Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Grotto Argument

92 replies

applesauce1 · 18/12/2019 11:07

Firstly. The DAILY MAIL ARE WANKERS.

Took my son to see Father Christmas today at a lovely grotto. There were craft activities and an animatronic festive trail with Christmas music in the background. I went with my mum.

While walking through the animatronic trail, showing my son the (somewhat disturbing) dancing reindeer, a man gets on his phone and starts having a really loud conversation about his Sunday football lineup. My mum was cross as it was spoiling the atmosphere. After around 5 minutes, mum asked him to kindly hang up so she could enjoy the Christmas music. He started having an argument with her about how it was an important work call, and that she was spoiling the atmosphere by having a go at him. My mum then suggested that he spend less time on his phone and pay attention to his child. The wife/partner also got involved and a raised voice altercation ensued between the three of them.

Honestly, I hate conflict so I became very very engrossed in the dancing penguins, talking at length to my baby about how they really do go up and down.

Him being on the phone so loudly for so long was annoying, but I personally would have just tried to ignore him.

Oh and the experience cost £15, if that’s relevant.

Who was being unreasonable?

OP posts:
Blibbyblobby · 18/12/2019 11:55

Like they wouldn't just delete that bit?

Isn't it more that they won't link to a thread that starts like that, and they are less likely to write about a thread they can't link to?

Vulpine · 18/12/2019 11:55

Worra liberty - surely the one place a father should pay attention to his kid is in a Santa's grotto?

Blibbyblobby · 18/12/2019 11:57

Oh, and YANBU. Rude people don't deserve courtesy, your mum has not obligation to be the better person and twats should be called out on their twattery

Original poster
applesauce1 · 18/12/2019 12:01

I am now feeling ashamed that I didn’t stand up for my mum.
He could easily have stepped away to take the call or lowered his voice.
My mum is an actual superwoman.

The bit about DM was to try and deter lazy “journalists” from stealing content from mumsnet. If we wanted to have our writing featured in that newspaper, we could all get jobs there (it apparently requires no qualifications; the grammar and spelling are not of the standard I’d expect of a year 6 child), but we do not.

OP posts:
Angelw · 18/12/2019 12:02

I wish people like him can be invisible...

Vectura · 18/12/2019 12:03

I agree that it does deter DM. Writing 'please do not repost this' is utterly useless, but 'DM are wankers' is always worthwhile as I've yet to see them write a post which then links to a thread insulting them.

Also, your mum is a legend.

FizzyIce · 18/12/2019 12:04

Your mum shouldn’t have brought up his parenting, that’s goady and I’m not surprised it turned in to an argument but loud phone talkers are very annoying . I would’ve held back though to let them get clear of me

BlastEndedSkrewt · 18/12/2019 12:04

the man was rude however he is in a public place & more than entitled to use his phone whenever & wherever he wants to

WorraLiberty · 18/12/2019 12:05

Worra liberty - surely the one place a father should pay attention to his kid is in a Santa's grotto?

There are lots of things parents should and shouldn't do but that doesn't make strangers any less rude, to tell them how to parent.

Every time I walk past my local primary school I see parents meeting their kids, with a mobile phone glued to their ear but I don't run around telling them to pay attention to their kids.

PurpleDaisies · 18/12/2019 12:05

Don’t you think that’s more likely to be because there are thousands and thousands of threads on here and only a few male it into the press. They have definitely quoted posters with usernames like “thedailymailarescum” but left out the name.

SandAndSea · 18/12/2019 12:06

I love that your mum spoke to the man about being on his phone. Too many people behave in ways which ruin lovely things for others.

Evilmorty · 18/12/2019 12:06

I’m actually really pleased that your mum made the point about him not paying attention to his child. He can shout down the phone anywhere. He doesn’t need to wait till everyone has paid £15 to get in and his child is making memories.

Radardodgingninga · 18/12/2019 12:06

the Daily Mail don’t ‘link to threads’. They reference MN and then cut and paste the parts of the thread that that suit them. Crap as they are, even the DM are capable of cutting out out any line that criticises them.

WorraLiberty · 18/12/2019 12:07

The bit about DM was to try and deter lazy “journalists” from stealing content from mumsnet. If we wanted to have our writing featured in that newspaper, we could all get jobs there (it apparently requires no qualifications; the grammar and spelling are not of the standard I’d expect of a year 6 child), but we do not.

The DM is Mumsnet's most popular linked to newspaper. Journalists will always get stories from here, whether you tell them they 'can't' or not.

Evilmorty · 18/12/2019 12:08

Every time I walk past my local primary school I see parents meeting their kids, with a mobile phone glued to their ear but I don't run around telling them to pay attention to their kids.

But primary school is everyday, and free Wink This was a ‘premium time’ call. Emotionally and financially!

Lulualla · 18/12/2019 12:09

@Radardodgingninga

They do sometimes. It's how I joined mumsnet. They'd written an article about a thread and down at the bottom was a blue linked to the thread. I clicked so I could read the full thing! Then joined mumsnet.

Please dont judge me for reading the daily mail! It was years ago!

Nicolastuffedone · 18/12/2019 12:12

I’m not sure what your mother expected to happen? Did she think he was going to apologise and say she was quite right? I wouldn’t have liked it, but I wouldn’t have made a scene in from of children

OrangeCinnamon · 18/12/2019 12:14

Was it Keydell? I miss going there besides the point ...he sounds like a self important knob

lovemenorca · 18/12/2019 12:15

I really don’t think you need to worry about the DM picking up this story!

Drum2018 · 18/12/2019 12:15

He was a dickhead. He should have gone outside to take his call. Your mum was right to have a go.

Pfefferkuchen · 18/12/2019 12:17

YABU for your nonsense about the DM

was to try and deter lazy “journalists” from stealing content from mumsnet. it's public forum, they are not stealing anything anymore than forwarding a FB post from MN quoting this thread would be.

Apart from that, your mum sounds great.

Amanduh · 18/12/2019 12:19

Asking him to put phone away/stop being loud politely, fair enough. The comment about spending less time on phone and more on kids was rude and inappropriate.

lovemenorca · 18/12/2019 12:20

He was probably being ignored by most
But the spat between your mother and him would have spoilt the magic for some children

WorraLiberty · 18/12/2019 12:25

Please dont judge me for reading the daily mail! It was years ago!

Most of Mumsnet read the Daily Mail, why would they judge you?

5foot5 · 18/12/2019 12:32

Good for your Mum.

But it's a shame that the people running the grotto were not monitoring things better so they could have stepped in to try to prevent this situation.