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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Over-protective pain or legitimately aggrieved parent?

46 replies

UsedtobeFeckless · 07/12/2015 14:34

If your kids ( Who looked around 10ish ) were in a shop without you and climbed up on a display to reach a high shelf where they ignored a Don't Touch sign and went on to start twisting all the Rubiks cubes ... Would you then write in and complain if someone asked them to please stop?

I'm feeling peeved and hard done by ...

OP posts:
Threesquids · 07/12/2015 14:35

Sorry, lets get this straight. Someone (presumably shop owner) told them to stop, then the parents of said kids wrote in to complain?

Parents ABU.

Tiggeryoubastard · 07/12/2015 14:36

The sort of parent that brings their kids up like this are the ones that object when something is said. Fact of life, they're twats and their kids usually grow up to be twats.

Farahilda · 07/12/2015 14:37

Of course they should be told to stop.

Climbing on a display? Age 10?

I'd have them escorted off the premises.

And if a letter followed, I'd reply that all those who behave inappropriately are removed, and that climbing on displays is not permitted.

WhyCantIuseTheNameIWant · 07/12/2015 14:57

If my kids age about 10 were climbing on shop displays, I would write to the shop.

Barring my kids from going in there again! For the sake of the poor shop keeper and other customers.

And my kids would be writing to the shop. To apologise and put right anything damaged...

If they are old enough to be in a shop without an adult, they are old enough not to climb on the displays!

Even my 2 y/o can walk up to a counter in a quiet shop and pay for something (while I watch from the door, she likes buying things!)

Enjolrass · 07/12/2015 15:12

Parents like that are ridiculous.

If I felt my dd had been unfairly treated in a shop to the point I need to complain, I would go in.

The fact that they wrote a letter and didn't dare do it face to face shows that deep down they know they are being dicks, but they still can't stand to let any slight against their precious kids go unmoaned about.

scarlets · 07/12/2015 15:14

Ten year olds should know how to behave in a shop. Parent fail here.

WeThreeMythicalKings · 07/12/2015 15:15

Parents like that will reap the whirlwind when they are teenagers and it serves them right.

MrsTerryPratchett · 07/12/2015 15:17

What did they actually complain about? If you told little Persephone to 'fuck off' that might warrant mild annoyance from the parent...

Daisysbear · 07/12/2015 15:22

YANBU and I hope the letter was torn up and put in the bin, where it belongs.

Original poster
UsedtobeFeckless · 07/12/2015 15:27

I asked them not to play with the cubes ( As we're too dim to put them back as they should be and people won't buy them if they're messed up ) and I said Please and Thank you and everthing ... Confused

If they're that sensitive how do they actually function in the world?

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 07/12/2015 15:29

Fuck 'em then Grin

Daisysbear · 07/12/2015 15:35

Some parents are just idiots who think their children can do no wrong, and that anyone who thwarts them in any way is a cruel, intolerant fiend set on spoiling little Quentin and Elspeth's sunny, free spirited world.

No doubt those parents have a path worn to their children's schools to complain about teachers having the nerve to tell their little darlings off for misbehaving in class, or for not giving them the lead role in the school play, or object to them throwing chairs around the classroom.

AuntieStella · 07/12/2015 15:50

I could lend you DD as Rubik-cube-restorer-in-chief Xmas Smile

LikeASoulWithoutAMind · 07/12/2015 15:54

If my 10yo did that the only letter being written would be a letter of apology. From the 10yo.

SheHasAWildHeart · 07/12/2015 15:57

I would be so embarrassed if my DC did that!

GwynethPaltrowIamNot · 07/12/2015 16:02

Blimey , I'd write back explaining precisely what they were doing , stating they are barred FOR LIFE Grin

GwynethPaltrowIamNot · 07/12/2015 16:03

Tell us what they wrote and we can help you with the reply !

Dipankrispaneven · 07/12/2015 16:04

Does the complaint letter indicate that the parent knows the full facts? If not, she's a bit of an idiot to complain without getting your side of the story. If she does know them, she's more than a bit of an idiot. She should be grateful they were stopped from doing something that had the potential of causing serious injury had they fallen off or pulled the display over onto themselves.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 07/12/2015 16:10

Hope you didn't get into any trouble Used.

ratspeaker · 07/12/2015 16:14

Id be tempted to write back to the parents charging for the ruined rubiks cubes their kids played with!

ratspeaker · 07/12/2015 16:17

And Id say for their own safety the kids were barred from the shop as they seem unable to understand why they should not climb on the display

Original poster
UsedtobeFeckless · 07/12/2015 21:28

The letter said they were so upset at being told off ( asked politely to stop ) that they were near tears and the older one ran out of the shop leaving the younger one unable to reach the shelf to put the cubes back ... and that the rubiks cubes weren't fragile so why shouldn't they play with them.

The bloody cubes were on a shelf I can only reach on tip toes, with notice saying please don't rearrange as the staff can't do them ... Short of locking them in a box behind a moat full of crocodiles I don't see how we could make it more obvious we would rather they were left alone!

I think some part of me is hoping their parents are on MN so I can put my side of the story! Grin

OP posts:
LittleFishBigOcean · 07/12/2015 21:34

I think the moat full of crocodiles is a brilliant idea, except you need to store the Rubix cubes in the moat and hope that the kids go in there after them.

Snap.

Job done.

🐊

Puzzledandpissedoff · 07/12/2015 21:46

If they're that sensitive how do they actually function in the world?

How indeed? However, look at it this way - if you're feeling (rightly) aggrieved, how do you think the poor buggers who have to teach them cope?? Wink Grin

WeThreeMythicalKings · 08/12/2015 06:48

A reply along the lines of saying that if parents fail to control their badly behaved children then the staff have to do it seems to be in order.

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