To think this man was a miserable git?

[Sashkin]

Lighthearted, but obviously not completely lighthearted because it’s about my darling PFB.

DS is 10mo, and has always liked smiling at strangers when we are out. On the tube today, and he looks across at this middle-aged man next to us, gives him a shy little smile and tries a tentative wave. This. is. his. first. wave. ever, so clearly a massive milestone and proud moment for me. I coo at him “oh well done, are you waving at the nice man?” And the nice man harrumphs and goes back to his newspaper without even acknowledging poor little DS, who looks crestfallen.

AIBU to think this man was a miserable git if he couldn’t humour a small child for five minutes, and WIBU to burn his house down in retaliation?

I know you (rightly) think your baby is amazing and his wave is spectacular but many other people don't and why would they?

A smile might have been nice but a)it's not obligatory and b)not smiling at other people's babies doesn't make you a miserable git. It just means he isn't fussed by your baby's first wave (by the way "first wave"? eh?)

I coo over dogs and children quite often but not when I’m stressed, pissed off, in pain or otherwise preoccupied. Then I’ve only got time for my own.

He might be a grumpy old bastard or the worlds most baby friendly man on a bad day.

Your DS will only care if you’re grumpy to him. Strangers not reacting will probably just get him to try harder.

I remember how sweet it is when they do their first wobbly waving. Enjoy it.

🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

Biting but

No one else should entertain your child it’s not their job.

As mean as it sounds no one else cares about your child as much as you do.

The man might have stuff going on making him miserable.

I think I’ve covered all bases?

Don't you know the rules OP? Never engage with anyone on the tube, be they 10 months old or even older.

I wouldn't have waved back either.

Should congratulate you on your emotive language though well done

Aww. I would have waved back. Honestly. Man is a git.

Aw it's not hard to smile is it?!

It's everywhere though, at Xmas we popped into Sainsbury's with ds. Walking up to the bakery bit we told ds he could ring the bell and then the man next to us proper sped up to press the bell before him! The knob.

I would be annoyed too, how can you ignore a cute little baby! What would it have taken just to give a wave? My DS does this all the time and 90 percent of people are lovely and engage back, don’t worry!

Maybe he had just had some bad news, maybe he is suffering from crippling depression and had dragged himself out of the house, maybe he just hates babies.
I'm sure your baby will get over it

Lucky he didn’t blow a raspberry back. That would have been a very irritating thing to teach a small child

He has those down to a fine art already unfortunately

Without child here tho posting on mumsnet. Sometimes I feel 'on the spot' with children staring/grinning at me, try to smile tho sometimes avoid eye contact! It's just the expectedness of interacting with a young child, sometimes just not sure what to say/do. Not meant rudely just sometimes makes me feel a bit clueless esp as don't want to cause the child to cry!

I smile and wave at babies on the tube.

Actually, I'm the person that people tend to sit next to on the tube and tell their life stories too. Saddest was a man who told me (over about seven stops) how lonely he was now that his wife had died, and that if it weren't for his dog, he didn't know what he'd do.

Now, obviously you can't burn his house down, but I do sympathise with you. As I'm sure you know, most people would have waved back - it's a real shame your son picked the grumpster.

Really don’t get why people are annoyed by strangers not wanting to interact with their child

I think it's slightly miserable gittish not to smile or wave at a baby who's smiling and waving at you. But y'know, he may have been having a shitty day and just wanted to disappear into his paper.

Personally I go into miserable git mode at those smug fathers, you know the ones, who carry their baby in a papoose (or worse still, a sling) and try to catch the eye of everyone they pass in the street as if to say 'behold the fruit of my virilie loins and please take note of the sensitive way I hold said loin fruit to my chest'. I always ignore them.

HereHoldMyDrink that’s awful!

I like the turd in lunchbox suggestion though!

Oh ffs. Your pfb is precious to you, his father and possibly a few other close family members. Not to random strangers on the tube who have lives and concerns of their own. Please don’t engage in performance parenting, it’s utterly tedious to those around you.

Yep, let's stone him .

Some people don’t “do” babies. Perhaps he was one of them. I’d have smiled and waved but I’m not one of those people who does “peek-a-boo” with strangers babies. Sorry OP. Remember, you wee one won’t have felt the emotions you did 😊

YANBU. I would have played peeka boo.

Of everyone likes cooing overenthusuastic mothers

'I would be annoyed too, how can you ignore a cute little baby! What would it have taken just to give a wave? My DS does this all the time and 90 percent of people are lovely and engage back, don’t worry!'

It's very easy. I put on my headphones or turn on my Kindle and tune out.

I'd have responded.

I like talking to babies!

NOT everyone,