To think this man was just rude?

[QuestioningStuff]

Shopping with DC earlier, we got to the cereal aisle and I asked DS (3yo) what cereal he wanted. I knew full well that he would say Weetabix as that's what he always has.

A man butted in before DS could answer and told me I should give him oats and fruit. That all these cereals are bad for them. I told him to mind his own business and took the weetabix. He called after me that I was rude. I said he was rude to comment on what a stranger feeds their child.

WIBU? He was rude wasn't he? I will be the first to admit that we don't live off of Kale and Chia Seeds (whatever the hell they are) but it's Weetabix ffs!

Of course he was bloody rude and yes absolutely none of his business. Funny how he didn't expect you to dislike his input. What was going on in his head? I have a bag of oat clusters with dried fruit and its full of sugar, there's no blanket rule on what is healthy and whether an occasional treat is a big deal.

I do feel being out with the kids I'm much more likely to be looked at and occasionally have similar comments, although sometimes they are positive comments. Without the kids I'm invisible and ignored which is a lovely. I suspect younger mums may be judged more than older mums too. I don't think he'd have made this comment to a dad nor a mum in her 40s for example.

To be honest if someone random bloke told me what to buy and why I'd tell him to fuck off and mind his own business and not worry about it in the slightest.

someone... some.

Big i work with the eldery and see alot of loneness and this might have been an attempt to have some form of human contact. Just a passing comment. Yes op owes him nothing but if she was a nice person how hard is it smile and nod. I still think she was rude.

Oh well at least he wasn't staring or calling your child a spaz because of disability.

Fuck me you'd kill yourself if you went through what I have to endure from the general public on a daily basis.

londonrach - she said the guy was in his 20s. Not that mansplaining has an age limit.

Thanks Bigoldsupermoon0

I can use that as my avatar.

I can't fathom how people consider telling someone, who is a stranger forcing their advice on you in a public place, to 'mind their own business' rude. It's not rude, he was rude, judgemental and the fact he even called after her shows how entitled he feels to police her choices because she dares to be a woman out in public. I'd have told him where to stick his opinions and called security if he shouted after me!

Loads of people not rtft. OP clearly said that this fount of all knowledge on child nutrition was in his 20's, not elderly.
Not that it would have made a difference if it happened to me. Rude is rude whatever your age, you don't get excused because you're drawing your pension.

SoleBizzz I'm sincerely sorry and disgusted that you and your child have to go through that. But your comment is really unfair. I have been through plenty of horrific things in my life. And indeed I have tried to kill myself a few times in my teens over issues much larger than this.

For gods sake life isn't just made up of huge issues. Lots of little things happen in between and since I last checked there was nothing to tell me that mumsnet was only for groundbreaking stories. I won't be losing any sleep over this was just interested to see what people thought.

The reason i said upthread that i'd nod and move on isn't to be polite. It's just I can't be arsed to explain myself to some stranger. Throughout life people try to give advice, i've found that the easiest way to deal with unwanted advice is smile and then do what you think is right anyway. No point in getting into a slanging match. By mouthing off at him, you degrade yourselfwhich is what I remind myself just after i've given another road user the v sign

By the way op I agree with you on your last post. Mumsnet is the perfect place for you to let off steam and you can post what you like. It's therapy

questioning for the people saying you were ruder than him...if you're going to make remarks to someone in the supermarket about their choice of cereal then please be prepared that you might get chinned for it. I do live in Glasgow where commenting on an unknown's shopping habits could end badly she jokes

Then you know where I'm coming from mrsdevere! Glasgow....East London....same folk different accent

MrsDeVere I am in East London too! I was really saving him from himself. He got off quite lightly I feel.

I'd have told him to 'go fuck himself' too, but in a plummy RP English accent. Smug, preachy bastard.

I don't know what it is with some MNers but I've never come across someone trying to tell me what to buy in the supermarket. In fact I've only ever had compliments on the behaviour of my children or someone asking me if I had tried a particular brand and what I thought of it. I've never had issues with parking either and the other day whilst I was backing out of my spot at the supermarket I was close to a car but there was space and a lady winced jokingly as I eased past her car and we both laughed and waved to each other.
The only issues I've ever heard about in supermarkets are always on MN no one I know has these odd things happen to them either. Weird.

I think the Op gave back what he deserved.

I buy my DCs cereal based on the compromise between nutrition, and the after effects of their digestive systems. I wouldn't take kindly to such "advice" that would cost a fortune in loo roll and toilet duck.

I think you were quite reserved O.P I would have told him to fuck off. My baby is only young but not long ago I was a judgey parent with food. I have PND though so it was to do with the anxiety from that. And the need to be perfect, have since discovered no such thing as perfect parent. I would never have commented to someone in a shop though,the man was a dick. Plus it's just cereal. You weren't rude.