Was I in the wrong?

[TeaGate]

Took 2yo DD to an indoor activity this morning. It was a drop in tumble & play/gymnastics type session.

Everyone leaves bags and shoes etc on the chairs around the room then we're off supervising the kids. There are drinks and snacks etc on sale.

Normally I wouldn't get the chance to have a drink but this week a friend came too so she was with DD so I could grab a break - I'm just getting over the flu.

I bought a cup of tea and went to sit down. We didn't have a chair because we were late in so just left our shoes etc on the floor. Some other parents were sitting around the room, so I sat on a "taken" chair thinking it wouldn't be a problem. Kids shoes under the chair and bag next to it so I didn't touch any belongings.

Within a couple of minutes a mum came over to me and had a right go at me, saying how dare I sit in her chair. I was really quite shocked, and I hate confrontation so I just apologised and moved away. I didn't dare sit on another chair after that.

I'm now really kicking myself that I didn't stand up for myself, but I'm questioning whether I was BU?

She shouldn't have had a right go at you but I would be miffed if someone moved my bag.
The people running the session need to provide somewhere better to leave belongings.

@GalileoHumpkins I didn't touch her bag. I specifically said the bag was next to the chair and I didn't touch any of their belongings

I wouldn't have sat on a chair with someone else's belongings.

I misunderstood because your first post said everyone leaves stuff on the chairs, I thought you must have moved the bag onto the floor.

I would have sat there too and have done so in a similar situation at a play centre. Unfortunately you picked the chair of someone a bit aggro, whereas I think most people understand the dynamic.

I was just trying to explain the set up. There are chairs all around the room. That's where we leave our stuff. Sometimes on the chairs, under the chairs, around the chairs.

I'm just wondering whether I was bang out of order in the circumstances, or if her reaction has disproportionate to the "crime"

Was it really a "right go at you" or did she simply ask you to move because you were sitting in her chair?

If am wondering if your dislike of confrontation is leading you to read more into what the woman possibly thought was a normal request.

(I'm also wondering why a tumble and play/gymnastics type event for toddlers lets adults with hot drinks sit by the side).

I reckon a bag shouldn’t occupy a chair if a human needs it.

She’s fair enough to say “sorry, that’s my chair” but absolutely out of order to be rude to you.

@shepherdsangeldelight She said something along the lines of "what the hell do you think you're doing? That's my chair. Where do you get off sitting in my chair?" Said quite aggressively. It wasn't a polite, "excuse me but our things are by that chair. Would you mind moving please?"

The chairs aren't too close to the activity but, so kids wouldn't tumble off and bump into adults drinking etc. kids are always supervised too so usually it's parents taking it in turns to sit down with a drink.

This drives me mad.

At our local trampoline place all the chairs and tables have bags and shoes on them with no one actually sitting at them, except for maybe the last 5 mins of the session. So if you’re not going in with your kids there is nowhere to sit.

There are lockers provided so no idea why people do it. The staff won’t move stuff either. Arrgh!

Sorry for the tangent - you’re not BU, OP.

Of course you're not being unreasonable. You can't be expected to stand, while people reserve chairs they're not using. And even if she had an issue she could have been more polite.

People are batshit. I had an argument with a lady on the train the other day who didn't want me to sit in my (booked) seat next to her, because her coat and bag were on it.