So this week I have been camping with my boyfriend and his family which includes his brother, SIL and their children. One particular child is known for being quite impulsive and a poor listener. They are 9. The mum, dad, nan, uncles have all made comments about the child’s poor behaviour during the trip.
I lent their family multiple camping items which included a blow up bed that belongs to my parents. The child had been told at the start the beds are for sleeping only, they can pop etc. He was warned by his dad again the following day as he was doing rolly pollys on it. On the third day I watched the child do a big jump on the bed (he was sleeping in a bedroom of our tent) and I said “please don’t jump, you’ve been told already it will pop. If you break it then you can give my parents the money to replace it”
Did not raise my voice, was not being sneaky and hushing my tone, just said it aloud and obviously his parents heard. They did not say anything at the time, dad told the kids to come out of the tents, but SIL was quiet and moody and told my boyfriend later she was annoyed at me and that I shouldn’t tell other peoples children off. Boyfriends mum told her she was being unreasonable and she declared that I could not speak directly to her kids anymore and if I wanted to ask them something I ask her first.
The rest of the camping was a bit awkward, she never said anything directly to me and I considered apologising but boyfriend said it would cause further arguing. They mostly did their own thing from then on.
I feel bad that I’ve caused a rift in the family but I also feel strongly that children should respect things, especially when they belong to someone else. Was I in the right to say something? Or did I overstep?