to be shocked and upset by what I saw in the park?

[ineedalifelaundry]

Me and DH and DD were in the park yesterday, which was absolutely full of families having a lovely time in the sunshine.

Near the ice-cream van we saw an oldish lady with a tiny little boy - can't have been older than 2 - maybe 3 at a push. The little boy had dropped his ice cream on the path and was really upset, trying to pick it up again. The woman pushed him out of the way and picked up the ice cream, threw it in the bin, then walked away from him, shouting really nastily, "You're a naughty, naughty boy! Now you have no ice cream!" She stalked angrily away from him, leaving him standing there in the path crying his little heart out .

All I wanted to do was pick him up and cuddle him. DH was livid and called her an evil bitch (to me, not to her). I know there are worse things you could do to a child and it's probably quite trivial but his little broken-hearted face is haunting me.

I keep wondering in retrospect whether I should've said something to the woman. Probably wouldn't have done any good.

AIBU or was this woman horribly cruel?

Bad news? Shit what did I miss???

Riven, I'm sorry too. I don't know your situation. Are you okay?

i can remember this happening to me in france when I was a kid! I stepped away from the vendor and before I had a chnace to lick it the whole thing plopped on the pavement, I can remember the feeling of horror and disappointment to this day!

I've shouted at dd before in public, not proud of it, but will prob do it again when frazzled, wound up and at the end of my tether after consistent, non stop challenging behaviour. It takes a fair bit to push me to shout at her and I always feel horrible afterwards.

YANBU, feel really sorry for the little boy!

am sorry to hear that riven. i hope you are getting support , whatever the news is.

SOrry to hear that Riven.

DS once threw his ice cream on the ground because it had sprinkles on it. Sprinkles that the little snot had asked for and which had cost extra (apparently he had wanted the round sprinkles and got the long sprinkles). Damn right I yelled at him. I think he was probably about 2 and a half (maybe 3ish) at the time.

He cried when I yelled and refused to buy him a new one as well. Tough shit, don't throw your ice cream on the ground then.

You have no idea what had gone down before you saw this little moment.

sorry to hear your bad news Riven .

my dd will act like her heart is breaking if you even prompt her about something in a soft tone! E.g. "M please can you move away from there it might break" cue floods of dramatic tears and "mummy shout at me!!!" when I've barely even raised my voice.

the look on her face is heartbreaking though...

• just found it - so sorry about that Riven >

Riven, .
So sorry for your bad news.
Kind of puts other things in perspective.

Yes herestoabetterfuture it was the way it was said rather than the words. Really spiteful, nasty tone. But you're all absolutely right - I don't know what had happened in previous moments. If it had been anything similar to what morloth described then yes, I can understand her losing it a little!

Don't worry about my thread being hijacked riven, your problems are far far more important. And I'm truly sorry you've had awful news.