AIBU to blank another parent who witters on?

[BoomBoomsCousin]

I Am Being UNKIND but AIBU (and what can I do about this)?

My DD has started horse riding. She's currently having a lesson once a week with one other kid. I take her and sit to watch. The other kid's mother also stays to watch and she is SO BORING and won't shut up.

I have heard 4 times now about how tedious it is to fill in all the forms for her DS's school sport (we're in the US and school sport here is a bit crazy). Last time she spent 12 minutes (I was clock watching) explaining how she went to bed to late. It involved her telling me about four separate loads of laundry, though it turns out she actually stayed up watching TV. I smile and nod and try to get focus on my DD or read the book I bring each week. Sometimes she gets the hint and goes on her phone, but after a few minutes she'll tut or sigh and start telling me about some admin problem she's trying to solve. I cannot bear it.

She seems like a nice woman, but I just don't can't stand her. AIBU to blank her a bit when she goes does this? What alternative is there that doesn't leave me dreading taking my DD to her lesson?

“What a week! I’m going to b terribly rude now and just ignore the world and enjoy my book-the thought of some peace and quiet now is the only thing which has kept me going all day!” Or -wear some headphones and say you are listening to your book on Audible. Don’t make it into a big deal-the other mum might actually be glad to not have to are awkward smalltalk!

I think this is good. I also love the post that said - don’t feel you have to entertain me, I’m happy just reading my book.

By that line of thinking, we should all make ourselves available for sex with all the lonesome incels who feel sexually deprived then. It wouldn't even take an hour. You first.

Sorry if this has already been suggested. Could you try (or pretend to try) taking an phone video of the parts of the lesson that your DD is most interested in?

Because you can say ... "Sorry, please don't speak whilst I'm videoing as it drowns out the instructors comments."

Doing that a few times might help? It's not rude because you have a good reason.

Say hello, then walk as far away as you can. If she approaches you, say excuse me, I'm trying to listen and then walk away again. Repeat.

I think I'd do 5 mins of dull intro chat and then say "I'm sorry, I just have to send some messages/check something online", then disappear into your phone. If she interrupts you with tedious chat, then take a second to respond and then say "Sorry, can you repeat that?" and then use your excuse again as soon as possible.

Diddums, frankly.

I care about the OP.

How about that?

Thank you for the idea. I have my phone set up on a tripod to capture the whole thing from an angle that captures the jumps properly. But also - I want to read my book, not swap one tedious task for another!

So we went today. I was reading my book when she arrived so I looked up and said hello, exchanged a few words then waved my book at her and said "I've just got to a good bit, so don't mind me if I'm a bit anti-social." And turned back to it. She seemed fine with it and kept quiet for most of the first half.

She tried to engage when I looked up for DD's instruction, and then again when it was finished, asking me about the competition we're going to this weekend. I engaged a bit and then waved the book again and said "Must get back to it!" and read more. She faltered a bit towards the end, looking on her phone and exclaiming, but easy to ignore as her talking to herself. I chatted a bit more at the end as the girls warmed down.

All in all, a success, I thought. Will have to see how the weekend goes, but will be very different as lots of girls and mothers, so we both have more people to talk to. I will try and establish a reputation for myself as a bookworm who is friendly in small doses.

That’s a really good result. Peace and no hurt feelings.