To think this was unnecessary and 4 year olds don't need constant supervision.

[Butterflykissess]

This happened a little while ago but it's played on my mind since as it was really humiliating and I wondered what others thought. I was in my local shop paying at the self service machine. I was with my 4 children one being a baby in the pram. Kids were next to me at the machine but due to space i told them to wait out of the way a bit so people could pass. Space is tight due to the displays. A group of women were at the machine next to mine. I was just about to pay but my card wasn't registering in the machine, I was trying to figure out why when I heard crying. I turnt round to see it was my 4 year old, before I could even get a word out to call him over the woman next to me screamed "excuse me whose child is this" I said he's mine and called him over and asked if he was ok, at th at moment the other woman who was with the woman next to me, loudly went "she wasn't even watching him!" To which replied saying I turnt my back for a second to enter my pin, how am I suppose to watch 4 children and do my shopping at the same time. She said "normal mother s do! " I turned my back not wanting a confrontation, which she clearly was looking for and she repeated " normal mothers do" obviously looking for a reaction, I ignored her and they walked away still talking about it. Aib u for thinking this was totally ott. I haven't been in the shop since as I have anxiety anyway and now I think everyone will be judging me. Was I in the wrong for turning my back?

I probably thought all 4 year olds could and should stand nicely on command when I had my first, because she could and she did,

I then had twin boys who behaved as if they were auditioning for an episode of Keystone Cops at all waking moments. They'd totally have been pushing each other against that freezer cabinet at 4 whether I was stood right there or 3 metres away glancing down at a pin machine. I raised them in exactly the same way as their older sister, but they didn't come out of the play-doh mould in the same way. And why should they?

They're 16 now, Nice, well-behaved, respectful and intelligent young men,

@applesandpears56 I think Echobelly was referring to the rude women in the supermarket. I don't think she was saying that posters shouldn't give their opinions on what is, after all, a discussion forum. That's how I would see it anyway.