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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To run away screaming from the local Jubilee street party?

146 replies

PartyHater · 21/05/2022 08:01

I’m sure in some areas a street party might be a lovely thing to take the dc to. I’m imagining freshly cut green lawns, face painting, everyone enjoying themselves and maybe being just a little bit merry.

But that isn’t my area.

My area is fucking terrifying on a normal Monday morning (really, some man attempted to get me in to his house last Monday AM when I was walking the dog after the school run, asking me if I ‘smoked bruv’) let alone a Friday where everyone has arranged to meet in the street outside my house.

The leaflet said there would be face painting and a little something for the adults. Knowing this area, that little something will be copious amounts of drugs, alcohol and it will be considered a boring night if at least a few faces don’t get smashed in or houses/cars vandalised. My youngest son has autism and is noise sensitive, and I know that the ‘party’ will not finish until 4am at the earliest.

We are planning to travel on the said Friday morning to a large nearby forest for the day, taking a picnic, and then staying in a cheap hotel for the night that allows dogs.

DM, who lives in a similar area, says we are being ridiculous. She says that the dc will love it and she is sure that everyone will be well behaved because there are children there (not sure why that would be the case when they don’t seem to care about that usually). She now has the huff with me as I have insisted we are sticking to running away to the woods for the day.

In this scenario, am I being unreasonable?

OP posts:
MzHz · 21/05/2022 10:04

Hoolahulahoop · 21/05/2022 08:56

Tell your mother less. That is my advice. I tell mine very little these days.

This.

and fwiw, I live in a naice village with loads of wellmeaners and I am hoping to stay well out of the twee-fest.

TurquoiseSwirl · 21/05/2022 10:04

Run away and have a lovely night! Good luck for the rest of your degree.
here we’ve already had “No. X never joins in” and complaints we can’t close the street off as not everyone wants to join in.
i am also anti monarchy in general

NotCrossBun · 21/05/2022 10:05

Off topic but I also wanted to chime in an say you sound brilliant OP. Working your way out of difficult circumstances is a hell of an achievement. My DM was brought up in poverty, and as an immigrant language was also a barrier for her and my DGP. DM left school with 2 O levels but she's one of the most intelligent people I've ever met. Scoop isn't for everyone, for many reasons. DM went back and did access at college then uni and became a teacher whilst juggling raising 3 kids. Keep going and in the meantime enjoy your night away with your DC. You deserve it!

NotCrossBun · 21/05/2022 10:06

*school even - typing is not my forte Blush

Unsure33 · 21/05/2022 10:06

LakieLady · 21/05/2022 08:37

I live in a naice area, full of middle-class woke types, and I still wouldn't go to a fucking street party! I'm a republican, so all this celebration of monarchy pisses me right off.

Thankfully, there has been no hint of a street party happening, and there wasn't for the golden jubilee either.

YANBU at all, OP, not at all.

Just think yourself lucky we live in a democracy and you have the freedom to do what you want . Some will want to celebrate others won’t .

TurquoiseSwirl · 21/05/2022 10:06

picassobride · 21/05/2022 09:46

Hah, OP has no idea of the realities of this war and only likes to bleat and hand-wring about old Wiki articles that are full of factual misinformation.

I guess a drug fuelled street party you could liken to a war. Unless you’ve got the wrong thread 🙃

Oblomov22 · 21/05/2022 10:08

@rainbowunicorn
Yes thank you. You clearly haven't read my posts. Hmm

RainCoffeeBook · 21/05/2022 10:10

I live near the a major music festival. We go away every year. You cannot understand living near such noise, litter, crowds, public indecency, vandalism, vomiting against houses and defecating in gardens until you've lived it.

I'd avoid a street party as well. Just going to be a bunch of people shrieking, regardless of the area. It's still drunken shrieking whether they have champagne or cheap lager.

Hohoholymoley · 21/05/2022 10:14

Oblomov22 · 21/05/2022 08:36

Why do you live in such an awful place? Have you tried to move? OP and all the others who choose to live in such awful places? Surely you'd do Everything in your power to move as quickly as possible?

Hahahaha

Johnnysgirl · 21/05/2022 10:15

I can't imagine getting involved in the horrors of a street party. Thankfully our street is incredibly busy and can't be blocked off.
There's a communal one two streets away for the surrounding area, but I'll be giving that a wide berth.

Onlyforcake · 21/05/2022 10:28

I remember an estate nearby having a street party for whatever it was during lockdown. The police turned up, we are a mile away and we're aware of noise, shouting. There were videos on social media that looked like out of control idiots with children looking scared. Now they're making plans for a "proper" party this time, I'm going to be inside with the lights off. Your going away idea is great. Unfortunately, like a large % of the country its not a holiday for me, or my husband.

UndisclosedSupportWren · 21/05/2022 10:32

Oh Holy Mother of God … this thread has just reminded me I need to buy earplugs ASAP 😲 YANBU, it sounds like my idea of hell!

PortiaFimbriata · 21/05/2022 10:36

GoodVibesHere · 21/05/2022 08:49

I live in a well-to-do street, there will be a meticulously organised street party with competitive baking, and obvious judgement on the food items you bring. The women will wear posh dresses, they will fuss over the food table, there will be lots of standing around gossiping about neighbours and laughing about shite. There has been great discussion about which houses the bunting will be strung from.

The party is being organised by the usual ones - there's a group of women on the street really into this sort of thing. Many people in the street couldn't give a shit about the royal family, but will feel pressurised into going incase they are labelled as not being 'neighbourly'.

I won't be going 😂 I'll have to hide in the house, or go out for a long drive and a walk 😂

Oh are we neighbours?

BarrowInFurnessRailwayStation · 21/05/2022 10:41

I'm autistic and the party you describe sounds terrifying. I hope you manage to get away from that area. Good luck with your studies, it sounds like a positive thing you're doing.

OuiWeeOui · 21/05/2022 10:41

I'd go to the woods too. sounds like the perfect plan to me

Johnnysgirl · 21/05/2022 10:42

PortiaFimbriata · 21/05/2022 10:36

Oh are we neighbours?

Show quote history

Probably not, there's a lot of it about...

Muckymaisonette · 21/05/2022 10:43

I remember a similar situation in 2002.

The racist family who shouted abuse at me were the main organisers of the street party for that jubilee and I had great pleasure in dressing up (I put a crazy wig on) and driving off in my car just before they shut the road off to avoid it all, and give them all something to bitch about!

AuntieMarys · 21/05/2022 10:43

We live in a lovely small cul de sac but I am grateful no one is organising a party. When there was one for the last royal occasion (about 20 years ago, different house) we went away for the weekend. My idea of hell.

SomethingToDefend · 21/05/2022 10:50

Good on you Op. Do whatever is best for you and DC's. Who cares what anyone else thinks?
I live on a very nice, quiet estate, so no (or not much) dodgy behaviour, but I'll be giving our street party a swerve. I'm too old to be bothered with other peoples brats and boring, forced chitchat (I'm happily antisocial).

Teateaandmoretea · 21/05/2022 10:51

Yanbu

I live in a naice street but all the neighbours hate each other so we won’t be having a street party 😆. Can’t think of anything worse anyway.

Dagnabit · 21/05/2022 10:52

YANBU. I grew up on a ‘council’ estate and now work in social housing so know exactly what you mean. Those who are saying you are snobby, are absolutely clueless. Or the type of people you are hoping to avoid!

UnsuitableHat · 21/05/2022 10:53

Yanbu, I couldn’t be doing with a street party, having peaked on that front in 1977. I don’t think our road is having one but just in case I’m off on a very long day out on the Friday! 😀

worraliberty · 21/05/2022 10:56

She now has the huff with me as I have insisted we are sticking to running away to the woods for the day.

Why? Was she thinking of attending your street party with you or something?

KettrickenSmiled · 21/05/2022 11:19

How the fuck does it affect your mother whether you attend the street party, chill out in the forest, or even throw caution to the winds & hike up Ben Nevis with a family sized tent?

She now has the huff with me

This has got fuck-all to do with your holiday choices, has it PartyHater?
Let me guess ... it's about decades of criticism, micro-management, undermining & controlling behaviour?

Excuse me - cardinal sin - have not yet RTFT. So won't tell you to cancel the cheque til I've caught up but OMG I think I recognise your mother ... solidarity, sister.

REP22 · 21/05/2022 11:22

I'd much rather do the activities you have planned. I think you're right to take your family away from the street party. I suspect your DM is viewing things through the lens of nostalgia for a time when street parties were lovely, safe community events, but you know that your planned one won't be like that.

Have a lovely time with your DC and dogs, and I hope there's not too much debris/fluids on your door from the party the next morning... Best wishes to you. x

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