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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To avoid this woman based on 1 incident years ago?

193 replies

YetMoreNewBeginnings · 24/01/2023 11:01

I can sometimes be quite tunnel vision-ed, and I can't really discuss this with RL friends so I'm after opinions.

My youngest DD is disabled. Five years ago she had a horrible fall in a supermarket disabled loo. Her condition was deteriorating, but we didn't quite know what we were dealing with yet. I popped her on the loo as normal and as I turned to get wipes she had a seizure and fell forward. She cracked her head on the floor, lots of blood, and broke her arm. The seizure went on to be the longest she'd ever had at that point.

My 7yo DS was standing outside waiting so I opened the door and sent him to customer service to alert them to the fact I was calling an ambulance (due to the seizure going on and on). A lovely member of staff came with a first aid box and blanket and we were focussed on DD.

While we were waiting a woman came along with her DS and asked if we were going to be long. She wanted to use the loo as her DS needed, he didn't like going into the ladies with her as he was too old, but she didn't want him in the gents. He was 7/8 looking. The staff told her we were waiting on an ambulance and she went away.

In the twenty minutes or so we waited on the ambulance she came back three times. Her DS clearly bursting more and more. The last time she came she actually tutted and said "Oh, you're still hogging the toilet". My DD was in the midst of another seizure so I snapped and said "Either take him into the ladies or let him into the gents ffs. We're waiting on an ambulance and we'll be here until they get here." She called me rude, the staff member asked her to walk away and tbh I never really thought anymore about her until recently. She made a scary event so much more stressful.

I take my DS to an event once a month, it's our time together away from the stresses of him living with his sister. It's purely our thing. He's been quite friendly with another boy there, who came with his Dad, but it's never been suggested that they meet up away from the event. At the weekend the boy came with his Mum. It's the woman from the supermarket.

She suggested that the boys could get together at other times since they get on well and that maybe we could have coffee - she clearly doesn't have any recognition of me (which is understandable). DS is absolutely non-plussed by the suggestion. At his age he does a lot of his organising on his own with his friends. I have absolutely zero inclination to have anything more to do with this woman - at best she was having a bad day and behaved like a dick. At worst she has zero empathy.

AIBU to discourage any suggestion of this friendship pf DS's being anything more than it is purely because of the woman?

OP posts:
YetMoreNewBeginnings · 24/01/2023 12:09

I'd politely say that if the children want to get together you'll leave that for the dads to organise

I wish that was possible.

Her DS normally attends the event with his Dad. But I take my Ds. It's our thing together. Sorry if I was unclear.

My current main hope is that her bringing him was a one-off thing. The Dad has never mentioned/encouraged the friendship out of the event.

OP posts:
YetMoreNewBeginnings · 24/01/2023 12:12

Thank you for the opinions. It's much appreciated. A few things to think about.

I'm very reluctant to encourage DS to get involved with the lad away from the event as lifts and the likes will inevitably mean crossing paths with her more often if they become close friends.

I'll see what happens next month. Hopefully his Dad will bring him and it'll just not be mentioned.

I'm absolutely not going for coffee with her. That is simply not happening. Partly because I can't stand her, but also because I barely have time for my actual friends. We manage to get our one-to-one time with DS because of my lovely MIL.

OP posts:
fruitbrewhaha · 24/01/2023 12:13

I don't think I could possibly chalk up her behaviour to "having a bad day". I've been questionable in my interactions with people when I'm feeling pissy; I've not allowed people out of junctions in traffic, or I've sped up to pass through single lane bits of road when I should have hung back to allow their turn, I've also raced to a till being opened up at the supermarket when I should have allowed someone who had waited longer take that place but nagging a women with a disabled child who is requiring medical care and waiting for an ambulance to vacate a loo for an able bodied boy is fucking outrageous. I would find it quite hard not to turn down her invite and tell her why. You are being very gracious. If I didn't tell her, I would at least tell everyone else.

Schnooze · 24/01/2023 12:15

Just keep it to the event unless your ds really wants to. Don’t actively encourage the friendship by facilitating a meet up that your ds isn’t bothered about, but don’t stand in his way if he is.

Renlea · 24/01/2023 12:17

I'd never dream of going for coffee with her, and if she asked why I'd tell her

Irritatedmum · 24/01/2023 12:17

Other people on this thread are so much nicer than me. I would be telling my child a simplified version of the event - which they’re old enough that they’d remember, and if they’re 12/13 now they would be old enough to understand - and explain that we can’t really socialise with that family.

coralgeo · 24/01/2023 12:18

I wouldn't want anything to do with her and unless your DS really needs a new friend, I wouldn't be facilitating a friendship away from the event.

12yos don't usually need their mums to arrange their social life for them and if you get involved she'll be messaging you, suggesting meet ups and you'll be in this situation over and over.

If she takes her son again and has the same conversation with you, I would wave it away with a breezy oh I'm sure the boys can arrange something themselves if they want to. If she suggests coffee again tell her your schedule is too busy.

Pearlygates · 24/01/2023 12:18

The people suggesting coffee dates, are you actually having a laugh??

Velvetween · 24/01/2023 12:19

YANBU. I just wouldn’t, wittingly, invite someone like that in. If she asks again if just curtly reply, “I don’t think so”. And if she presses, you can calmly remind her about your shared experience and say you’d like to to leave it at that.

LiesDoNotBecomeUs · 24/01/2023 12:23

I am trying to imagine her side of that horrific day.
Surely she must somehow have got completely the wrong end of what was going on? Her behaviour is so far away from what is just normal empathy!

(It is perfectly understandable that you don't want to get further involved with anyone who seems to care so little for other people in pain and distress.)

FetchezLaVache · 24/01/2023 12:25

Pearlygates · 24/01/2023 12:18

The people suggesting coffee dates, are you actually having a laugh??

Oh yes, absolutely - I do apologise if my tongue-in-cheekness didn't show! Blush

ButterCrackers · 24/01/2023 12:25

Avoid her. Have friends that make you feel happy.

LeapingCat · 24/01/2023 12:26

I don’t understand how you can possible be sure this is the same woman you saw briefly while distressed five years ago. There is no way you can be certain it’s her.

Anyway, you already have a perfect excuse. All you have to say is that you have a younger daughter who is disabled and therefore don’t ever get time to go for coffee. Say the boys can arrange something if they want to meet, but you usually leave it up to your DS to do this.

DaveyJonesLocker · 24/01/2023 12:27

Absolutely not. I'd just say "no thanks, the boys are old enough to organise themselves" not many people have the balls to ask why somebody doesn't want to be their friend but if she ever does just say "we've actually met before, I don't want to go into it, you clearly don't remember, but I don't want to be your friend." Why should people like that get to swan about in life with no one ever daring to say anything to them, thinking "what does it matter. I'll never see them again".

billy1966 · 24/01/2023 12:29

Absolutely not under any circumstances.

In fact I would be actively encouraging your son to mix with others.

I wouldn't want any pretence around her.

Tell your son the truth if necessary.

Having a bad day does not come within a 100 yards of making her behaviour acceptable.

Awful woman, awful behaviour.

I would completely avoid her.

RealBecca · 24/01/2023 12:30

Just discourage it. Look at it the other way, if you were her friend and she behaved that way would you want to carry it on?

Aworldofmyown · 24/01/2023 12:31

Maybe she does remember, feels mortified and wants to go for a coffee to apologise.

Bytrgrewd · 24/01/2023 12:33

If you tell her why you don’t want to be her friend then she might want her ds to stop hanging out with your ds. Which would be a shame for your ds but solve your issue of not wanting them to get more friendly.

HollywoodOrange · 24/01/2023 12:33

I’m wondering if the penny might eventually drop and she realises who you are. She might then naturally climb up her own arsehole with embarrassment and naturally back away from the suggested coffee meet ups? Maybe?

She was totally out of line and I wouldn’t be able to forget how awful she was during such a distressing situation for you.

If your DS in nonplussed about the friendship hopefully it won’t go anywhere.

Mistletoewench · 24/01/2023 12:33

Hell would freeze over before I would go for coffee with that awful woman,
sending lots of love to you op. I have a disabled child and have fallen out with people over comments etc. but hand on heart no one has ever behaved like that, what an absolute bitch she is, makes you wonder what goes through peoples head

Justalittlebitduckling · 24/01/2023 12:34

I would probably do the same. There are plenty of other kids in the world for your child to be friends with. And I’d probably tell her I recognised her and remind her about the incident, but then I’m quite direct.

BloodAndFire · 24/01/2023 12:36

You met this woman five years ago, in an extremely stressful situation, haven't seen her since, but you are 100% sure it's her?

Justalittlebitduckling · 24/01/2023 12:36

LeapingCat · 24/01/2023 12:26

I don’t understand how you can possible be sure this is the same woman you saw briefly while distressed five years ago. There is no way you can be certain it’s her.

Anyway, you already have a perfect excuse. All you have to say is that you have a younger daughter who is disabled and therefore don’t ever get time to go for coffee. Say the boys can arrange something if they want to meet, but you usually leave it up to your DS to do this.

Or, to slightly alter your response: All you have to say is that you have a younger daughter who is disabled and therefore don’t tend to go for coffee because it can be very difficult if she has a seizure in the toilets and other people are pushy and lack understanding. In fact, you had a particularly difficult incident in [name the supermarket] about a year ago that has really put you off.

SomeUnspokenThing · 24/01/2023 12:39

As @fruitbrewhaha says upthread - having a bad day and being a bit arsier than usual is a world away from what that woman did to you. Encourage your son to make friends with others at the activity. You don't need to welcome that potential stress into your life.

fairlygoodmother · 24/01/2023 12:39

I think if your ds really wanted to meet up with this boy you should facilitate it, but it doesn’t sound like that’s the case.

If you see the mum again and the question comes up again, I’d say something like ‘we have a very busy home life and I barely have time for coffee even with my closest friends so I can’t manage that.’