To think a lot of parents of very young children become quite selfish

[allthewaythere]

I am expecting to be flamed but here goes.

Yesterday I was walking on a really narrow street and a couple were walking with a very young baby who’s only just started to take a few hesitant steps, maybe 11 months, so he had dad on one side and mum on the other.

Because the street was so narrow it meant everyone behind them either had to walk at toddler pace or step into the road to get by.

I’ve seen this in a lot of my friends with really young children. Is this a thing and does it pass?

I think with some parents of small children it's more a case of being self-absorbed rather than inherently selfish. Little kids take up so much time and energy and parenting can be so encompassing I think a lot of people get sort of sucked into their little family unit and basically forget the outside world exists for a while!

But some are just selfish fuckers whatever!

Yep new parents of pfbs can be really entitled

I've been like it myself tbh I'm not gona lie

YANBU. People should try not to inconvenience others generally, and this behaviour does seem entitled and quite selfish. A narrow street with other people trying to pass by isn't the time to practise walking.

Bianca it's not just parents who are inconsiderate. I'm quiet in real life but if that had happened to one of my kids they would have felt my anger verbally in no uncertain terms.

Actually I think YANBU, as a mother of a 13 month old. In my experience I have become much less considerate of others when out and about. It’s not out of malice, it’s just you suddenly have to be so much more alert to what the baby’s doing and you’re sleep deprived on top of that... being mindful of not being in the way just sort of falls off the agenda sometimes

Oh and @DianneWhatcock is right, I’m sure it’s particularly a PFB phenomenon

@Knittingnanny
That infuriates me, these mummies think it’s cute to have little Jemima push her dolly around the shops but nobody else thinks that. I think some folk have a baby and leave their consideration and common sense at the hospital

Why would anyone take a small, hardly walking baby for a walk? Mine learned to walk in the house. Once they got a bit more confident, we'd brave a small, quiet park but go in the pushchair because there are roads and stuff, plus I had twins and couldn't count on them not to head in opposite directions.

I know why actually. It's so people can make admiring noises at their precious offspring.

@YouTheCat

"Waiting for people to make admiring noises at their offspring"

Yes this haha 😂

I can't believe that society has gotten to the depths of moaning about an 11 month old taking their first steps all because they had to move a yard to one side to get past. They have to learn to walk on the pavement at some point and as you were behind them, they possibly didn't even know you were there and probably more so because you didn't say 'excuse me'. I'm pretty sure they were focussed on keeping their child balanced and in the moment so a simple 'excuse me' would have probably done the job. That's not possible these days though, usually nothing is said then a post made on here or Facebook to moan about the total inconvenience of it all that the people will never see

YANBU. My area has a lot of parents, and fairly busy roads with narrow pavements. Many times I’ve come across two people walking towards me, each pushing a buggy, walking abreast and taking the whole pavement up. They seem to take for granted that I’ll just step into the road so they can continue next to each other and not have to pause their conversation for ten seconds.
I just carry on walking and avoid eye contact. They quickly figure out the concept of going single file but they don’t like it. It’s selfish and entitled.

It's a bit annoying but if you were in a hurry couldn't you just say "excuse me, please" or "do you mind if I go past you?"

How can you say excuse me when there’s no room though?

Besides, due to everybody having to walk as slowly as the baby there were a big crowd between me and baby. It was only when I went in the road I realised what the holdup was.

Yes. This is really annoying. Not everyone’s parents have made such a big deal out of early steps but such people must imagine they are the only and “bestest” parents in the world.🙄

YANBU it is fucking unbearable

Maybe self absorbed, rather than selfish. As is pretty understandable, really, for many people this is the most meaningful thing in their life.

Self absorbed is fair

My2 oh they did

I use a mobility scooter due to neuro disease. It's unbelievable the amount of pram- pushers who meet me head on on a narrow pavement

I have similar experiences to you and it's horrible. It's just yet another way that people with disabilities are expected to be invisible. I've had to actually say, no I can't get the wheelchair in the road unless there's a dropped kerb, sorry but you'll have to let me by.

The most selfish behaviour I personally have experienced out in public has been from the elderly.

@beautifulstranger101, this is our experience too. DD is in a wheelchair or uses a walking frame and the group who are most helpful/aware are teenage boys. The group who will always walk all over her or move her chair or refuse to move - elderly women.

How can you say excuse me when there’s no room though?

They had no choice then? Couldn’t move to one side?

You chose to dawdle, then you chose to use the road, which obviously was a good, safe solution given you were able to walk past a whole crowd of people without being knocked down.

Molehill/mountain.

I sometimes encounter an unbelievably entitled woman on a bicycle. She rides on the pavement with her dog on a lead. Everybody, young mums with buggies and little children, older people, those waiting at a bus stop, have to step into the road to let her through on the pavement. She rings her bell wildly to alert people to get out of her way and careers through. I told her she should be on the road but she said plaintively that she had to look after her dog. There are some hugely entitled people around.

Its interesting that someone who expects people to get of of her way immediately thinks its other people who are selfish!

I think, overall, YANBU in this particular scenario. Not least because if the kid isn't a confident walker then they shouldn't be in shoes yet.

But I disagree with:
Can't stand when parents take their young toddlers out of the pushchair and let them walk in busy shopping centres/supermarkets etc. It's just such an easily avoidable inconvenience for everyone else around them.

Once that toddler is walking confidently it has every right to be doing so, whether it's inconvenient or not. In shopping centres etc. the aisles are generally very wide so others can get by and they don't need two parents holding their hands simultaneously at that stage. Plus, kids need exercise too and once they can walk independently with confidence and some stamina, they should be permitted to do so.