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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be annoyed by people who let their kids run round supermarkets 'playing'

669 replies

ProperLavs · 26/07/2018 15:04

Actually screaming and running into people.
I had an interesting 'conversation' with a woman when i muttered for someone to stop them screaming and running around. This woman, who didn't actually have anything to do with the kids, who were roughly 4 and 2, told me they were only playing.

I told her it was a very busy supermarket and they shouldn't be playing here
She then muttered about some people having to take their children shopping. I told her I had had to take all of mine (6 under 8) and no they were't ever allowed to run round screaming whilst I ignored them.
Wtf is wrong with people?

OP posts:
Original poster
ProperLavs · 26/07/2018 16:02

I have a few parents actively encourage the behaviour either by chasing the children as a game or seeing who can screech the loudest. They always look around to see who is watching. It’s like they want recognition for something.

OP posts:
Gaspodethetalkingdog · 26/07/2018 16:04

The worst I have seen was two small children being allowed to run up and down the aisle on a short flight from France to the U.K. The airline staff tried to stop them the parents sat there oblivious!

Deathraystare · 26/07/2018 16:05

I've seen kids on scooters.

I've seen a kid on a bike (aged 6-7. no stabilizers)

Yes, this happens all the time. A father was with his kid who was o a trike. Of course the father was not paying any attention to where the kid was.

Isawthelight · 26/07/2018 16:09

What is up with this latest trend of kid bashing threads? Pools/streets now shops? Do people just hate kids during the holidays?

It's not kid bashing...it's parent bashing and rightly so. I was in a shop yesterday that had quite a lot of delicate displays items out. A big lump of a boy about 11 was whizzing round the shop on a scooterHmm and the parents smiled indulgently at him while I looked on in shock. This was quite a small shop full of display items, the parents were utter utter arseholes.

elephantfan · 26/07/2018 16:10

I nearly got run over by a child on a scooter INSIDE a hospital yesterday. I have one arm in a sling and use a walking stick. I am also rather plump so quite visible.
There was no attempt at evasive action by the child nor any sign of concern by the parent. Angry

intheparcark · 26/07/2018 16:11

The worst are the parents that let their kids play hide and seek in amongst the clothes racks.
I don't want to buy an item of clothing that has sticky marks all over it from either mud or snot.
Clothes are expensive.
Some parents are very socially unaware.

mydogishot · 26/07/2018 16:12

It's absolutely lazy parents.

A few years ago two young boys, I assume brothers, around 6-8 racing each other round Asda (massive store) They'd been past me full pelt at least twice.
One aisle later, a scream and younger boy on floor with blood dripping from face. Other boy has gone.

Parent screaming "what happened" and insisting on the manager because they're responsible.

I did say if you parent then you'd avoid situations like this and was told to fuck off. By the injured boy.

intheparcark · 26/07/2018 16:12

Those saying it's child bashing are likely to be the parents in the supermarkets.

Absolutely.

Blostma · 26/07/2018 16:14

And bloody Heeleys in shopping centres.

NotTheFordType · 26/07/2018 16:15

YABU (and so was the other protagonist) for muttering. Passive aggressive sotto voce is not going to solve anything.

YANBU to wish parents would control their children in the supermarket. Not least because the kids are likely to barge around getting overexcited and get hurt.

DiegoMadonna · 26/07/2018 16:17

I can't get worked up about it tbh. It's not exactly like they're taking over. Occasionally kids behave badly and occasionally parents don't react the same way I would. As long as they're not endangering anyone's life it doesn't really bother me much.

MaisyPops · 26/07/2018 16:17

What is up with this latest trend of kid bashing threads? Pools/streets now shops? Do people just hate kids during the holidays?
Kids playing out in the street at a reasonable level is fine (I really dislike the 'i want peace and quiet' type who think any noise is an infringement on their 'right to quiet enjoyment of their home/garden').

However, children playing in shops isn't on mainly because people are there to do messages and more often than not it's not really playing. It's poor behaviour and lazy parenting

eyycarumba · 26/07/2018 16:17

@Gaspodethetalkingdog we had this on a flight from Hungary! They were going apeshit and swinging between the seats whilst the parents did nothing. The woman next me actually grabbed the oldest/wildest child whist running past and shouted at her, immediate strop back to mom's seat. I almost applauded it.

HunterofStars · 26/07/2018 16:28

I agree. I was shopping a few days ago and saw two kids running around, chasing each other and screaming. Shoppers were having to dodge them with their trollies. Their dad was doing a half hearted attempt to stop them. It came to a head when one of the children collided with one of the stock trollies and hurt themselves.

Caffeineaddict994 · 26/07/2018 16:30

I agree, can't stand it. My 3 yo is told to hold my hand the whole way round or sit in the trolley, he's not allowed to run off 'playing' more for my fear that he'd be the one to end up smashing an expensive bottle of champagne or something!

OctaviaOctober · 26/07/2018 16:33

The ironic thing is that these parents who are so dazzled by their amazing little darlings that they can't possibly restrict their creativity and put restrictions on them, are the ones who raise universally disliked children because they are so entitled and selfish.

lazyarse123 · 26/07/2018 16:34

I work in a small supermarket and it's very difficult sometimes to keep quiet. There is a grandma who gives her 3grandchildren a basket with wheels each while she queues for the post office. We put up with it for weeks and eventually i just started taking the baskets back and funnily enough now that they can't run riot she comes on her own. I also stopped 2 boys coming in with filthy scooters as the floor had just been washed. (I think i just reacted as if i was at home). It's just so rude, my kids could be a right pain but not usually more than once.

sparklepops123 · 26/07/2018 16:36

There was a kid on a scooter in a onesie yest I’m my local ASDA and very small kids running about( hard to see them in front of trolley) drove mad, and yes I have 3 of my own that I would never of let behave like this

Scrowy · 26/07/2018 16:36

[groans] I hate it but my DP is one of 'those' parents who thinks everyone else finds our DC as endearing as he does and therefore doesn't mind them 'playing' running riot in public spaces.

We have had many, many disagreements about it.

Blame the parents. Grin

HopeClearwater · 26/07/2018 16:47

I hate it but my DP is one of 'those' parents

Ah drippy dads who leave it to mum to parent. What prizes they are.

TheMonkeyMummy · 26/07/2018 16:56

No, I am not that parent or the 'don't crush the kids spirit' brigade. I am however, gobsmacked as I have never witnessed these types of behaviours that I have seen described on mumsnet recently.

Where I live, we are socially bound to be respectful and kind to our neighbours, not make noise, keep
Communal areas clean and tidy etc etc. I am also a policeman's daughter and I have seen my dad ask people to curb their language, I can't imagine what he would do if he witnessed scooters and bikes in shops. It's so absurd, it's almost comical! What ages are these kids? Aside from the parents, aren't there security guards? I know that's not the point, am just asking.

Genuine question, if it's not a group of grumpy anti kids posters as I have assumed up until now, how can this style of parenting become such an epidemic?

Bramble71 · 26/07/2018 16:56

I think parents who let their kids run amok in supermarkets are very inconsiderate.

I'm disabled so don't get to the supermarket very often anymore but, when I do, I almost get bowled over by rampant kids, which is pretty dangerous for me. I find the screeching and screaming noises quite unbearable, too.

MissLingoss · 26/07/2018 16:59

I have a few parents actively encourage the behaviour either by chasing the children as a game...

I was knocked flying once in a busy pedestrian street by a boy aged about 10-11 whose father had been encouraging his two boys to play some chasing game. I tried to avoid them, but the boy ran into me from behind. I went full length on the pavement. I got away with a few bruises and being shaken up. An elderly person could have had a broken hip.

Another time, I was walking with my elderly mum across an open space. We were on the tarmac path, there was grass all round us. A little girl (about 7-8, I should think) on her bike came right up behind us. Mum wasn't aware she was there.

I was just about to suggest to mum that we should move aside, because this child was on our heels, when the little madam said 'Move!' Without even thinking about it, I opened my mouth and said 'Please'. The parents, who were some distance behind, called out 'well, if you'd just got out of the way...'

Isawthelight · 26/07/2018 16:59

No, I am not that parent or the 'don't crush the kids spirit' brigade. I am however, gobsmacked as I have never witnessed these types of behaviours that I have seen described on mumsnet recently

I've seen lots and lots of this behaviour, it's sadly becoming more and more common. A few years ago I was in a large clothes shop, a little boy about 3yo was kicking lumps out of a display rack, kicking all the merchandise off and damaging it...his dad looked on proudly and laughed at him, so little boy thought this was great and carried on with even more enthusiasm. As a parent, this just absolutely baffles me, I would love to ask these types of parents why they think this is 'funny' or 'cute'.

Baumederose · 26/07/2018 17:07

I see it alot. And whenever the parent smiles at me as if to say awwww look, I give them the death stare