"He won't be as handsome as my son. Never mind." Gutted by comment from random woman

[1Potato2]

On Friday I went with Dd and 4 month ds to the library to kill time. Random woman in her early 70s starts chatting about wishing he will live as long as her relation (104 apparently) and finished off with the comment in the title. I didn't process this at the time as I was keeping an eye on Dd and ds was threatening to poop. It has bugged me since. :(. He's a lovely smiley chap and can't help thinking wtaf?! Anyone else experienced this?

I'd assume she was joking.

The elderly are allowed to retain a sense of humour upon qualifying for their bus pass. It isn't a straight swap.

He's 4 months - and this bothers you?

There seems to be a lot of hatred towards elderly people on mumsnet. It's entirely possible that her words came out wrong and she wandered off thinking 'why on earth did I say that?' or that it was a joke and it came out wrong.

Tell you what though, he'll never be as handsome as my son. Just as you would look at my son and think he'll never be as handsome as yours. That's the beauty of motherhood, we're programmed to think our children are the loveliest.

The comments from some of the posters here are pretty shameful.

We weren't there. Christ, the op wasn't even listening properly. There may be some context lost that suggests how comment was meant.

I would put money on her not meaning to hurt you though op.

I find the anti-old women stuff on here very disappointing at times.

Wasn't accusing you of hating elderly people btw OP, it was more about some of the responses.

Just think, when you're 70+ and your son is 40 you'll still think he's the best looking thing going!
Think no more about it.

In the nicest possible way, you really need to get over it.

My mum is an old woman, she is weird sometimes and she freely admits it. She often phones me to tell me about some awful thing she has said to someone and I have to encourage her to go and apologise (if it's someone we know rather than some random person at a bus stop). If it wasn't for the fact that she is now housebound, that could easily have been her OP. She wouldn't mean it in that way.

If it was me I would probably laugh because it would not bother me at all.

So what if someone thinks their son is better looking than mine?

Jesus! Get over it and move on with your life. It was probably just a throw away comment. Really nothing to get upset or offended about.

Some old people are nasty! My mum told the mother of a toddler that 'some babies should be drowned at birth' twice. All the little boy did was kick sand on our shoes! Which is why op could be upset. Maybe she (unknown to her,) bumped into my mum, who is horrendously behaved.

Actually, you were both wrong. My DS is the best son there ever was

She's a nasty old bitch isn't she ? Forget the old shrew

You are the nasty bitch here.

An old lady once said how lovely my son was and asked if I was going to have any more. When I said that I wasn't, she then said 'well, what if something happens to him'! Was so shocked, I couldn't reply.

Well my DD is actually the cutest baby on the face of the earth and, without even seeing your DDs, I know they aren't as beautiful as her.
Don't most parents think that?

She was chatting pleasantly up to the point? Pretty obviously a "not as nice as mine of course..." joke then.

"I find the anti-old women stuff on here very disappointing at times"

Yes this ^ ^

It seems sexism is not in the main acceptable here unless, of course, it is coupled with ageism, then it's suddenly quite acceptable

without even seeing your DDs, I know they aren't as beautiful as her.
Don't most parents think that?

I don't.

I know they are beautiful to me but I don't think they are most beautifulest babies that were ever born, no.

When you have a teen going through an incredibly awkward stage you notice

Ignore, ignore, ignore... Seriously. Once an oldish man said to me: Your son is so demanding! It was my daughter, she was 10 months, on the bus and was grizzling just a little bit. I just smiled and at him. Still remember it as something funny.

Fuck me. MN is just rife with ageism tonight.

Nothing really new though, sadly.

Talk about being over sensitive.

Op is your son less attractive than other babies?

She was probably joking. This reminds me of when a random woman stopped me and was cooing over my son, saying how beautiful he was. She looked up at me, looked back at him and said "his dad must be good looking"

My MIL is in her 70s and has dementia; it's like she has no filter. She comes out with some really weird things and also some really awful things and honestly, she doesn't know what the hell she's saying. Fortunately it's not usually loud enough for other people to hear but OMG! It's bloody embarrassing at times.

What this woman said to you and the thing a pp said about kids being drowned at birth are both things I could easily imagine her saying. So I really wouldn't give it another thought if I were you OP.

Demented. Bitter. Old. Bitch. And others. Abso-fucking-lutely disgusting language. As for the OP - really really get a bloody grip!

Elizabeth