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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Was I in the wrong? Feel stupid now.

198 replies

MiaAnnabell3 · 04/09/2021 15:29

In town today, very busy shopping centre.

Whilst paying for parking a little boy came running past me - very distressed, you know that "blind panic" when they've lost their parents. Shouting mummy repeatedly.

As he was heading through the doors to the multi story car park I left my own kids with my husband and was thankfully able to get myself in front of him before he made it out - I never touched him, just blocked his way.

I asked him if he knew where to find mummy but he was so distressed it was hard to understand, was just shouting for his Mum.

A couple came through the doors and I said "Is this boy with you?"

To which two women appeared and said "No he's with us. We were watching him from over there. He was having a tantrum and you gave him the attention he wanted. You want to keep your nose out!" Then sort of snatched him up and walked off. One of them also shouted "Karen!" over her shoulder.

Feel really stupid now. Sad

OP posts:
Aposterhasnoname · 04/09/2021 15:31

No, you weren’t and they are a pair of twats.

And if I told what I’d do to someone who called me Karen, I’d get deleted and/or banned.

HollowTalk · 04/09/2021 15:31

I think they are what's known as a pair of twats. Don't give it another thought.

Mrspimplepopper · 04/09/2021 15:32

Omgoodness op no way we're you wrong. Stupid stupid women allowing her child to become so distressed thinking he was lost

You did the right thing op

Hellocatshome · 04/09/2021 15:32

No not stupid, its is one thing ignoring a tantrum but not when it puts the child in danger such as running into the car park. You were right they were wrong.

LawnFever · 04/09/2021 15:33

You weren’t in the wrong whatsoever, they sound like absolute morons.

HollowTalk · 04/09/2021 15:33

@Aposterhasnoname That's so funny we said the same thing. I hadn't read your post when I made my comment.

romdowa · 04/09/2021 15:33

Nope you did exactly the right thing. Can't leave a small child run off like that in a crowded public area. They can vanish in a split second. The adults that where with him sound like 2 idiots

FionnulaTheCooler · 04/09/2021 15:33

You weren't in the wrong. Leaving a young child to run out into a car park and put themselves in danger is shit parenting, you did the right thing.

lupinlass · 04/09/2021 15:34

What classless women they sound. You absolutely did the right thing.

Soubriquet · 04/09/2021 15:34

Hell no!

They were in the wrong. It’s one thing to have your child throwing a tantrum but this sounds like a meltdown and the caretakers were being nasty

Lulu1919 · 04/09/2021 15:35

You were SOOOOO right

GrandTheftWalrus · 04/09/2021 15:36

What a pair of bellends

SalsaLove · 04/09/2021 15:36

Of course you did the right thing. They were absolutely wrong and probably embarrassed to be shown as uncaring.

Ellarain · 04/09/2021 15:36

Wow, you did the right thing op. The two women the child were with are idiots.

ChateauMargaux · 04/09/2021 15:37

No, you were not wrong to do what you did.

You modelled the behaviour of what people should do when others are in distress, perhaps he will learn that what he is seeing from his caregivers is wrong and perhaps those women might at some stage, begin to reflect on their behaviour.

Original poster
MiaAnnabell3 · 04/09/2021 15:37

Thanks everyone. I just felt silly and like I'd been overdramatic racing to stop him but I had no idea anyone was watching him.

OP posts:
HurryUpAndWait23 · 04/09/2021 15:38

I was in a very similar position to those mums.

Identical in fact!

My 3 year old was refusing to walk home, I was pregnant and I eventually walked away to see if he would follow, always keeping him in sight.
He didn't move and inch, just stood and cried.

Two old ladies approach and presumably thought he was lost.
I stomped back, put him under my and stomped off angry. It been the millionth tantrum of the day by that point, days and days in a row.

I wasn't rude to the women though, snap or insult them!

Those women were a-holes.

Winemewhynot · 04/09/2021 15:41

What a nasty bitch!

Take no notice, what’s that saying.. no good dead goes unpunished 🙄

Winemewhynot · 04/09/2021 15:41

Deed even 😂

Mayorquimby2 · 04/09/2021 15:41

I know this isn't the point but even if you're ok with the term Karen they're still using it in the completely wrong context.

Fucking people not understanding internet culture and trying to use it in the real world

Yanbu btw

1FootInTheRave · 04/09/2021 15:42

They were fucking idiots.

RickJames · 04/09/2021 15:45

Well, you'd be in bits if you'd seen him get squashed by a car. You did the right thing and those parents were rubbish! You are a good citizen.

Nixandwotsit · 04/09/2021 15:48

@Mayorquimby2

I know this isn't the point but even if you're ok with the term Karen they're still using it in the completely wrong context.

Fucking people not understanding internet culture and trying to use it in the real world

Yanbu btw

Really??
bamboocat · 04/09/2021 15:53

Anyone who calls you the 'K' word for preventing their small child from running through and out of a car park is a brainless fuckwit, if you ask me (and I'd have told them so).

You did absolutely the right thing.

BobaFettOnMyBedsideTable · 04/09/2021 15:57

Eurgh they sound vile. Who the hell let's a small child run around a car park like that and let's them get that distressed. So what if he was having a tantrum. You absolutely did the right thing OP. They're in the wrong, massively imo.

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