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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Badly behaved child at funeral

335 replies

bizzybeing · 06/12/2024 07:39

My Granddad died recently at the age of 102 and the funeral was this week. DM and her siblings let all the grandchildren know that the great-grandchildren were very welcome at the funeral but not expected and that it was up to us, as parents, to decide whether or not to bring them.

The great-grandchildren range in age from 14yo to 3mo. The older kids all came as did the baby which was no problem. My cousin decided that her 2yo and 4yo would never sit still so didn't bring them.

We discussed it with our boys and they were all keen to go. DS1 (11yo) and DS2 (8yo) are both generally well behaved so I was happy they should come. DS3 is 5yo and can be a menace so I was less sure about taking him but it was a 4hr drive from home and so we'd have to leave him overnight by himself with the PILs. The PILs were happy to do that but DS3 really didn't want to be left so we agreed to take him. Beforehand we set out clear expectations for him and also agreed that if he didn't cope with sitting still then DH would just take him out and go for a walk.

My DB and SIL also decided to bring their kids. My nephew (10yo) was a delight as always. However my niece (5yo) was, in my opinion, a badly behaved brat. DB and family arrived late (they delayed the coffin to let them into the chapel first) because DN refused to get dressed and then DN proceeded to demonstrate her gymnastics skills at the front of the chapel through the entire service! DB and SIL made a few half hearted attempts to get her to sit down but basically just let her carry on doing cartwheels and twirling around waving a scarf over her head.

AIBU to think that if she couldn't sit at least reasonably still then DN should have been taken out of the service?

FWIW this is fairly standard behaviour for DN and DB and SIL could easily have left her at home. They only had a 45min drive to get to the funeral which started at 11am and was on a day they both normally work so have routine childcare from 8am-6pm.

OP posts:
Fireworknight · 06/12/2024 07:41

That’s really disrespectful. They should have removed her from the service straight away.

Pinkissmart · 06/12/2024 07:41

Yeah, it was awful of them.

Let it go though. It’s done.

GreyCarpet · 06/12/2024 07:41

Yes, one of her parents should have removed her.

BeatrizBoniface · 06/12/2024 07:42

How disrespectful.
My condolences, but what an incredible life he must have had - 102!
How ignorant and thoughtless that this child was the focus, and not your Grandfather. I would speak to them in no uncertain terms.

Mymanyellow · 06/12/2024 07:42

So disrespectful. It’s one thing if a young baby or toddler can’t sit still, but to be acting up like that is totally different. Attention seeking behaviour from her and her parents.

LoveIsLikeAFartIfYouHaveToPushItsUsuallyShit · 06/12/2024 07:45

Sadly example like these are reason people choose to have some events childfree. Yanbu.

102! Blessings. Don't let this overshadow memories of him

username299 · 06/12/2024 07:50

I'm sorry about your granddad💐

I have no idea what her parents were thinking as it's so disrespectful to the mourners. They wanted to pay their respects and had some child doing cartwheels distracting everyone.

I'm assuming they're the kind of parents who think they'll traumatise her if they make her behave.

MelainesLaugh · 06/12/2024 07:52

Awful. I was annoyed when my cousin brought her badly behaved children to my Nans wake because suddenly it became about them and not my Nan. I would’ve gone mental if it had been during the service too

Sansan18 · 06/12/2024 07:54

Condolences to you and your family.
The blame lies entirely with the parents who simply weren't parenting. In saying that I think you need to let it go and I'd be careful if labelling the child as it's simply not her fault.

Ellie1015 · 06/12/2024 07:57

Absolutely one of her parents should have removed her. And they both should have had the common sense not to bring her.

HoundsOfSmell · 06/12/2024 07:58

Just let it go, it was rubbish but pointless getting upset

Moonlightstars · 06/12/2024 08:00

They probably thought it was sweet. So annoying.
However would your Grandad have minded? Mine would have loved it 😁 he always loved a bit of chaos!

oakleaffy · 06/12/2024 08:02

102 is a phenomenal age- you are lucky to have such long lived genes in the family.

The show off girl sounds a complete pain , and absolutely should have been taken out of the church.

No one wants to see her stupid cartwheels at a funeral.

olympicsrock · 06/12/2024 08:04

Ridiculous. I blame the parents

oakleaffy · 06/12/2024 08:04

Sansan18 · 06/12/2024 07:54

Condolences to you and your family.
The blame lies entirely with the parents who simply weren't parenting. In saying that I think you need to let it go and I'd be careful if labelling the child as it's simply not her fault.

A child of ten {edit 5} should know it's not appropriate to be showing off at a funeral. - I see the nephew was 10.

Lemonadeand · 06/12/2024 08:04

I think a lot of people have absolutely no idea how to behave at funerals anymore. Can’t deal with a sad and formal event because everything is supposed to be fun and happy all the time. And if they thought about it at all, probably think their little darling was being cute and spreading joy rather than thinking people may not have found that helpful in their grieving.

Lemonadeand · 06/12/2024 08:05

oakleaffy · 06/12/2024 08:04

A child of ten {edit 5} should know it's not appropriate to be showing off at a funeral. - I see the nephew was 10.

Edited

How would she know this if not from her parents? She’s probably never been to a funeral before.

Womblewife · 06/12/2024 08:06

Very disrespectful and I would be telling them this outright I’m afraid.

personally I don’t think a funeral is a place for children, but this goes over that and in to the realm of nasty. Who lets their kids do gymnastics whilst people are crying and distraught?

timenowplease · 06/12/2024 08:07

Yikes. Doing cartwheels at a funeral - literally. That will go down in family history.

Her parents should have taken her away.

Neolara · 06/12/2024 08:07

Yes, that's pretty bad. But presumably the child is badly behaved at least partly because of the kind of ineffectual parenting demonstrated by this situation.

oakleaffy · 06/12/2024 08:07

Lemonadeand · 06/12/2024 08:05

How would she know this if not from her parents? She’s probably never been to a funeral before.

Would you cartwheel at a cafe? in school? - no.

Sounds like a showoff.

bigkidatheart · 06/12/2024 08:09

They should have removed her

oakleaffy · 06/12/2024 08:09

Womblewife · 06/12/2024 08:06

Very disrespectful and I would be telling them this outright I’m afraid.

personally I don’t think a funeral is a place for children, but this goes over that and in to the realm of nasty. Who lets their kids do gymnastics whilst people are crying and distraught?

I wasn't allowed to go to my own mother's funeral as a very young child..I agree.

Doingmybest12 · 06/12/2024 08:11

Not good to call a 5 year old a brat. But goodness knows why their parents didn't manage this situation though. What did your mum/dad feel as it was their parents funeral. I'd let it go as no point adding to the family upset. I think I'd have focussed on my own reason for being there and not on their parenting hopefully.

WhatNoRaisins · 06/12/2024 08:12

I think some parents really want their kids to have high self esteem that they don't teach them that the whole world doesn't want to see them do a performance whenever they feel like it. I agree it was bad parenting and she obviously wasn't getting anything out of being there so should have been taken outside.