Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask a mum to keep her kids quiet on the train?

398 replies

Wiennetta · 31/03/2023 15:28

I specifically booked a seat on a quiet carriage as I’m working on a 4 hour train journey (as are most people in the carriage, or reading, snoozing etc). Next to me on the other side of the aisle is a mum with a two year old who is watching his iPad on full volume. He has been running around up and down the aisle with another child, shouting, screaming and so on.

I was trying to concentrate on something, listening on my headphones and politely asked the mum if they could keep it down - at this point the kid was literally next to my seat, in the aisle, jumping up and down and shouting. She just said, ‘he’s two, what do you expect me to do?’

I mean they’re kids, they’re little, they’re bored. But AIBU I thinking the parents should at least try and moderate their behaviour, remind them to be quiet, try and get them to sit down and do something a bit calmer? Even if it’s not always successful?

Or preferably not book the bloody quiet carriage.

OP posts:
SunshineGeorgie · 31/03/2023 15:30

Did you point out it's the quiet carriage?

Is there a guard on board to kick her out? Entitled idiot!

Original poster
Wiennetta · 31/03/2023 15:31

She’s now having a chat with someone on loudspeaker 😅

OP posts:
BMW6 · 31/03/2023 15:31

Point out she's in the Quiet carriage and if she can't keep her kids Quiet she should take them to another carriage!

Dominoeffecter · 31/03/2023 15:31

Is she sitting in the wrong carriage??

DrMarciaFieldstone · 31/03/2023 15:31

Go and find a guard if you can. Quiet carriages are there for a reason.

Sleepygrumpyandnothappy · 31/03/2023 15:32

Unless the train is rammed and she’s been forced into the quiet carriage, YANBU.

The last train journey I took with eight month old DS, the guard upgraded all babes in arms to first class to avoid the crowds. I felt for the poor people who had splashed out hoping for a nice, quiet journey.

Iwrotethelyricstoaxlf · 31/03/2023 15:32

Who does the other child belong to?

Also second a pp. If there’s a guard on board get him to shift them.

Original poster
Wiennetta · 31/03/2023 15:32

SunshineGeorgie · 31/03/2023 15:30

Did you point out it's the quiet carriage?

Is there a guard on board to kick her out? Entitled idiot!

I did, I politely just said, ‘not sure if you’re aware it’s the quiet carriage, would you mind trying to keep it down a bit?’ And her response was to shrug ‘he’s 2, what do you expect me to do?’

OP posts:
Strugglingtodomybest · 31/03/2023 15:32

I'd speak to the ticket person/guard/conductor/whatever they're called. She's obviously pretty ignorant.

Sleepygrumpyandnothappy · 31/03/2023 15:32

Wiennetta · 31/03/2023 15:31

She’s now having a chat with someone on loudspeaker 😅

Oh she’s just a twat then.

QueenoftheNimbleFlyingCat · 31/03/2023 15:32

I originally was going to say YABU because as we know, 2 year olds are very loud but as it's the quiet carriage I think it's perfectly fine to say that.

Original poster
Wiennetta · 31/03/2023 15:33

Iwrotethelyricstoaxlf · 31/03/2023 15:32

Who does the other child belong to?

Also second a pp. If there’s a guard on board get him to shift them.

Someone sitting down the other end of the carriage - the kids are running up and down the aisle.

There’s no guard in sight but will ask if I see them…

OP posts:
Coffeaddict · 31/03/2023 15:33

Yeah she just sounds like a that. I mean she's right there's in the context that you can't tell a 2 yo to sit quietly but she should find somewhere other then the quiet carriage

1000yellowdaisies · 31/03/2023 15:33

I mean hes going to make a bit of noise at 2, but shouting and screaming, ipad in full volume is unnecessary and she should be doing something about it.
Second those saying get the guard or ticket inspector, she should be moved if its the quiet carriage

Original poster
Wiennetta · 31/03/2023 15:33

The train is maybe 2/3 full. There’s some spare seats dotted around.

OP posts:
Iwrotethelyricstoaxlf · 31/03/2023 15:34

Also tweet the train provider if you can’t find the guard. They’re pretty responsive (they were when Brenda from Northumberland (not real name) was yawping away in the quiet carriage and woul not bloody shut up and sent the guard to investigate)

DrMeredithGrey2023 · 31/03/2023 15:36

There's a special place in hell for people who watch their phones/have conversations on speakerphone/let kids watch or play iPads at full volume in public spaces.
No one, and I can say this with confidence, wants to hear the tinny din coming from someone else's device

TakeMe2Insanity · 31/03/2023 15:36

Oh I feel for you, I’m so sick of adults listening to things without headphones. Toddlers without headphones are equally annoying.

Email the train company they normally react quickly ie while you are on the train.

MargaretThursday · 31/03/2023 15:44

I agree she should keep them quiet, but she may have been given tickets for the quiet coach without choosing them.
When mine were little I'd be booking 1 adult, 3 dc and often got put in the quiet carriage. My heart used to sink, because, although they were generally very good, and we didn't have screens either, I always felt under pressure.

Iam4eels · 31/03/2023 15:46

I agree with getting the staff to deal with it.

Small children are going to make a noise, that's life and you're going to hear the occasional (or not so occasional) "look, a sheep" / "I need a wee" / "are we there yet?" but parents should be at least trying to mitigate it where they can with headphones for the iPad, some snacks, small toys, etc.

I have far more patience for the parent of a noisy small child who is at least attempting to contain them (even if the attempts aren't successful) than I do with one just ignoring them.

Original poster
Wiennetta · 31/03/2023 15:48

Iam4eels · 31/03/2023 15:46

I agree with getting the staff to deal with it.

Small children are going to make a noise, that's life and you're going to hear the occasional (or not so occasional) "look, a sheep" / "I need a wee" / "are we there yet?" but parents should be at least trying to mitigate it where they can with headphones for the iPad, some snacks, small toys, etc.

I have far more patience for the parent of a noisy small child who is at least attempting to contain them (even if the attempts aren't successful) than I do with one just ignoring them.

Agree. I don’t think it would bother me if she was trying to contain him a bit, but running around shouting while she’s ignoring them just feels really antisocial. To be honest it would be annoying on any carriage, let alone a quiet carriage. I’ve messaged the train company anyway. It’s not a big deal but a relatively long and expensive journey I just wanted some peace and quiet!

OP posts:
GCAcademic · 31/03/2023 15:52

I never book the quiet carriage as people don’t respect it and then the noise is doubly annoying compared to a normal carriage. I don’t go anywhere without my noise cancelling headphones, they’re the best money Ive ever spent.

DrMarciaFieldstone · 31/03/2023 15:54

MargaretThursday · 31/03/2023 15:44

I agree she should keep them quiet, but she may have been given tickets for the quiet coach without choosing them.
When mine were little I'd be booking 1 adult, 3 dc and often got put in the quiet carriage. My heart used to sink, because, although they were generally very good, and we didn't have screens either, I always felt under pressure.

This parent doesn’t sound like she’s trying; she’s not even being quiet herself. She’s not bothered.

carriedout · 31/03/2023 15:56

GCAcademic · 31/03/2023 15:52

I never book the quiet carriage as people don’t respect it and then the noise is doubly annoying compared to a normal carriage. I don’t go anywhere without my noise cancelling headphones, they’re the best money Ive ever spent.

Agree with this. There are, IMO, some people who get extra pleasure out of being noisy twats in the quiet coach.

HoneyPotBee · 31/03/2023 15:56

Have a word with her and don’t back down. She’s clearly one of these people that thinks she can get away with anything because she had a kid with her.

Don’t let her ruin your day because she’s a bad mother.