'd rather the kids went without a biscuit than potentially (for some people) grinding the parents remaining self-respect into the ground by turning up with charity biscuits, and asking strangers on the internet to do the same for them.

I can see that some would think it was a lovely thought, really...but honestly, I would want nothing more than people to walk past and ignore me in that situation.

if you express an opinion

A lot of it comes down to HOW that opinion is expressed

No need for the constipated face Satan.

I'm not saying the op is the biggest cunt since cunty-cunterson. I've said her heart was probably in the right place.

IMO though, it is misguided and could potentially do more harm than good.

I think we are all getting far too caught up with biscuits. It's obviously a very polarising object

I don't believe they are the main point of this thread.

My family was homeless when I was 10, my brother was nine and my sister was newborn (after our private landlord illegally evicted us after the house was declared unfit for human habitation, long story). I'm sure my parents would have appreciated a gesture like that.

You sound kind, OP.

I suppose it depends on what type of biscuit OP was suggesting that people take to the children?

A malted milk might set a cat among the pigeons but surely no-one could tun their nose up at a choco Leibniz?

Yes, I agree its a shame that someone can't express a difference of opinion without an angry mob turning upon them.

But, it's a greater shame that in one of the worlds richest countries we have homeless children kipping on the street.

And an even greater shame that we can all sympathise and empathise, and ooh and aah but fail to see the bigger picture and realise the structural problems that cause homelessness and poverty.

Using the narrative of a single family to express something which is happening all over the country, a story that will hopefully touch us, and provoke some sentiment, seems to at least get people thinking about an important issue.People don't respond in the same way to pages of data.

So, with that last point in mind, well done op, not for feeling empathy...it goes without saying we should ALL have EMPATHY, no praise necessary, but for raising the issue of homelessness.