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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to think the shop owner was rude for no reason

407 replies

Issania87 · 17/10/2020 19:41

Hi all,

So I took my 2 year old out to the shops with me earlier, and as we were on the way back to the car we stopped at a greengrocer.

I picked some items and went to the till to pay with my son, and then as she was ringing up with items I heard her mutter rudely "oh great". I looked up and saw that my son had picked up a carrot and chopped the end off of it. I turned back to her and asked her to please add the carrot on to my bill, and she did so. I paid, and then as I was putting the items into my bag, I heard her say "oh for God's sake", and I turned and my son had taken a strawberry off a punnet and eaten it. I admit I did lose my temper a little because the whole time we had been in the store from the moment we walked in, she had looked at us like we were both pieces of poo on the floor, so I said to her that there was no need to be rude, and immediately apologised and offered to swap the punnet with the one I had purchased, and she basically told me that she wasn't being rude and I needed to watch my child. I said to her that I was watching my child I just had to pack my bag, and said it wasn't like he had done anything major, he had eaten one strawberry. She said to me that he can't just go around helping himself to food, and I said yes I realise that but he is only 2, to which she replied well he needs to be in a buggy then, my children would have been in a buggy at that age.

Now, I am by no means suggesting I dont realise that my son was naughty in what he did, because I do, and I have never had a problem with him in those kind of shops before or of course I would have taken a buggy with me, but AIBU by thinking that she completely overreacted and there was no reason to be so rude to me?

OP posts:
murasaki · 17/10/2020 22:17

No to the shopkeepeer, but you can't let kids run wild and free with open food these days. She needs to keep an eye out. And not just say 'oh well it is because he is young'.

VillageGreenTree · 17/10/2020 22:17

I can see both sides of this to be honest

CantBeAssed · 17/10/2020 22:18

@girlcrush i wouldn't be assuming that no one other than a toddler has touch fresh fruit and veg, have you ever been in fruit and veg shop or the aisle in supermarket to witness how many people have poked around stock!

murasaki · 17/10/2020 22:18

OK, maybe it was a bit harsh, but it wa also slack parenting. Bad on both parts. I apologise for mine, does the OP?

ChronicallyCurious · 17/10/2020 22:21

YABU

laidbacklife · 17/10/2020 22:22

She was being a twat. Fruit & veg is handled by numerous people before it reaches the shelf and it should always be washed before eating anyway.

CantBeAssed · 17/10/2020 22:23

@murasaki you personally insulted op by calling her child a brat, why on earth should she apologise to youConfused

GirlCrush · 17/10/2020 22:23

@CantBeAssed doesn't mean shops shouldn't make the effort, and maintain high standards of cleanliness.

eddiemairswife · 17/10/2020 22:27

James Bulger's mother only turned her back for an instant while she paid for something.

Arthersleep · 17/10/2020 22:27

You are unreasonable for saying that your child was naughty. He's a toddler and cannot possibly be expected to know the etiquette in shops re oayment etc. However, you should have been watching him much more closely. She was rude though.

Scweltish · 17/10/2020 22:29

@Mella91

People can be mean with their replies!

He was 2 years old - you are not being unreasonable. She was being a miserable cow. Everyone washes the fruit and veg they purchase once home.

Does no-one else have a 2 year old? How is OP supposed to bag her groceries, pay up and keep an eye and hand on DC at the same time.

I must be an anomaly then as I’ve never known a single person to wash their fruit and veg when they get home. And I also manage to control my toddlers when I’m doing a shop, to the point that I’m genuinely baffled that other people find it an issue
yellow055 · 17/10/2020 22:29

@Ohtherewearethen

Ok you clearly lack empathy and can't understand how else this basic human interaction could have gone ..

So for example let's pretend I am the shop keeper. I see mum coming towards me with a toddler . She is probably talking to him trying her best to keep him close etc . Common sense would tell me just to scan and pack ! Or at least ask if she has a bag or wants me to pop them in the bag for her . Every fruit and veg shop I have ever been into ( without children) just ring the items through and put straight into a bag what is the problem?

yellow055 · 17/10/2020 22:32

An FYI I saw an older adult pick up every peach in the aisle and give them a good feel!

Ohtherewearethen · 17/10/2020 22:32

@Arthersleep - I completely disagree. A 2 year old absolutely can be taught not to touch things in shops. If they don't understand that yet then you supervise them closely and don't set them up to fail.

PyongyangKipperbang · 17/10/2020 22:32

I think you both were tbh.

She for the way she spoke and commented, but then you dont know what she has to do with any potentially contaminated produce. I would imagine that either punnet would have to be chucked, the first as your son touched it or the second because you had. How many losses has she suffered in recent months due to that?

That said, my kids at 2 would not have done this as they knew they were not allowed to eat food not given to them from me. Its basic safety, you know like not eating berries off bushes etc.... and yes you should have supervised him much better or had him in a buggy.

Clymene · 17/10/2020 22:34

@eddiemairswife

James Bulger's mother only turned her back for an instant while she paid for something.
Oh ffs. Do you really just do that?
Bazinga007 · 17/10/2020 22:36

Why weren't you looking after your child?

IdkickJilliansass · 17/10/2020 22:36

@eddiemairswife

James Bulger's mother only turned her back for an instant while she paid for something.
What the fuck
GirlCrush · 17/10/2020 22:36

@yellow055 you make it sound like she's got a disability. its a kid, lots of us have them, some of us have multiple! I wouldn't expect someone to touch something i've brought from home with me....

yellow055 · 17/10/2020 22:39

@Ohtherewearethen do you have a job where you are kind / help others out ? I suspect you are all self.

murasaki · 17/10/2020 22:39

@cantbeassed - I didn't mean apologise to me personally, just for her failure to control her child.

And whoever brought James Bulger into the conversation needs to have a serious think about what they said. That is really awful.

Forget everything I've said (for which I say, I apologise) , that has just top trumped it all. I can't believe that has actually been said. RIP James.

yellow055 · 17/10/2020 22:40

This should have been to @GirlCrush

@Ohtherewearethen do you have a job where you are kind / help others out ? I suspect you are all self.

Not disabled no but she would appreciate popping a few items in a bag .

Gancanny · 17/10/2020 22:41

@eddiemairswife surely you aren't implying that Denise Fergus was in any way to blame for what happened to her son?

yellow055 · 17/10/2020 22:41

@murasaki agreed very sad someone did this on the thread. Rest in peace .

Wearywithteens · 17/10/2020 22:42

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.