Was this man in supermarket being unreasonable?

[Ididntaskyou]

I went to the supermarket today with my 10 year old.

I want to be very clear before I’m accused of drip feeding or being a menace in the shops. Ds is a very calm, quiet and well behaved child. He doesn’t mess around running riot in shops. We were doing the self scan and I was letting ds push the trolley and we were scanning things together.

Ds accidentally got in someone’s way with the trolley. I would actually say that he wasn’t so much in the way, a supermarket worker was pushing one of those huge carts with stock and was dashing around with it. Ds was a bit slow to react and I told him to watch out the way. At the same time a man with a basket was walking by.

It wasn’t even ds fault, more a case of supermarket worker, ds with our trolley and shopper man all in the same place. But in the interest of good manners I told to mind out the way. Which he did, but being a child he was a bit slow and I had to sort of direct him out of the way.

At which point shopper man decided to snap at ds to look where he’s going with THAT trolley.

Really got on my nerves. He wouldn’t have spoken to an adult like that or to a man. Adults are a pita with their trolleys all day so don’t snap at a child.

My gosh honestly, makes you wonder what on earth these people are like in real life. I don’t have kids but sometimes they’re like a little inconvenience you just adapt to but never angrily or anything. In my supermarket you do sometimes get a child gone rouge as it were lol and before you know it they’re bumping into you or what not and it’s just life. My instinct is to ask if they’re okay, not bark at them. I personally still think even if you’re having a bad day, snapping at a child just has no excuse.

all seems unnecessary from him.

Your world isnt going to fall apart because of it, but i'm not sure why people are on your case here about it.

There are a lot of grumpy adults who can't tolerate children and seem to think they are superior to them. Their loss really, walking around miserable and inconvenienced by the smallest thing sounds like a rubbish way to live. You and DS did nothing wrong, try not to let it bother you. I think it's great getting DC involved in the shop doing things like pushing the trolley around and scanning.

Firstly you - I told to mind out the way. Which he did, but being a child he was a bit slow
secondly you - and I had to sort of direct him out of the way.

so 2 actions from you ? were they both verbal and does ' I had to sort of direct him out of the way. ' mean you actually had to touch / move the trolly ?

Thanks, this thread has made me laugh tbh. I sort of knew there’d be people saying get a grip, that’s just mumsnet for you.

Sometimes stuff happens that gets right on your nerves, and here’s a good place to vent.

So what happened was, we were in the aisle about to go round the corner. We were quite tucked in though, close to the shelves.

Next thing supermarket worker comes trundling along with the big cart and needed space to come through. At the same time, grumpy basket man was also coming through and trying to get around cart worker woman.

Tbh I don’t think we were even in the way, they were, but because I have good manners I told ds to mind out the way. He was a tiny bit slow so I sort of moved ds, and the trolley around the corner and out of the way. At which point grumpy man snapped at ds.

Ds didn’t actually do anything wrong, it was just one of those situations where somebody needed to give way.

The man was being impatient and trying to barge past us and the supermarket worker.

People are definitely more bad tempered now. When I see kids pushing a trolley I think it’s lovely they’re helping! Giving the benefit of the doubt that guy could have been having a really bad day but still

Thanks.

Of course he was, no question.

Of course he was being unreasonable, he just needed to be a bit patient.

But, don't think any more of it, just carry on teaching your child how to navigate a supermarket ie. be aware, be polite, but also don't be the one stuck behind the self stacker while everyone else barges through!

Know I sound like a miserable old cow but I hate children pushing trolleys, especially as they can't even usually see over them and are bashing them all over the place. It's a supermarket, not a playground. I just want to get in and out as quickly as possible. We also get kids running up and down the aisles screaming, or even riding scooters. Probably because they're bored stiff. I really hate the school holidays! But I at most roll my eyes, or very occasionally quietly tut - I consider such encounters part of the general irritation of daily life. The man was rude and shouldn't have told your child off who was completely entitled to be getting in the way, and if he really can't cope with the annoyingness of other people he needs to shop online, or at quieter times.

Meh, sometimes we encounter grumpy people in life, whether we're an adult or a child. Ignore him and crack on.

Actually she’s right. Would it really help anything to respond so aggressively and crudely? And what an awful example to set to your children. Far better to do the Michelle Obama way - when they go low, you go high.

Drama over a non issue.🤷‍♀️

Lord save us there is some very very trivial stuff on here lately, especially regarding children and shops.

Trying to intimidate an 8 year old with his car - what a dangerous bellend. It's a pity the police didn't witness that, they'd have pulled him over.

I’ve seen plenty of men on the receiving end of grumpy women’s bad moods. More often than the opposite, TBH.

The large carts are a pain in the rear they cause such a commotion your son didn't do anything wrong the man was cranky. Try and let it go.

Yes this.

They always startle me. I can never get out of the way fast enough.

I dont think this is a sexism issue, he will be grumpy with anyone. I and plenty others encounter plenty grumpy or rude women too, it's just life.

I wouldn’t be happy at a random stranger snapping at my child OP! (And if they’re completely honest with themselves, no one else would either!)

He sounds like a bad tempered old misery guts, not worth a second thought. If anything like this happens to me I laugh at them which usually has the result of making them even more angry!

No problem.

Well your son didn't do anything wrong apart from encounter a grumpy twat, there's plenty of em, try and reframe it laugh at the poor sod for having such a shit life he's got to vent at a kid.
Howeeeeeerver, 😁I do see plenty of kids in supermarkets, running riot and misbehaving, including the one on Saturday who casually picked up a carrot from the display bit it and put it back, cos the mother wasn't watching. 🤢
I'm not that squeamish, but it's put me off buying anything at a kids eye level that's loose.

Grumpy shopper was a bit grumpy.

That's quite a lot of typing over something worthy of no more than an eye-roll.

These things happen, don't let it get to you.