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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that children old enough to..............................

59 replies

GhostOfJuliet · 12/02/2007 15:42

go to McDonalds should be able to behave?

I was in McD's at lunch time with my mum and kids (3 and 5). There were three boys in about 10/12 ish. Well just as my 3yo was taking a bite of her burger she was hit by a wad of paper thrown by one of the boys.

I spoke to them and told them clearly that I wasn't happy and it wasn't to happen again. How many MNetters would've done the same thing?

OP posts:
fireflyfairy2 · 12/02/2007 15:48

Not me.

hana · 12/02/2007 15:50

well boys (or girls) of that age if they aren't with their parents aren't always going to behave.
the staff at mcdonals should have sasid something as well, I'd have said somethign to them first

then tutted at them!

VioletBaudelaire · 12/02/2007 15:54

If they had thrown anything that would have hurt my child (like a lifesize model of St Ronald), I would have sued McDonald's ass for millions of pounds! And insisted that the 'rowdy ruffians' were sentenced to work in McDonalds until they are 30 years old.
I think it was impolite of these boys, but it's hardly the crime of the century. I'd have got one of my children to throw the paper back at them, and laughed it off.

Original poster
GhostOfJuliet · 12/02/2007 15:58

i agree it;s not the crime of the century but where is the line between saying something and leaving it. when the kids left a heard the couple sitting next to me saying 'those kids were a bit much'.

i think we have to say when we are not happy about something or we end up with people doing whatever they like and everyone else saying thanks very much for that!

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speedymama · 12/02/2007 15:59

Good for you Ghostof Juliet. I would have said something too. If more peeople did this, this type of anti-social behaviour would not be as prevalent. These miscreants behave like this because they know they can get away with it.

gingermonkey · 12/02/2007 16:01

Ghost, I think you have proven that you shouldn't go to McDonalds, it's full of unruly peasant children getting high on Coca Cola and throwing things. Try a nice organic cafe instead next time, the clientele are much better behaved

Polgara2 · 12/02/2007 16:01

Exactly what Speedymama just said .

Cappuccino · 12/02/2007 16:01

my dh once spoke gently but firmly to some boys after they threw some paper at us

unfortunately he had had his nose broken in a kung fu competition the week before, as well as having a very short haircut

their dad was with them and he went a bit white and they apologised profusely

they obviously thought dh was some violent psycho dad

Original poster
GhostOfJuliet · 12/02/2007 16:02

organic food for me and mine from now on

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Original poster
GhostOfJuliet · 12/02/2007 16:03

Cappuccino excellent. My point is that their dad should've said something to them before you dh had to!

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gingermonkey · 12/02/2007 16:09

lol at cappuccino's psycho-looking dh. Mine looks like that too, and he can be very scary (even though he's a big wuss!)
Ghost, you will be much happier with the lentil weavers and your children will thank you for it in the long run (even though you don't get a toy with a rice cake and tofu happy meal I'm afraid )

Flamesparrow · 12/02/2007 16:11

I upset some boy at soft play today - at least 8, burying his brother roughly in the balls of the under 2s bit (I doubt the brother was under 2 either), and the force was sliding DS down under the balls and freaking him out (the weight of a 6 month old isn't much for those balls!!) - Told him to get out. Then rephrased slightly more politely with "You are older than 3... GET OUT PLEASE"... got glared at in a "you can't speak to me like that, don't you know who I am" way... he sodded off and didn't come back though!!

I say speak up, but make sure the situation needs it - if your DD was upset, then yes, if not, then leave that battle (first wrote ballet )

Original poster
GhostOfJuliet · 12/02/2007 16:11

now I was all set for going but if they don't get i toy that they can fight over and either loose or break within 30 minutes of getting then ....well I;m not too sure anymore.

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VioletBaudelaire · 12/02/2007 16:12

I would happily comment to a child who was unaccompanied and behaving badly.
I don't consider throwing paper as the behaviour of a 'miscreant' though.
It's annoying, it's childish and it's silly.

gingermonkey · 12/02/2007 16:14

Now, Ghost, that's no way to act - you could learn origami and make them a lovely swan or paper hat out of a recycled paper napkin. There was an origami pull out in the Guardian last weekend, let me see if I can find it in this pile of recycling.......

speedymama · 12/02/2007 16:19

I used the term miscreant glibly but like a lot of people, I am fed up with the antics of feral apprentice hoodlums who show complete disdain and disrespect to others.

Original poster
GhostOfJuliet · 12/02/2007 16:22

keep talking gingermonkey you night actually be winning me round here! post s link to the swan thingy!

and if there's an orgasm class in it for me, well then show me the way to the hunky waiters

sorry re-read your post you actually said origami

OP posts:
WideWebWitch · 12/02/2007 16:24

I wouldn't have been in Mcdonalds so can't really answer the OP
but had it happened in, say, Costa coffee or somewhere then yes, I'd have said something to the boys, definitely.

brandy7 · 12/02/2007 16:26

i wouldnt call it antisocial behaviour! ridiculous comment. i probably would have grinned and made a smart comment but wouldnt have been rude to them.

Original poster
GhostOfJuliet · 12/02/2007 16:27

i wasn't rude to them. i have a big problem with people who don't know how to talk to children and then make them feel awful. there are ways of doing things you know. if you're rude to them then you lower yoursefl to their level.

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Tortington · 12/02/2007 16:30

yes i actually think your insane to think that unaccompanied teenagers can be reasonable in any given situation.

however yes, like you i would have gone and had a word. maybe two - i think you know which two

speedymama · 12/02/2007 16:30

Not anti-social behaviour? Obviously, my standards for behaviour are set far too high.

VioletBaudelaire · 12/02/2007 16:38

Exercising a certain amount of perspective, and having the ability to show tolerance to those younger and less experienced in life is an important facet of appropriate behaviour too.
Tell them off if you think you need to, but castigating them as "feral apprentice hoodlums who show complete disdain and disrespect to others" is unreasonable, IMO.
They threw a wad of paper.
They are children according to the OP.
Not teenagers.
Children.

Tortington · 12/02/2007 16:42

i think 12 is close enough to be called a teenager. however pedantry aside my point still stands i think. to expect them to behave sans parents is rather a large expectation

Original poster
GhostOfJuliet · 12/02/2007 16:47

the op doesn't say that they hit her on the face and she got quite a shock.

IMO children/adults who are anti-social have to start somewhere, they don't simply wake up one morning and say "i think i'll be an arse whole today!" someone somewhere has to say something or else the behaviour slowly escalates until no-one would be brave enough or able to stop them.

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