To think she should have let my child have the balloon?

[Bleepbleeep]

We were out earlier at a chain pub style restaurant and they had a stand with some balloons on for children to have.

My son (4) went up to get one which happened to be the last but just as he was going up, a woman at a table closer got up and got it (it was very obvious my son was going for it and she turned around to him and said oh sorry).

She then walked back to her table and gave it to a baby sat in a high chair who couldn't have been over 8 months old.

AIBU to think she should have let my son take it rather than giving it to a baby who basically dropped it after 2 seconds and didn't look at it again.

I doubt your child was going to play with it much during the meal either. I’d have just asked if there were any more and offered to blow it up myself, life’s too short to get upset about a free balloon!

This is exactly how I read it. In OPs account she turned around and said ‘oh sorry’ which suggests she turned around, saw the four year old and only then realised she had been ahead of him.

I know Op says it was ‘obvious’ her son was walking to the balloon, but seriously! Why would the woman be aware of what was going on in a bit of the room behind her? Why would she be focusing at all on random strangers who happen to be in the same pub!

Should have taken a fork to it and popped it over baby's head.

Balloons are so dangerous if a little one swallow a popped one. They get wrapped around their vocal chords. I'd never give one to a small child.

Well I wouldn't EXACTLY have wished her dead.. but, y'know..

It sounds like a dick move but hey, the world is full of them!

That wouldn’t make you look like a mad precious parent or cheeky fucker at all.

I think I would actually laugh at you if you did this to me.

This is one of the maddest threads I have ever read! You people are crazy! Popping balloons, barging into tables, spilling drinks and demanding people hand over freebies. And for what?
This thread is essentially, ‘another child got something first that my child wanted.’

Grow up, the lot of you!

Serve her right if the balloon pops giving the baby a lifetime aversion to balloons. Easily done , happened to someone I know ( sniffs dramatically) .

Oh you are vile.

Finders keepers losers weepers 🎈

Cringing hard at that post, too.

Not sure whats worse, the fully grown adult who raced a 4 year old for a balloon, or some of the disgustingly snooty comments on this thread

She sounds lovely. But I guess with a 7 and 8 year old you remember what 3 and 4 year olds are like. With a baby you haven’t experienced it yet.

My daughter would have loved a balloon at 8 months old.

bad luck is all it is. Shit happens.

A grown adult pinching a ballon before a 4yr old could get to it?

The fact she said ‘sorry’ shows she knew he’d be disappointed and she couldn’t care less. She’s definitely a selfish cow.

Yeah, that would have annoyed me too! Obvs it’s not a big deal, as you say, but it is irritating when people are rude without reason!

I’m still low key seething about the dude who asked me what biscuits I was looking for in Morrisons yesterday and when I said custard creams (my niece and nephews’ favourites), took the last FOUR packets and walked off.

People are super rude at times and you just have to laugh it off, don’t you? I mean, we only have to deal with them for a couple of minutes. They are stuck with themselves for their whole lives 😂

Honestly no clue why people bother posting shit like this. This thread is full of absolute lunatics.

Imagine pouring a drink on someone like a PP suggested because a stranger but their own child above yours. Actually mental.

Really?

A fully grown adult effectively shoved OP’s child out of the way. That’s really twatty behaviour and I’m surprised and a bit worried that you can’t see that.

Same. Also, maybe the 8 month old was gearing up for a screaming fit and she thought the balloon would distract him/her. I'm sure you remember how difficult it can be to eat your own dinner while trying to keep a baby happy. 4 year olds are easier to entertain (colouring books etc).

Just sounds like two mums who each wanted to please their child and have a nice meal.

Right? As the thread goes on, she'll have raced past him, pushed him to the ground, and cackled maniacally while saying she was "sorry." 🙄

YABU

Your child is no more deserving of the balloon than this baby, or anyone else for that matter

He has learnt a good lesson, you snooze you lose

The responses here are shitty.

A grown woman who jumps in front of a 4to to grab something for their child is wrong. She's an adult.

It's funny but when you work - as I have done - with children for many years you spot the children of the OP as easily as you spot the children of that woman.

The woman's children dominate in infants.

They are then the ones the parents complain are being bullied in juniors when they other kids stop wanting to play with them because they think it's a dog eat dog world and no one has to share resources or acknowledge someone else's claim on them.

I feel for the kids tbh.

This. Knowing 4 year old boys your son could well have stamped on it and burst it making the baby cry. First come first served imo.

Annoying but imo not threadworthy.