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Original poster

Our new neighbours are possibly some of the kindest people I've ever met!

219 replies

listsandbudgets · 15/12/2014 21:35

I had to take DS to A&E with an obvious case of bronchilitis at lunch time. I didn't want to take DD 9 unless I had to (she started school holidays on Friday). My friends who'd normally sit with her if necessary was't answering so I tried my neighbours. Neighbour 1 was out. Tried neighbour 2 who moved in relatively recently - elderly couple with lots of grandchildren in and out and was overwhelmed by response when I explained the situation.

She said she was baking and DD could come in with her to help and then eat. He said he knew I didn't drive and insisted on driving us to the hospital. They phoned several times while I was at hospital telling me not to worry about time everything was fine.

DS spent a bit of time on oxygen and was discharged with antibiotics and instructions to come back in morning for chest x ray. He's sleeping now though very wheezy :(

Came home by taxi half an hour ago to find DD had watched a film, been given supper, bath and spare pyjamas belonging to a grandchild and was tucked up in their spare room with a cat on her feet. They said to leave her until morning and they'd pop her back but she woke up when she heard my voice and came home giving them both a great big hug.

Utterly completely overwhelmed by their kindness. How on earth can I ever repay that they hardly know me for goodness sake.

OP posts:
NCIS · 15/12/2014 23:21

'in the habit of palming them off on strangers' Where does the OP say her DS is in the habit of having bronchiolitis emergency, I wouldn't think it happens often.

Bulbasaur · 15/12/2014 23:21

How coddled and babied are everyone's 9 year olds that they need someone in the room supervising them being bathed? Confused

Unless your child has SN's, they don't need an adult with them while they bathe at 9 years old. Most children are taking showers on their own at that point. I'd assume they left the OP's DD to bathe on her own.

I highly doubt an elderly grandmother who has grandkids running in and out all day is out to rape or perv on OP's daughter. Hmm

People on MN need to learn better risk assessment skills. Most people are actually safe. Those that aren't generally don't just up and molest a kid, they gain the parent's and child's trust first.

WilburIsSomePig · 15/12/2014 23:25

Bloody hell, people on here really do get their knickers in a twist sometimes.

Your neighbours sound lovely OP.

Festivelybereft · 15/12/2014 23:26

Just to highlight stranger danger.

A random stranger taught me how to fish when I was 7 and had wandered down the river.

Also when I was 7 my Nan let me have a couple of puffs on her ciggie if I was a good girl.

Ok it was the 70s but swap those around and see how shocking it is.

(Disclaimer my Nan couldn't read english so didn't understand the dangers of smoking Grin)

TimelyNameChangey · 15/12/2014 23:34

Saucy explains it better. I never said anything about Paedos. That was everyone else!

It's more about leaving your child with someone you know nothing about!

My nieghbour comes across as "nice" and friendly. She's always offering for my DC to go over...and I'd let them too...if she wasn't a roaring racist twat. I don't want them near her! I'm not afraid she's a pervert.

NCIS · 15/12/2014 23:38

This was an emergency though, I don't think the neighbours racist views (if indeed they were racist) are likely to cause irreparable harm in a few hours.
It's totally different to sending them over regularly for no reason.

OddFodd · 15/12/2014 23:39

Timely - do you know every single person your 9 year old comes into contact with? I don't. I have no idea if DS is hearing random crap from teachers/TAs/dinner ladies/scout leaders/librarians.

You're backtracking. Your comments were totally about peeedo fear

TimelyNameChangey · 15/12/2014 23:41

Odd I KNEW someone would say that.

I know her teachers are professionals.

I know the parents of her friends well enough that they have similar ideals to me.

I know her Guide leaders are professional and not racist or sexist.

That's all she sees outside of her own family.

I am not backtracking and don't tell me what my comments were about love. You don't know me.

TimelyNameChangey · 15/12/2014 23:43

NCIS

I never said the neighbours were racist. Confused

I agreed with Saucy that leaving a child with random people...which is what these were...is never a good idea.

Yes, they were PROBABLY fine.

but that is not the point.

My DD would hate to spend that amount of time with people who were strangers.

She couldn't get a drink or anything...she'd rather be in a waiting room.

Mrsmorton · 15/12/2014 23:45

Your neighbours sound ace. Can barely move for Paedos on my street Hmm FFS. I'm really saddened by all of the h8rz on this thread and can't help feeling that the children miss out because their parents see an abuser in every dark corner so keep their DC's world very small indeed.

OddFodd · 15/12/2014 23:46

Don't call me love.

You said it was odd that they'd bathed her and that you'd never take your neighbour's child in an emergency.

You're backpedalling so fucking fast you might be able to win the Tour if the wind was favourable.

ladymariner · 15/12/2014 23:47

Yeah yeah timely glad you're here, I needed something to make me sleep and your posts really are yawn-inducing.....

Op, you are so lucky to have good neighbours you can turn to in an emergency, they sound lovely Xmas Smile

NCIS · 15/12/2014 23:48

Neither did I, just that it would be unlikely to cause harm in a short period of time if they were.
Also she would have been unlikely to be left in an A&E waiting room, they're revolting places and certainly not safe for a lone 9 year old. She would have almost certainly been in a resus cubicle seeing and hearing things which could have terrified her.

Bulbasaur · 15/12/2014 23:49

Timely

I didn't think about the bath! I was very hmm about it all....but that aspect is odd. Why would one bathe a girl one didn't know?

Clearly you were worried about them sharing their racist views with her while she was in the bath. Grin

beautyfades · 15/12/2014 23:55

The bath bit is strange.

beautyfades · 15/12/2014 23:57

I wouldnt of thought two totally strange adults would want a neighbours daughter to have a bath in theirs whilst babysitting on one off basis.

MinnieM1 · 16/12/2014 00:02

I doubt all of the "you should trust everyone you meet, peados are more likely to be family" people would do what the OP did though, and there's still no explanation as to why?!
It was not necessary, she put her child in a potentially very harmful and dangerous situation for no apparent reason and I am still at a loss as to why?! She didn't know these people, they turned out to be nice, lucky OP, but this could have ended very differently and the OP didn't know these people well enough to make an informed decision on that.
She massively gambled with the safety of her child completely unnecessarily - that is the part I can not get my head around?!

Mrsmorton · 16/12/2014 00:02

beautyfades so what are you saying? Maybe they offered DD a bath and she said yes? She's 9 remember. Or is "bath" a euphemism for something that Paedos do?

Honestly, OP got a warm fuzzy feeling from her neighbours, I'm sure if something was amiss, her spidey sense would have changed her post title from
Our new neighbours are possibly some of the kindest people I've ever met
to
my new neighbours are probably paedos and I left my daughter with them.

What's wrong with people!?

ninaprettyballerina · 16/12/2014 00:06

I've done similar when I took my youngest to A&E with pneumonia. I needed to ask a neighbour to sit in my house whilst my eldest slept.
Could never thank her enough.

Tobyjugg · 16/12/2014 00:08

lists hope your ds is recovering and you have great neighbours. You also have some right trolls responding to your OP but ignore them. Too shit scared to live some people.

ladymariner · 16/12/2014 00:11

minnie do calm down........

TimelyNameChangey · 16/12/2014 00:12

Alright all you scoffers.

You carry on.

Defending people you don't know...attacking those who are cautious.

Make people afraid of ridicule....if they DARE speak their minds regarding their child's and other children's safety.

Because THAT'S always a good idea.

ONE thing I HATE about MN is this idea that nobody can ever be cautious.

If they are then they're "hysterical" and they're "Shouting about peedos"

It's a very weird phenomenon and only one I've come across here.

TimelyNameChangey · 16/12/2014 00:13

Odd Love...don't tell me what to type. Love.

Yes I did think the bath was weird.

But I think the same as the other poster that more than that, more risky than that is just leaving your child with complete strangers who could do or say anything to them.

Very weird.

ladymariner · 16/12/2014 00:20

How many 9 year olds need somebody to bath them, Ffs? Is it beyond the realms of possibility that the op's dd said she likes to have a bath at night and the old lady ran it for her, gave her a towel and nightclothes and left her to it?

Have some of you thought about writing a novel? With your vivid imaginations, you're wasted here.......

CheeseBuster · 16/12/2014 00:22

Why is a bath weird? She's 9, perfectly able to bath herself I'm sure.

You lot always say to trust your instincts/ listen to your gut when someone thinks someone's creepy but god forbid their gut says their trustworthy.

What a lovely story OP, maybe an Xmas hamper for them with lots of goodies made by DD?