to wish that people would sod off with their unsolicited childrearing advice?

[domesticslattern]

Today in Gap, the poncey sales assistant came over, told me she was a "baby specialist" and instructed me to raise the pushchair raincover so that my baby didn't get too hot as it was "bad for her ears".



I only wanted a pair of socks.

The week before some woman in the cafe across the road told me off for leaving my baby in her pushchair outside the cubicle while I had a very quick pee. "That's dangerous you know!"

(Yes I know it is, but with my pelvic floor I can't always wait madam).

And lo and behold, some old bat on the District line at the weekend leans over, gets out her passport to show me that she is a doctor, and offers the advice that my baby has a misshapen skull and DH and I need to hold her differently so it evens out.

I have also had: "I think he's hot!" from someone on the Piccadilly line when DD was crying after her feed was late, and another young woman coming up to tell me that DD "really needs a sunhat in this weather" (she had just thrown it on the floor of the train and I didn't notice until we got off).

Do other people get this or do I have a tattoo on my forehead saying please give me your opinion on my baby?

And what do you say?

ARRRRRRRRGH rant over

[escortss]

have you all been talking to my MIL???????

[BigBadMousey]

Balloonslayer - you really should have asked!

[GuiltyMummy]

This thread has made me chuckle a lot! My DD is now almost 3 and I can't remember much of the unsolicited advice I was given but I know there was a lot of it.

However, the other day we were in the park with DD dressed head to toe in pink and carrying her favourite dolly. A man turned around and a) asked "what's his name?" b) told his granddaughter "move out of the way as this little boy would like a go now".

[StealthPolarBear]

My little boy is regularly called a lovely little girl, even when dressed head to toe in blue

[AphroditeInHerNightie]

I used to live in a retirement town with a diproportionate amount of interfering old biddies.
Conversations frequently went thus:
OB: What a lovely little boy, what's his name?
AIHN: (Looking incredulously at DD in her pink outfit) Er - Catherine
OB: How lovely - how old is he?

Dooooooohhhhhhhhh!

Also had plenty of unsolicited advice and wish I'd had the guts and the wits to reply. Hindsight brings such gems as:
"I'm so grateful for your advice, in return I'd like to suggest that you get a better haircut/ look in the mirror when you put on your make-up next time / consider drastic cosmetic surgery". Thank you, and goodbye"

[CharlyWu]

The other day my Dad took my DS for a walk and was queuing to pay for something when 9 week old DS started screaming, so he put a dummy in his mouth. Cue a woman walking up to him and saying 'she doesn't need a dummy, you shouldn't do that!' My poor Dad was lost for words.

[domesticslattern]

Aphrodite, that is a fantastic idea. I love them. I just wish I were the kind of person who dared to use them!

In fact, the paediatrician on the District Line was accompanied by quite a chubby little boy and I did in hindsight think I might have commented on that, and asked about his diet. Perhaps recommended five fruit and veg a day, that kind of thing.

I did want to say to the self-styled Gap baby specialist, "Madam, you may be a baby specialist but I am a specialist in this particular baby". I didn't, of course. I just shuffled a bit and asked for the socks in a different size.

[asicsgirl]

no-one ever gives me advice. no-one tells me off for bf in public places. shame as i have so many great comebacks now courtesy of mn...

no-one talks to me at the school gates either...

[Rachel130690]

I'll never remember to use these comebacks if it happens. I might just politely tell them to fuck off :)