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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To have told this kid to go back to his parents?

109 replies

PeachesAndDerek · 15/08/2016 18:26

Met up with DH for lunch today. Idea was we'd have a nice hour to ourselves to sit and enjoy a coffee and a bite to eat. As we arrived so did another family, two adults, a boy around 5ish and a baby. So DH and I start chatting, lovely conversation until this boy comes across and shows us his new toy. "That's nice!" I say with a smile and then turn back to DH to carry on our conversation. The boy then starts trying to climb up on one of the chairs at our table, all the while knocking the table all over and splashing our drinks around. I looked across at his parents and the gormless woman smiled and said to her husband "aww look at him with that couple!". Now by this point I'm getting irritated, DH is losing interest in our conversation and has started playing in his phone as I have become preoccupied with trying to stop this kid from falling off the chair whilst trying to save what's left of our drinks. In the end I say to him "don't climb on there, that's your table over there" and point to his parents. He ignores me and starts playing with his car on the table. I look across at his parents, both having a nice conversation just like the one DH and I WERE having so out of pure frustration I picked the kid up, took him to his parents and said "sorry I'm just worried he's going to fall off the chair of spill coffee on himself" and leave him. The kid starts screaming, the parents get all flustered and DH decides to call it a day and go back to work!!! Be honest wibu here?? I'm still irritated by the whole thing now

OP posts:
Eyelashcurler · 15/08/2016 18:28

Ugh - I hate this. Happens to me all the time when I'm enjoying 5 mins peace at a soft play. Yanbu.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 15/08/2016 18:29

YA so NBU!

MadHattersWineParty · 15/08/2016 18:31

Eyelash Peace at soft play?!!

YANBU OP. How irritating.

debbs77 · 15/08/2016 18:32

I'd be mortified if one of my children did that! You did the right thing!

MrsHulk · 15/08/2016 18:32

Yanbu. I have a toddler and would never let him interrupt somebody else's meal like that.

Jizzomelette · 15/08/2016 18:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mumble29 · 15/08/2016 18:34

Yanbu that would have pissed me off too! Hate how some people think it's ok to inflict their kids on others Angry .

Amelie10 · 15/08/2016 18:35

Yanbu hate this. Bet they thought you were loving their darling entertaining you.

Gizlotsmum · 15/08/2016 18:36

Def not bu . My 4yr old will try to strike up conversation with everyone but I am careful to move him on and not let him irritate anyone.

youarenotkiddingme · 15/08/2016 18:36

Of course Yanbu!

RichardBucket · 15/08/2016 18:36

YANBU but your husband was. Why was he playing on his phone and ignoring you why you tried to deal with this?

TheSilverChair · 15/08/2016 18:39

YWNBU but your DH is a jerk.

DinosaursRoar · 15/08/2016 18:40

Agree with RichardBucket - you behaved fine, the parents were rubbish, but your DH sounds a bit knobby, why didn't he engage and then huff off back to work like it was your fault? Is he usually like a sulky child ?

Gwenci · 15/08/2016 18:40

Big fat YANBU here. I'd have done exactly the same. Though they should've picked their little cherub up themselves long before it got to that stage. Can't believe they let him do that.

I've got a 3 yr old and I'd never ever let her accost people like that.

Vickyyyy · 15/08/2016 18:47

YANBU. In the rare child free times me and DH get its so annoying having other kdis pester us. Hello or something is fine and cute, attaching yourself to my leg like baby koala is not.

I probably wouldn't have picked the child up though but would have asked the parents to come and get him. If they refused, I would probably have moved seats and huffed and eyerolled a little...

Vickyyyy · 15/08/2016 18:47

kdis = kids

tictactoad · 15/08/2016 18:48

NU to tell him to go back to his table but I'm quite Shock at actually picking him up.

I think you were lucky to avoid a confrontation on that.

CatNip2 · 15/08/2016 18:48

I have had this too, but I must be a real frosty bitch because I can cold shoulder the kid and they move, must think I am a secret witch or something.

maisiejones · 15/08/2016 18:55

I have a work colleague who informed me that she doesn't think children should be made to sit at restaurant tables. Apparently, her dc like wandering around talking to people at other tables and she thinks it's good for their development. 🙄 It wouldn't be good for their development if they rocked up at my table I can tell you.

Cagliostro · 15/08/2016 18:56

YANBU, but I agree that your DH was a bit of a tit as well.

RosaRosaRose · 15/08/2016 18:58

YA absolutely not BU.

Missgraeme · 15/08/2016 18:59

I have been known to pick up my coffee and move to another table if kids around and I don't have mine!! Rare treat to coffee out and I don't even want to smell /see/hear a child!! The previous No Smoking areas should be No Children areas imo!!

JinkxMonsoon · 15/08/2016 19:01

You were totally not unreasonable. I see no problem in physically removing the kid either. The parents were WAY out of line to let him intrude on you like that.

But I think you have a DH problem. Do you always have to work so hard to make him want to sit and have a coffee with you?

wtfdidijustwatch · 15/08/2016 19:01

My SIL is a teacher and she gives them the famous 'death stare'.
Says it works a treat and sees them off every time.

We need teachers to teach us how to perfect it.

ILostItInTheEarlyNineties · 15/08/2016 19:03

The problem is that some parents think they are doing you a favour by letting you spend time with their utterly adorable child.

To be fair, I love small children and would probably have entertained him, fallen in love with him and wanted to take him home. I understand most people aren't like this though. (and I get quite bored talking to my Dh for long periods.)

You weren't unreasonable to tell him to bugger off, in polite, child friendly terms. Smile

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