AIBU to think I was not rude?

[supercalifragilicious]

School run this morning, I was walking back home after dropping DC at school. I am recovering from a cold and still not 100%, with a slight headache. I was walking past a group of boys who gave particularly loud screams and shrieks, so I held my ears because loud noises make my headache worse. I did try to hold my ears in a most unnoticeable way, lowering my head and just gently holding my fingertips at my ears, while holding my elbows to my body so they don't stick out! In other words, I wasn't trying to show off how annoyed I am, just rather minding my own business and trying to get past this group of boys quickly.

A woman then approached me (presumably one of the mums?) and said to me: "Your behaviour is really rude, they're just children you know!", and then stormed off before I could manage a reply. Obviously I wasn't going to shout anything after her but it did leave me annoyed being told off for nothing. I actually think it is her who was being rude, not me.

What do you think?

I wear hearing aids due to severe hearing loss. Hearing loss is not just about volume but also impacts tone/pitch as to what you can/cannot hear. Shrieking kids is down fight painful and I have had to quickly cover my ears or whip out my hearing aids in the past.

the rude person was that woman and the kids. Just being kids does not mean it is ok to go about shrieking at volumes to impact others around them. Lots of people can be sensitive to loud noises for various reasons.

honestly it reads like you were pissed at rhe kids playing noisily so behaved immaturely to make a point
I wouldn't make that assumption. I've had to do this myself on a couple of occasions and certainly didn't want anyone to see me or 'make a point'. Screeching children can go through your brain like a knife. Fingers in ears is automatic response.

You was rude and done it in a very dramatic way.

Nonsense.

It's great to see everyone got off the crazy bus early this morning

Toot toot

She was rude, and weird, and I would have told her to do one

So many of these responses are coming from an ableist/neurotypical perspective.

I honestly think I've seen everything now. It's not rude for kids to behave in an anti-social way but it is rude for someone to try and protect themselves from it. Got it. Mumsnet is absolutely bananas. Children are members of society - they are human beings, same as the rest of us. They are not miniature Gods.

You were fine to cover your ears op. You were not rude.

YANBU. The woman was very unreasonable at telling you off and making assumptions. There are a lot of people around who project onto others and it creates all sorts of problems.

I'd have told her to fuck off.

What a twat. Hope you feel better soon OP.

There's tonnes of reasons why someone could need to hood their ears when a loud noise happens. She had no right to comment and I don't think you were being rude at all. How does she know you don't have a condition, could have tinnitus for all she knows. You didn't ask them to be quiet or shout at them, I think she's just a busybody and I wouldn't worry about it lovely!

The woman was rude.

My husband would hold his ears as he has menieres disease which affects his hearing.

My adult daughter would hols her ears as she is autistic with hyper sensitive hearing.

Or someone could just, as you were, be feeling ill.

Gosh, I must have stepped into a bonkers, parallel universe.

Not one or two, but dozens of people saying it's rude to cover your ears when the noise bothers you. In what universe, parallel or otherwise, is that rude?

You were not rude at all. Parents who say ‘They are only children’ are in my opinion making excuses for their own bad parenting.
if you bring up brats you should not be put out when other people find your little darlings tiresome.

*Gosh, I must have stepped into a bonkers, parallel universe.

Not one or two, but dozens of people saying it's rude to cover your ears when the noise bothers you. In what universe, parallel or otherwise, is that rude?*

👆👆👆

No, you were not rude. Your hands, your ears and minding your own business too. What´s there not to like?