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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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To have told a woman to take her shivering child home to bed in Primark

742 replies

BigRedBall · 05/11/2014 17:55

I went out today to get a few bits and bobs and ended up in a Primark. Got to the lifts and saw a woman waiting with a pushchair and on it was hanging a school bag. Looked to her side and she had a school aged child with her who was visibly ill, shivering, moaning. I assumed she'd picked him up from school and was dropping by on way home, but then realised school bag was from a school other side of town.

We went up together and the boy was whimpering now and looked really bad. The mother didn't seem to notice/care.

So I was walking around and the tanoy went off asking for a store cleaner to go to "area bla bla bla" for a clean up. Didn't really take any notice until I walked to the other side of the shop and the same woman was standing there with a now crying baby in pushchair and crying/ shivering child who had been sick all over the shop floor. There were splatters of pink sick on clothes, the mirrors, it was disgusting and she was stood there on the phone to someone and was telling the boy off.

I don't know about anyone else, but when my children get ill and shiver like that with fever, the last thing I'd do is traipse them across town. I'd give them a hug and put them in bed and hold their head if they were being sick. Goodness knows vomiting is draining even for an adult.

I felt so angry for the poor boy. So I walked up to her and said "instead of bringing him to the shops from school, you should've taken him home to bed. I'd take him straight home and give the poor thing a hug".

I think she was more shocked than anything.

DH thinks I wbu and is shocked I'd say that to someone. I don't think I am. Also, I now feel sick and think I have his germs.

OP posts:
AgentDiNozzo · 05/11/2014 21:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

motherofmonster · 05/11/2014 21:43

Wow agent...great bedside manor you've got there Confused

ScreamEggsAndHam · 05/11/2014 21:43

I would have told you to fuck off to be honest.Yes the poor child is ill but other than that, you know nothing else of why she was there. Also you dont know if she 'traipsed' him across town or simply popped him in the car.

What Worra said. (Without the fuck off bit as I'm a wuss who doesn't swear.) I do a great line in giving you evils and cursing you down with my stare though. Smile
I'd feel awful seeing a child being traipsed around town when they were obviously ill. I know I wouldn't take mine out if ill, they'd be tucked up cosy in bed.
However, you know bog ALL about the circumstances. How do you know it didn't come on suddenly? Or that she'd only just nipped out of a warm car parked minutes away?

firesidechat · 05/11/2014 21:44

I sometimes think that I may have to leave mumsnet because I haven't a hope in hell of living up to the exacting standards of some posters on here.

I can only thank god that the op wasn't there when my "perfectly fine when we left home" child promptly threw up everywhere when we arrived at the shops. It was so long ago that I can't remember my precise reaction but I very much doubt that it was 100% sunny smiles and loving hugs.

I thought I was prone to sweeping judgements, but this has exceeded even my ability to look down on people. It was a tiny snapshot of someone's life and a kinder approach might get you more brownie points.

Sorry for the rant but I feel irrationally annoyed.

HaroldLloyd · 05/11/2014 21:44

Not if it seemed standard at the time. In fact happened to me when I was small, mum went out as I was only slightly poorly but got sent to hospital with suspected meningitis.

It happens.

You never made a wrong call?

fourwoodenchairs · 05/11/2014 21:44

You belittled your patients in the first post you made.

AgentDiNozzo · 05/11/2014 21:44

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AgentDiNozzo · 05/11/2014 21:45

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bearleftmonkeyright · 05/11/2014 21:45

Sometimes, people dont think to remember. I dont know but parents arent perfect. I know plenty of people who work nights. If child was sick in night and then parents take them to the gp the next day perhaps they didnt think. Its not rocket science.

HaroldLloyd · 05/11/2014 21:45

Have you ever made a mistake? Asked the wrong question? Got panicky and just rushed straight to GP?

Jesus.

HaroldLloyd · 05/11/2014 21:46

Whose patients are you whinging about then?

Ir1na · 05/11/2014 21:46

As this thread is probably about to get deleted anyway - is anyone going to tell me how they manage not to be considered a weirdo/perv or told to fuck off for interfering, even politely? Hmm Smile

MrsDeVere · 05/11/2014 21:46

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DomiKatetrix · 05/11/2014 21:47

Depends on how you treat these patients who don't know all the details. 'Don't get me started' does it rile you that much?
I've had a GP try to make me feel like shit when my child was ill and it was fucking awful - unluckily for them, I was sleep deprived and raging.

theonlygothinthevillage · 05/11/2014 21:47

YANBU. Turning a blind eye to people in obvious distress is one of the most horrible things about this country - people not wanting to 'get involved'. The poor child's own mother obviously wasn't interested in looking after him, and well done you for pointing this out.

HaroldLloyd · 05/11/2014 21:48

Argh.

motherofmonster · 05/11/2014 21:49

Wow, think i may go put the kettle on for this one ...

MrsDeVere · 05/11/2014 21:49

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

thedevilinside · 05/11/2014 21:49

If she took her ill child from school (presumably you would only receive a phone call if the child was genuinely ill) and then dragged him to Primark, then that is selfish and irresponsible. It shows no respect for the child ( shivering and on the verge of vomiting?). It is cruel. Not to mention the cleaner, and all the shoppers in the vicinity who could now be infected with norovirus. If she'd been in the chemist, perhaps that would be reasonable, but Primark, I don't think so.

Thebodynowchillingsothere · 05/11/2014 21:49

Good grief! So happy with my sensible GPs.

fourwoodenchairs · 05/11/2014 21:49

Hurry up mother, it will be deleted soon!

MrsDeVere · 05/11/2014 21:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RaisingMen · 05/11/2014 21:50

YANBU. Well done for having the bollocks to say what everyone else was thinking. Telling him off while chatting on the phone? Clearly a concerned parent.

DomiKatetrix · 05/11/2014 21:50

Refresh central Grin

MollyHooper · 05/11/2014 21:51

A child barfed.

No one was mugged or assaulted.

Just a little pink barf.

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