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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To have shouted at this mum in the park today?

34 replies

Cakepop940 · 12/04/2024 19:51

I was in the park today , weather was warm so it was really busy. The children 4 and 8 were playing on the climbing frame and I was sat on a bench adjacent with a friend and a coffee watching them play. There was a little girl around 3/4 years old , she was in the park playing and I noticed she had run infront of the swings a couple of times. I quickly checked around for siblings/parents but couldn't see but as I was watching my own children I didn't take much more notice. A few minutes later I saw this little girl go flying through the air past where I was sat on the bench. She'd come down the small steep hill and landed funny, her neck had bent and her legs had flown back over her head. She was quiet then started screaming in pain. I looked around momentarily and didnt see anyone, then i instinctively and scooped her up and comforted her. I asked where her mummy or daddy was and she pointed to the other side of the park, i walked over searching carrying this poor child and couldn't find anyone. Then the said she was over there. Her mother was absolutely miles away on her phone head down. I had to leave the gate and walk across part of the field to meet this girls mum. She asked me what had happened and I said she's run down the hill and gone flying and she'd run infront of the swings a few times too. She didnt thank me for helping her child . And shouted at her little girl "what have you done now". I said it wasn't the little girls fault and she wasn't being supervised. And maybe if she had been watching her child then she wouldn't have gotten so hurt. It got a bit more animated and i ended up walking away .Am I being unreasonable to think parents need to stay off their phones and supervise their children in public.i see it a lot in soft plays. People so engrossed in their phones and not taking a slight bit of notice of their surroundings.

OP posts:
Sagittarius · 12/04/2024 23:25

Similar thread to this the other day. Another utterly shit parent. You were right to tell her what you thought of her!

At that age, the parent should be close by and closely watching the child for these very reasons. She obviously hasn't seen the accident, too far away and too engrossed in her phone. Really sad to see.

Devonshiregal · 12/04/2024 23:36

Dancingontheedge · 12/04/2024 20:10

Yes, it’s an addiction.
In the same way you see no interaction between a parent and a child in a buggy, because they’re interacting with their phone. Or small children wandering along pavements by traffic with a techno zombie following. Or no eye contact or conversation when collecting a child from school.

I’m embarrassingly so addicted to my phone but when I’m out in public spaces my kids are my focus. I think blaming it on addiction is letting negligent parents off the hook tbh.

TheUsualChaos · 12/04/2024 23:44

Shit parents are common unfortunately. I'm as guilty as anyone of doom scrolling but never when I've got to keep my children safe and always, always stayed near to them when they were little. Let them explore yes, but stay close enough to intervene if they need you, it's absolute basic level 1 parenting but unfortunately some people just don't have that instinct. Likelihood is that they had similar experience themselves as children.

DaoineSidhe · 12/04/2024 23:56

That is bad. Unfortunately she probably won't have listened to you but it is good that you spoke your piece to her and good for the little girl that you helped her.

Mumsgotaheadache01 · 13/04/2024 09:51

VestibuleVirgin · 12/04/2024 20:53

Regardless of the mother's location, given your description of how the child landed, it was dangerous to 'scoop her up'.

She had already jumped up herself. She wasn't seriously injured and I am a medical professional so I used my judgement in the situation. I wouldn't be moving seriously injured patients.

HoppingPavlova · 13/04/2024 10:10

She had already jumped up herself. She wasn't seriously injured and I am a medical professional so I used my judgement in the situation. I wouldn't be moving seriously injured patients

Are you the OP with a name change fail? It would have been prudent to include this info in the OP, as otherwise you are encouraging others to think it’s okay to pick a child up with possible neck and back injuries (from your description of how the child landed). Also a medical professional.

5128gap · 13/04/2024 10:14

You're not U to think that no. You shouldn't have shouted at the mother though. Who do you think she's going to blame and make suffer for her loud public humiliation?

LemonPeonies · 13/04/2024 10:29

Well done op, I'm not a perfect parent but I still walk around the park with my 4yo. I don't understand parents who sit chatting drinking coffee, scrolling on their phone while their kids are usually the ones either walking up the slide preventing kids sliding down or climbing up high with no one to stop them toppling off and breaking something.

VestibuleVirgin · 13/04/2024 13:11

Mumsgotaheadache01 · 13/04/2024 09:51

She had already jumped up herself. She wasn't seriously injured and I am a medical professional so I used my judgement in the situation. I wouldn't be moving seriously injured patients.

I thought I had replied to the OP - my comment was directed there.
Apols for mistake

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