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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think any parent would do the same? Or am I bonkers

803 replies

Doritosandsourcream · 11/10/2023 08:02

On holiday in the buffet eating dinner all I could hear was my son crying walking from the bar with his juice in his hand. I thought oh maybe he fell over so DH went over to him. Turns out that this little girl that has been picking on him for the past 2 days her dad has grabbed DS and twisted arm so tight he broke his skin and dug his nails into him. (German family)

DS has been coming to me about her saying she keeps pushing him and sticking her fingers up since they arrived. DS finally got annoyed and pushed her back earlier on in the day and she told her dad. So dad got his own back on DS.

I ran over to DH as he was shouting at the dad and the dad was just smirking and something just came over me and I punched him in the face.

Never in my life have I punched anyone and I didn’t think about the consequences at the time I just kept looking at my son he was in flood of tears.

It was the weirdest feeling I have never felt adrenaline like it.

aibu? How would you have handled it? The hotel did absolutely nothing.

OP posts:
ChickHenLittle · 11/10/2023 20:25

Am I missing something - where did OP say she knocked him out?

LondonLass91 · 11/10/2023 20:26

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Have I missed the post where the OP wrote WHERE her child was when he was being bullied? Surely you watch your child on holiday, so it seems he has been wandering around in his own, going to playground on his own etc. That's weird if you know he is being bullied. But aside from that, i punched someone a few years back when they insulted my brother. My brother was late 40s. The man was a well known aggressive arsehole. Luckily I am alive to tell the tale.I can't think where is came from..although I am a cockney soo...

Baffled1989 · 11/10/2023 21:04

I would of done the same, what adult assaults a child?! Well done!

Namechangeforreasons · 12/10/2023 01:39

Malarandras · 11/10/2023 16:36

People have lost children to murder and managed never to punch anyone. If this is your reaction it says everything anyone else might need to know about you.

Because we “people” can’t get close enough to the murderer! Nothing to do with being, what? Nice? Polite? I’m not sure what you’re inferring about victims of crime, but for the perpetrator, they are protected by the police. Unless it’s someone you know, you don’t get to know where they live, or work, or anything like that.

So yeah, we “people” are hand tied for the off.

FourStringsNoWaiting · 12/10/2023 08:16

I was assaulted by an adult as a child and no one did anything about it. I'm still in therapy now

I'm not saying punching someone is right but I am saying I understand how your instinct to protect your child could override your ability to think rationally

And to be perfectly honest I wish someone had punched the adult who assaulted me

So on balance no I don't blame you at all OP

Warum · 12/10/2023 08:38

Baffled1989 · 11/10/2023 21:04

I would of done the same, what adult assaults a child?! Well done!

OP did not see the adult do anything to her child though.

Forgotmylogindetails · 12/10/2023 08:42

@AsWrittenBy morals go out the window when someone abuses your child.

Warum · 12/10/2023 08:46

Forgotmylogindetails · 12/10/2023 08:42

@AsWrittenBy morals go out the window when someone abuses your child.

Did she witness him actually do this though?

CurlewKate · 12/10/2023 09:56

I still want to know about the skin being broken by twisting the arm. What did they say about it at A&E?

MrsSkylerWhite · 12/10/2023 10:13

Oh behave this happened at 18:30 airport transfer arrived at 19:30 we all had work and school this morning. As guest relations said police can take 2 hours they had no cctv anyway so no evidence.

You were having lunch at 6.30?

Flyinggeesei234 · 12/10/2023 10:22

MrsSkylerWhite · 12/10/2023 10:13

Oh behave this happened at 18:30 airport transfer arrived at 19:30 we all had work and school this morning. As guest relations said police can take 2 hours they had no cctv anyway so no evidence.

You were having lunch at 6.30?

The thread is a wind up. Don’t bite!

itsmyp4rty · 12/10/2023 10:29

To be honest if I knew there were problems between my child and another child then I'd have been keeping a lot closer eye on my child.

Tammy8686 · 12/10/2023 13:03

Touch my kid is of punched him too x🤬

KingsHeath53 · 12/10/2023 13:03

Obviously violence is terrible.

But if an adult physically harmed my child I would see red and I know I'd do the same.

The only time I've ever punched someone in anger was someone harmed my younger sibling and same thing, saw red. I'm not sorry about that either.

Liamgallaghersparka · 12/10/2023 13:04

Well done! I'd have done the same, absolute cretin.

Courtneyanjacksmum · 12/10/2023 13:08

Somethin takes over you when Ur child gets hurt by another child on purpose, but when it's another adult!!!! I don't no if I would have the balls but I say good on you !! Probably not popular answer but the lioness in your came outttttt

ELG1972 · 12/10/2023 13:11

I wanna start by saying I totally understand why you did what you did, I can't 100% say I wouldn't have done the same thing. With that being said, of course two wrongs don't make a right. It should have been handled with violence. I'd like to think that I in this case would have been the bigger person and would have handled it through a chain of command. Acting on impulse and anger could definitely get one into trouble.

Welcome2thecircus · 12/10/2023 13:17

Personally I would've verbally gone nuts and rung the police, got all cctv footage and pressed charges for assault.

Appreciate you must've seen red but a punch in the face is letting him off lightly, and now puts you at fault.

However, in the heat of the moment I understand why.

Roxydenn · 12/10/2023 13:20

Are you saying a full grown man assaulted your child and marked him/made him bleed???? Why weren't the police called and why would your husband let a man do this!?!?

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 12/10/2023 13:37

I understand the urge. but would not have done it (hopefully). Definitely nothing to feel guilty about however.

The IMO ideal reaction would be to take a photo of son´s arm, get it seen by a doctor and to immediately contact the police.

Fernticket · 12/10/2023 13:43

LemonPeonies · 11/10/2023 08:10

Yes I would. Well done

This. There is no fury on earth like that of a mother.
I appreciate that this would be regarded as assault but I would have done the same in your shoes. An adult assaulted your DS.

NeverKnowinglyUnderbought · 12/10/2023 13:47

Nice one, Mama Bear!

xILikeJamx · 12/10/2023 13:51

You did precisely the correct thing in the situation OP. Well done

Poopants1000 · 12/10/2023 13:53

You are not bonkers! You were protecting your child from a weirdo who assaults children!!!!.....hopefully he will think twice next time!!!! X
Hope your little boy is OK x

lettingtheforumdown · 12/10/2023 15:05

Courtneyanjacksmum · 12/10/2023 13:08

Somethin takes over you when Ur child gets hurt by another child on purpose, but when it's another adult!!!! I don't no if I would have the balls but I say good on you !! Probably not popular answer but the lioness in your came outttttt

This post and the name of the poster tell you everything you could possibly want to know about people who behave like this.

I can only imagine that MNHQ are letting this pile of crap keep on running because they're having such a laugh at all the thugs on the thread. I highly doubt that HQ is packed with women who go around thumping people giving free rein to their inner "Mama Bear" <boak>.