to think I wasnt being precious about the shop assistant telling my ds off

[mrsleroyjethrogibbs]

Today MIL and me and the two children were in a pretty much deserted fabric shop looking at zips. DS was standing inches from MIL touching but not pulling at the display of cotton.He was literally pointing at the colours saying their names when one of the shop assitants who was standing nearby came over to him pushed/tapped his hand away from the display and told him quite roughly 'No thank you'.
I was quite shocked as ds scurried and tucked himself under MIL who looked at me as if to say 'OMG what is she on??'.

As we walked through the shop MIL said ' well that was a bit out of order. He wasnt pulling anything and since when is she allowed to touch someone elses children and tell them off'.
Now granted he was touching the cotton reels BUT he wasnt pulling he was simply just going through the colours as actully we were standing next to him and watching him.

I was really annoyed tbh and spoke to the manager and said that whilst I appreciate he was touching things (he is only 3) I think it would be more appropriate if the lady had asked me to tell him not to touch them rather than tapping his hand away and telling him off herself.
She was sympathetic and said yes she shouldnt have touched him at all and of course children touch things.

I came away thinking ...god am I being precious about him? I know he is not a model child. He cant keep his hands to himself at the best of times.. but still....
___

It would have pissed me off too!

Not BU in the least. How rude of ANYONE to touch your child. You didi the right thing speaking to the manager imo

No you're not being precious, she's a cunt.

Yanbu, I would have been annoyed too.

You were right to speak to the manager.

Lets put it this way,if a teacher had touched him like that,they would be suspended pending and invsestigation. I would complain, if anyone in a shop EVER laid a finger on my child I would get the manager right there and then.

YANBU to be a bit annoyed but I can see why teh shop assistant was a bit tetchy. She has probably had experience of kids messing about with the fabrics before. I wouldn't stress too much abut it.

Sse is within her rights to ask him not to touch but has gone way past acceptable behaviour to physically touch your child.

YANB at all precious imo, how very dare she!

I would have accepted her asking you to tell him not to touch, though tbh it doesn't sound like he was doing anything wrong, but to push his hand away herself .

She's lucky it wasn't me, I'd have wrestled her the to the floor. You are not being precious.

yanbu

Thanks ladies. I feel a bit better. I didnt think I was being too precious. Dont get me wrong he is a bit of a Toby at times.(most of the time) which is why I keep such a close eye on him especially when we are out and about.
I didnt know if I was being bit unreasonable because he is my baby as it were

and yes I would have been happy with her asking me to ask him not to touch either. I understand that they spend a long time making the shop look nice and its not good when children fiddle and diddle

No yanb precious. Sounds like a child-hater to me. There are some people who revel in finding any excuse to be nasty to children and then convince themselves they were only doing their job.

Good for you for mentioning it to the manager, and I hope it gets back to the old witch.

YANBU

whats a bit of a Toby . not heard that one before

overweightnotoverdrawn - toby is like little b*gger but the polite way of putting it...lol

I don't know. I wouldn't have thought it was a big deal that a shop assistant touched my child. They're not going to explode. So going against the grain here, I do think you were being a precious.

But then the shop assistant was also being precious to be bothered that your DC was touching some cotton.

oh I see

Yanbu.

Agree with OrmIrian, she sounds like a child-hater.

She is an interfering busy body, and I would have had to stop myself slapping her back, because I hate people like that.

laweaslemys of course you should go against the grain if you think I am as my quest was aibu. I certainly wont be offended after all I asked the question

YANBU and I just want to say well done for staying so calm because if anyone had laid a hand on my DS I think it would have taken every ounce of will power not to have slapped them back.

Hmm thats kind of a red mist situation for me. By all means inform me of my crap parenting, but dont touch my child!

YABU to use being "a bit of a Toby " as a euphemism for being a monkey,its my DS' name
Mind you he is a little swine actually,do you know us?
and if you were being precious then i am precious too as i would not have been amused by this woman...

Sorry Bonnycat...I do actually know lots of real life Tobys but I think its an old fashioned term...soz