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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To complain to Sainsbury’s about their Valentine’s balloons?

276 replies

BalloonTrauma · 12/02/2021 23:50

I was blowing one up when it popped right in my face - forehead and cheeks now extremely painful, red and swollen. I wear glasses, so I don’t know if that had a protective impact, but I could have sustained a corneal abrasion or some eye injury... very scary to think about.

And it was still relatively small when it popped - hardly overinflated. I’ve never had this happen before either.

AIBU to complain about these bastard objects?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
SatsumasOrClementines · 13/02/2021 12:31

Oh god I went to school with someone with a balloon phobia.

Around 7years old I remember whole class parties in church halls were The Big Thing. She came to every single birthday party and had dramatics about the balloons. Every. Single. Time.

Each party started with trying to cajole her into the hall and then moved on to a gaggle of girls spending the party standing around comforting her. Then the adults would start wondering if they should take down and hide all the balloons.

At every single party at least half of it was taken over by this girl and her balloon phobia.

At my party the organiser started us on that game where you all stand in a line and pass the balloon over heads and under legs? The girl was absolutely screaming. Instead of just sitting it out none of us were allowed to play. And I really liked that game...

Toddlerteaplease · 13/02/2021 12:34

Definitely one for Angry people in local newspapers!

fastwigglylines · 13/02/2021 12:41

@Hetilia

How would you feel if you were in A&E with your DC if they'd been injured by this balloon? And had read information saying this is a known issue with this style of balloon?

I think the 89% of people on here voting that the op is unreasonable just sums up what I always suspected; that the percentage of the population are nasty / unpleasant or just plain stupid is really quite high. I'd put it at around 85% percent. Seemingly I'd underestimated.

I don't think AIBU is representative of the general population. It's become a really nasty corner of this site where people who like to gang up and put others down, congregate.

Not even all of MN is like this.

The mods here have let this go in and it's become a festering boil. AIBU attracts more such empathy-challenged, small minded people as they see they can get away with it here.

Thankfully most people are not like this IME.

Whatamesssss · 13/02/2021 12:49

Come on lighten up. I am sure the OP started this thread with a bit of tongue in cheek.

If she didn't, OP I am sorry you are in pain, sometimes balloons pop when they are being blown up, it's happened to me too. Don't complain, it's just an unfortunate accident.

Hetilia · 13/02/2021 12:49

AIBU attracts more such empathy-challenged, small minded people as they see they can get away with it here.

You're certainly right there. It's revolting to see so many of these people all in one place, feeding off each other whilst they rip one person to shreds. Lord of the flies played out online.

LucilleTheVampireBat · 13/02/2021 13:03

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Sparklingbrook · 13/02/2021 13:03

Maybe post here OP? If you want to Sue Ginger Ray.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/legal_matters

Hetilia · 13/02/2021 13:11

I love these threads when a self appointed Head Girl turns up and tells people off for being meanies. Grow a pair ffs!

Are you still at school? You appear to have the mentality of a particularly immature teenager.

RootyT00t · 13/02/2021 13:13

Log it with 101. This is serious. In fact , maybe you should go to a and e.

Sparklingbrook · 13/02/2021 13:14

People being a bit mean in AIBU. On MN? Whatever next? Shock

Original poster
BalloonTrauma · 13/02/2021 13:18

@SatsumasOrClementines

Oh god I went to school with someone with a balloon phobia.

Around 7years old I remember whole class parties in church halls were The Big Thing. She came to every single birthday party and had dramatics about the balloons. Every. Single. Time.

Each party started with trying to cajole her into the hall and then moved on to a gaggle of girls spending the party standing around comforting her. Then the adults would start wondering if they should take down and hide all the balloons.

At every single party at least half of it was taken over by this girl and her balloon phobia.

At my party the organiser started us on that game where you all stand in a line and pass the balloon over heads and under legs? The girl was absolutely screaming. Instead of just sitting it out none of us were allowed to play. And I really liked that game...

That sounds very unpleasant and small-minded of you (as an adult reflecting on the situation...you can’t help that you liked that game as a child). People can’t always control what they’re afraid of, and you don’t have to look far on MN to see stories of grownups and children who are nervous or scared of balloons.

——

Backstory here with 2 year old DD: she went to a birthday party at about 8 months old, and was hysterically afraid of the balloons (no idea why, they didn’t pop in front of her...something about their unpredictability apparently). Also became afraid of the yoga ball at home. It was still happening at a 1st birthday party she attended.

Anyway, I bought the book The Red Balloon, read it devoutly (apparently it can help children get over these fears), slowly got her used to tiny balloons around her etc, until they were almost normalised. I didn’t want her to be freaking out at every future party either. So yeah it’s rubbish that she saw that yesterday, heard me cry out and now cries at the sight of even the balloon packet (when I took it out to take a pic for MN). Back to square one.

OP posts:
RootyT00t · 13/02/2021 13:19

@fastwigglylines

JFC what a bunch of arseholes on this thread, thinking they're so clever while laughing at another's misfortune.

Playground bullies, the lot of them. I've been on MN over a decade and all the posts I've read this morning have been like this, it's definitely getting worse, I think this might be the last straw tbh.

OP of course you should complain. You were injured by a product that should have had safety information that was either missing or not prominently displayed.

Oh behave.

We are laughing at talk of explosion, hysterics and trauma!

RootyT00t · 13/02/2021 13:20

The balloon packet which you took a picture of for MN 😭😭😭😭

SchrodingersImmigrant · 13/02/2021 13:28

We are laughing at talk of explosion, hysterics and trauma!
Exactly

SlopesOff · 13/02/2021 13:29

@stampsurprise

Every time I am blowing something I feel like it might take my eye out - going to take a tip from OP and start wearing glasses for protection from now on!!!!

DH will be surprised 🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓

If you are blowing, you might find he is surprised already.
Whatamesssss · 13/02/2021 13:29

Backstory here with 2 year old DD: she went to a birthday party at about 8 months old, and was hysterically afraid of the balloons (no idea why, they didn’t pop in front of her...something about their unpredictability apparently). Also became afraid of the yoga ball at home. It was still happening at a 1st birthday party she attended. Anyway, I bought the book The Red Balloon, read it devoutly (apparently it can help children get over these fears), slowly got her used to tiny balloons around her etc, until they were almost normalised. I didn’t want her to be freaking out at every future party either. So yeah it’s rubbish that she saw that yesterday, heard me cry out and now cries at the sight of even the balloon packet (when I took it out to take a pic for MN). Back to square one.

You've over egged it now. Grin

Hetilia · 13/02/2021 13:29

We are laughing at talk of explosion, hysterics and trauma

You (general you) are laughing at the fact that the op has had a balloon explode in her face which has damaged her skin, and berating her for the fact she hasn't read the non existent instructions. And for the small minded people here, that is somehow funny. Absolutely. bloody. Hilarious. Hmm Go you. It's intriguing (not in a good way) to see just how repulsive and spiteful some people truly are.

SatsumasOrClementines · 13/02/2021 13:31

That sounds very unpleasant and small-minded of you (as an adult reflecting on the situation...you can’t help that you liked that game as a child).

Oh 100% I am very salty about it. 😂

But after something like 20 whole class hall parties all revolving around balloon girl it got to be a bit much for my 1990s seven year old self who just wanted to watch a magician and run around in my swishy dress and play musical statues and eat birthday cake. (Especially at my own birthday party.)

RootyT00t · 13/02/2021 13:31

@Hetilia

We are laughing at talk of explosion, hysterics and trauma

You (general you) are laughing at the fact that the op has had a balloon explode in her face which has damaged her skin, and berating her for the fact she hasn't read the non existent instructions. And for the small minded people here, that is somehow funny. Absolutely. bloody. Hilarious. Hmm Go you. It's intriguing (not in a good way) to see just how repulsive and spiteful some people truly are.

I'm confused as to why you've read what we are laughing at then making up things. Did I mention her skin or her reading the instructions?

Il say if again and clearer.

I. Am. Laughing. At. The. Over. Egging. About. Trauma. Hysterics. And. Explosions.

Because it is so bloody ridiculous.

Not at injury, or reading instructions, or an upset child , or anything like that.

SlopesOff · 13/02/2021 13:32

@Sparklingbrook

but that's all that was in Sainsbury's

Not exactly @DrCindyPops - the OP couldn't find the normal balloons because for some reason the store was an 'unnavigable maze'. But generally balloons are with the greeting cards. Confused

Ours Sainsburys is like that, since it was 'improved' it has become a complete jumble of badly laid out and random stuff. Can't find what I want so don't bother any more.
Hetilia · 13/02/2021 13:39

I'm confused as to why you've read what we are laughing at then making up things. Did I mention her skin or her reading the instructions?

That's why I said general you and not you. As I wasn't responding to the exact things you as an individual have said, but rather to the use of the word we that you used and the overall theme of the thread responses. I'm not surprised you're confused though, I suspect you find many things somewhat challenging. I generally find that people that participate in a school yard style of bullying are also somewhat challenged in their comprehension skills.

RootyT00t · 13/02/2021 13:41

@Hetilia

I'm confused as to why you've read what we are laughing at then making up things. Did I mention her skin or her reading the instructions?

That's why I said general you and not you. As I wasn't responding to the exact things you as an individual have said, but rather to the use of the word we that you used and the overall theme of the thread responses. I'm not surprised you're confused though, I suspect you find many things somewhat challenging. I generally find that people that participate in a school yard style of bullying are also somewhat challenged in their comprehension skills.

' I suspect you find many things somewhat challenging '

So because I found it somewhat amusing in a world where thousands of people are dying
and life is falling apart thatt the popping of a balloon was referred to as a trauma and hysteria, im out of order and a bully yet you can say things like that to people?

You are deluded.

Sparklingbrook · 13/02/2021 13:42

@SlopesOff I am sure a member of staff could have coped with 'excuse me could you tell me where the birthday balloons are please?'

RootyT00t · 13/02/2021 13:45

@Hetilia

How would you feel if you were in A&E with your DC if they'd been injured by this balloon? And had read information saying this is a known issue with this style of balloon?

I think the 89% of people on here voting that the op is unreasonable just sums up what I always suspected; that the percentage of the population are nasty / unpleasant or just plain stupid is really quite high. I'd put it at around 85% percent. Seemingly I'd underestimated.

So far we are stupid, nasty, small minded, bullies, lacking comprehension....

And you think it's appropriate to speak to us about our words of being amused by the over egging of words (nothing to do with OP herself).

Weirdly enough, all the nasty people I've known in life are usually complete and utter hypocrites.

Original poster
BalloonTrauma · 13/02/2021 13:48

@Whatamesssss

Backstory here with 2 year old DD: she went to a birthday party at about 8 months old, and was hysterically afraid of the balloons (no idea why, they didn’t pop in front of her...something about their unpredictability apparently). Also became afraid of the yoga ball at home. It was still happening at a 1st birthday party she attended. Anyway, I bought the book The Red Balloon, read it devoutly (apparently it can help children get over these fears), slowly got her used to tiny balloons around her etc, until they were almost normalised. I didn’t want her to be freaking out at every future party either. So yeah it’s rubbish that she saw that yesterday, heard me cry out and now cries at the sight of even the balloon packet (when I took it out to take a pic for MN). Back to square one.

You've over egged it now. Grin

Serious question - why? You have a very young child (9-18 months) who cries hysterically every time she sees balloons at a party, or anywhere else. What do you do?
OP posts: