Asked to move out of the way in the zoo

[Auxiliary016]

Visited Chester Zoo today with my partner. All good - had a lovely time and admired the animals and quality of the enclosures (much more space than many I've visited before!).

I was really looking forward to seeing the Jaguars, and fabulously enough, one sat right near where I was walking, so I stopped just in front of the enclosure to admire it.

I was probably there for about 5 seconds when everyone started to crowd round, and suddenly this woman came out of the blue and said directly to me "Excuse me, coming through - I've got kids!", heavily implying me to move out of the way. I was shocked and so just moved straight away, but actually on hindsight I'm quite upset. I don't have kids, but I have as much right to stand at the front as anyone else, surely? I paid for my ticket and I was only there for a few seconds. If people wait their turn, there is plenty of opportunity for everyone to get a good view.

AIBU to feel annoyed at this, and to have the right to stand at the bloody front for a few seconds if I want to?

I would almost certainly let a little person move in front, but too often it's a whole bunch of them. It doesn't hurt them to wait their turn.

I moved back once in a similar situation, and found myself behind a full class of students who were taller than me!!

She should have just waited. Very rude.

Had this at festivals when I have got to the front and waited for a very long time so that I can be in the front, then some entitled parent comes over and tries to insert their kid in front of me. Not happening !!

Or worse, they slip in front and hoist a kid on their shoulders.

I have children and would have been fuming over this! I wouldn't dare be so uncultured, ill-mannered and pig ignorant. Should have told her to 0121Do1!

Honestly...I would have yeeted her and her (potentially) council-estate-cast-offs into the pen and watched as a prime specimen chowed down on clearance shelf stake.

(This is tongue in cheek and I would never ever yeet a family into a pit with a Jaguar)

I would get my husband to do it.

Was at Colchester Zoo the other day and afew people with children done it with the lions , they were sleeping next to the glass, so no rush

If they were walking near the glass , yes, let the children get in front of you to have a close look before they go further away

Otherwise, Just wait your turn, Just because you have children, does not make you special

When this sort of thing happens to my DM she’s always gold.
If children are politely waiting their turn she always turns and smiles saying ‘you stand in front of me as you can’t see at all there can you?’
If there are children barging or being barged she just snaps at them to ‘wait their turn’ and gives the parent a death stare if involved.
She used to be a teacher in a rough secondary so entitled people hold no fears for her.

@Herja

I had a bloke once who asked me to swap booked seats in a theatre, moving me to a different area from my own (then 4 and 6 yr old) DC and out of the front row once. His argument was that then his children could sit beside their friends as the two family groups had booked separately and weren't together.

Their kids could have all sat together by the adults in their own party shifting about or one swapping to the empty seat behind that he directed me to. I laughed and told him to piss off.

Some people are just massively entitled dickheads when it comes to their DC. Actually, no - just some people are massively entitled dickheads! You were in the right OP, shame you moved.

Reminds me of when we went to the first showing of a new Harry Potter film, we'd got there early and were sitting at the end of a row. As the adverts were finishing a woman arrived with a string of children, she told us to move into the two free seats further along so she could sit on one side of the aisle to her children who would be on the opposite side, she'd already moved people from there. She was apoplectic when I refused, I was being unfair to the 'kiddies', a word I detest, how could we possible allow them to be seated so far from her? My suggestion that she should be more organised and get there earlier didn't go down well, she tried to involve the cinema staff too.

God ive got a DS but id never instruct anyone to move because I have a child. I hate the entitlement that some have just because they have kids.

I don't think anyone wouldn't move out the way for kids do agree with u there op!

But it's the weird vibe of teaching her kids that they are so special that they should be front of the queue. I can't stand this and see it a lot now. It's not teaching kids manners and it's doing them a disservice. Will be a shock to the system when they realise they aren't number 1. Urgh.

@Bimblybomeyelash

I think you are being ridiculous to get upset about this! Yes it sounds as if she was being rude, but you could just have stood your ground! Or just assumed the best of her. Maybe she was fed up dragging her kids around and always being stuck behind dawdling adults and her kids moaning that they couldn’t see anything and their boooooooreeeeed after she had spent a fortune getting them tickets, and maybe yet another group of people blocking their view was the last straw on a stressful day.

If she can't cope with her children then she should have stayed at home or even not bred them in the first place. They're no-one's responsibility but her's.

It’s becoming obvious that since the pandemic started, that people in general are becoming increasingly entitled. Even when walking in the middle of the road and in front of my moving car while wearing headphones, expecting me to stop. Mums who block my drive who when I ask them to move they argue back that they can’t find anywhere else to park and they’ve got kids to drop off! Where will this all end? OP you should have fed her sprogs to the Jaguars!

To be clear, I'm not into this whole 'stop the breeders' shebang. It's weird. But yes that lady was teaching her kids bad banners.

I’m picturing her saying it in an excitable/breathy/theatrical way. I know some people who do this.

They’re the same sort of people who think their enormous Labrador jumping up at you is adorable.

Not quite the same but was in B&Q a few months back looking for something. Woman with trolley and 3 kids enter the aisle and basically push me down it, I move to keep 2m away, she moves closer. Hear her saying to her kids something about 'grown ass woman', look up, 'yes I'm talking to you, you need to move. I'm just like what, I'm trying to shop here. Jist of it was she felt was more important and had priority over me as she had kids with her. Told her to piss off and walked away. I shook with rage for about 10 mins after!

When I was her kids' age it was a rare adult who would stand back or make room for us to see. We'd have to wait, it was good for us to learn... heaven knows how often my brothers and I missed of films when we found ourselves sitting behind an adult, and no, their was not much could be done about it except sit on your folded up coat or keep the seat up and balance on it. Neither very helpful.

“Keep your distance! I’ve got a contagious disease!”

^ try that if it happens again

I ask ds to wait his turn but I'd absolutely move back to let children in front. I can see over their heads.

Has kids, hasn't got manners.

@AlmostSummer21

She was rude You were wet Posting about it is ridiculous

If this is such a big deal to you hours later, your life must be pretty sweet-maybe focus on that.

Classic cunty mumsnet reply.

Enough to make you dislike children. And their parents.

If this is such a big deal to you hours later, your life must be pretty sweet-maybe focus on that.

The irony!

@Auxiliary016 you are not being unreasonable this is just rude. We were there last weekend and had very similar being hit with pushchairs to get out of the way or long lens cameras!

We always head to the Jaguars first when we go as it seems to be the quietest time. On saturday we were treated to seeing both of them out and about. The male jumped over the female at one point which she didn't like and growled at him. As we were the only family in the inside part at the time we were able to get a few nice pictures. I hope you have a better time next time you visit.

@jillycat72 What a beautiful animal that is - thank you for sharing the picture!

You aren't being unreasonable, I would have been furious about that too. That woman was out of order, and having kids with her doesn't give her a free pass to the front. She should have waited her turn like everyone else.

I was at Edinburgh Zoo yesterday and experienced a rude woman who was behind my daughter and I with her husband and kid at one of the enclosures. Like yourself, we were only standing there for a matter of seconds and the woman said in a especially loud voice to her daughter "yes darling we will get in EVENTUALLY, when SOME PEOPLE let others in". I just walked away and let it go but it kept bugging me for rest of the day that I didn't say anything.

Put it out your mind best you can, and thank your lucky stars you aren't related to her or live next door to her, and you'll probably never see her again

I’ve got kids and would never ask someone to move so they could see I’d just tell them to wait their turn, this is why kids are growing up so bloody entitled these days because their parents aren’t even teaching them basic manners 🤬