Parents comment about children on sports day!

[Whistledown1005]

Well I absolutely know I'm not being u reasonable but I'm just stunned at what came out of this dad's mouth!

I've spoken to him a couple times and I am friends with his wife. He seemed OK. We were discussing the running races and I commented on how fast his son was and how well he had done. His reply was this........
"It was nice to see all the kids cheering on the fatty children last in the race and struggling at the back"
I was stunned didn't know what to say, so I turned around and started speaking to someone else.
Why did I not say anything! I think I was too shocked that someone would say something so horrible.

Please give me some come backs that I could have said

Turning away is enough. Save your breath for someone that’s worth it.

He was probably genuinely impressed. Sure it’s horrible he called them the fatty children but he sounds unsophisticated and clueless rather than nasty and spiteful?

This is why I would do away with sports day unless it was optional to compete.

It’s never ‘just for fun’, there are always the competitive arseholes who aren’t just content with doing well, they have to be snide and see it as some moral superiority. The public humiliation for those latecomers is real and horrible.

And that makes it ok?

Yeah they know how to support eachother..unlike most adults

Were they fat? = Realness. Were people cheering them on? = Encouraging inclusion. No one would have batted an eyelid years ago.

I swear this is real! It sounds outrageous but I kid you not it's real

Tbh I would have just said ' wow, that's quite a comment ' . But that's no better than just turning away and ignoring, which you did. I doubt anything you say or do is going to change that mindset.
This is why sports day is so unfair. It's not a child's fault they are overweight and forced to compete in pointless running races.
I say this as a parent of a sporty, athletic child btw. It's not right. At least by secondary school there is a bit more choice for kids to find something they're good at.

Why refer to kids as "fattys". Could have just said it was nice to see people cheering on the children who were finding the race tough. There no offensive words used.

"It was nice to see all the kids cheering on the fatty children last in the race and struggling at the back"

'Well, yes, especially if what they're hearing at home is bodyshaming and othering.'

My kids danced all their childhoods. It’s amazing what bitchy comments some adults can make about children. I’ve heard some corkers from dance mums!!

Oh yes! I was a dance child and had comments directed at me from adults as well as awful looks and being ignored. It's crazy how competitive the parents are! I always said we'll done to the other dancers. Could never understand the meaness

Nobody would have batted an eyelid years ago about loads of things. Racism, sexism, ableism. Baffled as to how that makes those things any more acceptable now.

Agree

Horrifically mean. No need to speak about kids like that. I understand that sometimes it’s hard seeing overweight children struggle with activities due to no fault of their own and I always feel bad for them. Calling children fatties is disgusting.

Exactly.
But no, you cannot say this now, they HAVE to like themselves.... despite the possibility of being dead by fifty.

It’s not their fault though. Their parents allow them to become fat. The fault lies there.

• Exactly. But no, you cannot say this now, they HAVE to like themselves.... despite the possibility of being dead by fifty.*

What, do they live longer if you make them feel like shit?

I wouldn't get worked up about it. People men say stupid stuff without thinking, he probably thought he was funny.

‘Yes, it was lovely to see. I expect they’ve already learned not to call other children names as well, it’s amazing!’

Well i am but I'm just in disbelief of the fattist remarks made but an adult about children who are trying their hardest.

I agree with you OP. It’s not a nice comment and not remotely funny so I certainly wouldn’t laugh as this may encourage it. Perhaps he is not very bright or something. I’d just ignore the comment and avoid him if I could from now on.

What's the point in comebacks you 'could've said'?

You chose to ignore what he said which is almost (but not quite) as bad.

Even if you couldn't think of a comeback, most people would've said "That's not nice" or similar.

I couldn't get worked up about it. Some kids ARE fat. Some adults are fat too. It's not like he said it within their earshot.

My favourite part of Sports Day is seeing the children cheering on the classmates who are lagging behind. Fat or otherwise. Brilliant sense of camraderie and some adults could learn a thing or two from it.