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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:
Green18 · 06/11/2014 20:56

what is yanbu? Yabu? sorry i'm new!

OttiliaVonBCup · 06/11/2014 20:56

May I suggest you read the whole thread as an inspiration, FrauHelga.

You'll just have to work harder on the clean bits of the email.

Grin
HaroldLloyd · 06/11/2014 20:58

Where has squid gone? She had a way with words.

HaroldLloyd · 06/11/2014 20:58

Green

YANBU - you are not being unreasonable.

FrauHelga · 06/11/2014 20:59
Grin
motherofmonster · 06/11/2014 20:59

Yanbu.. You are not being unreasonable
yabu..you are being unreasonable
Smile

CrashDiveOnMingoCity · 06/11/2014 20:59
Wink
To have told a woman to take her shivering child home to bed in Primark
OttiliaVonBCup · 06/11/2014 21:01

I would not be sending any emails written by Squid.
Even though I'm sure they will get noticed and answered very quickly.

fourwoodenchairs · 06/11/2014 21:06

I reckon Squid was banned.

Can't believe your post was deleted Mini!

Green18 · 06/11/2014 21:06

You said it for what you thought were the right reasons, thinking of the child. However, we can't judge when we don't know all the facts. Kids can be ok one minute then turn green and throw up the next. I work in a school and sometimes kids say they feel sick when they don't and other times they're fine then throw up a minute later. That mother made a decision but it back fired. No one would seriously go shopping with a child if they thought that was a possibility. If the mother shouted at the boy for being sick, that is a different matter and you would be right to stick up for him.

famalam · 06/11/2014 21:07

You maybe shouldve posted this in Chat OP, the whole point of aibu is to get opinions after all.

Green18 · 06/11/2014 21:08

Thanks for the translation motherofmonster and haroldlloyd.

Frogme · 06/11/2014 21:19

Well I'm judging. Not the op though. I'm judging the way a lot of you have conducted yourselves on this thread. What has happened to a good debate? This is horrible. Many of you ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Seriously. Angry

Seriouslyffs · 06/11/2014 21:22

Can I tell my sweary pensioner story again please?
It brought a brief calm to the thread earlier.
'Twas quite beautiful.

Green18 · 06/11/2014 21:22

haha frogme Smile

WilburIsSomePig · 06/11/2014 21:24

Anyone fancy joining me in a jolly conga?

CrashDiveOnMingoCity · 06/11/2014 21:25

I missed the sweary pensioner story. Go for it!!!

motherofmonster · 06/11/2014 21:27

Please do seriouslyffs . It was a brief bit of calm ... I'm still thinking of 20/20 Grin

FloatIsRechargedNow · 06/11/2014 21:29

I still don't understand why OP can't see that she achieved nothing but harm by her actions. Her stance may have been correct but her actions were wrong.

fourwoodenchairs · 06/11/2014 21:30

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

OttiliaVonBCup · 06/11/2014 21:31

What was that story again?
The tattooed pensioner, wasn't it?

fourwoodenchairs · 06/11/2014 21:32

I'm definitely not ashamed of pointing out the OP was unreasonable for belittling a mum without knowing the full story.

Seriouslyffs · 06/11/2014 21:34

Thank you again monster Wink

I was unloading my trolley when the aforementioned a tattooed pensioner put the divider down and unloaded her basketful. So I squished my stuff up and made a space before me and said, 'why don't you go first?' She said 'no, I'm alright' and I said, 'do, because I need to finish unloading my trolley.'
So she did and went ahead of me.
I was still unloading when she finished and said to the cashier, 'you want to watch that cunt, if I had my man here I'd have fuckin' had her.'
I'm sure I haven't forgotten the bit where I pushed in front of her or gave her the stink eye, but she's probably a Mumsnetter and will come along and give her version of events.
Her basket was mainly veg, so I was rather surprised.

Green18 · 06/11/2014 21:36

fourwoodenchairs....not sure i get your point.

Fixerupperz · 06/11/2014 21:38

Ha it amazes me how people think they have the right to speak to complete strangers like this and then comes on here looking for a pat on the back.
You knew nothing about the situation but decided to wade in anyway.
I find this hard to believe, duty nobody has that much of a brass neck???

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