Other Parents

[Granard]

I was in the shopping centre at lunchtime and noticed a small child (about 2) very upset and clearly tired and her Mum was just standing there texting and completely ignoring her. When she'd completed her text, she started walking towards the exit to the car park and didn't even look behind her. When she reached the door, she was at least 20ft ahead of her child who was left to run after her screeching Mummy. I followed and the Mother took a trolley, turned round and walked back into the centre with the child still running to keep up and still there was no interaction at all. I felt I should go up and say something but to be honest I felt nervous as she looked pretty rough and I was certain my interference wouldn't be welcomed. However, it's been on my mind since I came back to work and I feel I should have said something though even now I don't know what I would've said. I wondered what other people might do in a similar situation. Is it better to say something or mind your own business. Apart from the cruelty of inflicting such distress on your child, there was the danger element. The child could have been snatched in a second in a busy shopping centre. Any thoughts?

when my kids were little i had more bad days than good - coping barely. and my kids were good. they are good now.

i understand that at first sight we judge people - we do even if you say you dont you do. whether you say it out loud or not is a different matter

your a pessamistic bunch of bastards on here. and i dont beleive that for one minute you're heavenly parents never having a day where you could joyfully just sit down in the middle of the room and give up.

well i care to think that woman had enough - the kid was a bastard all day and she was texting her husband to say " im coming home now and your cooking tea"

who should be steralised? what are the guidelines here?

i think even if you do think like this you should check yourself and think - jesus i've had one of those days. yes you may have handled it differently but that doesnt make her a bad person.

Totally agree Custardo and Mascara.

yep me too - you can't judge just by deciding someone looks 'rough'. You should have seen me in Sainsburys yesterday (rough doesn't quite describe it), with a screaming toddler and me giving him a bag of crisps to keep him quiet and prevent security escorting us out. Bad mother? Desperate more like it.

Having said that, there are times when I think I should intervene - someone smacking their child in public, for example, what do you do?? I'm too much of a wuss to say anything for fear of getting knifed or something. And then I have a bad conscience for allowing child abuse.

I wouldn't have intervened, because on another day it could have been me and as others ahve said she could have been ignoring bad behaviour.

It is possible to intervene in a nice way, I was once having sever meltdown with dd once in a shop when a lady walked up to me full of understanding, saying she had been there and that she admired me for not giving in. She then took us both for a cup of tea and sticky bun! I ahve also done this once for a Mum I saw in MArks in a similar situation. But it was not intervening in a judgemental way but hopefully in a supportive way.

God Twinset I wish that lady had been in my local supermarket last week. Could have done with that.

Whenever I see someone looking like they are loosing it with their kids I remind myself how I felt that day and how grateful I was that someone came to help me in a supportive non judgemental day.

Us women are our own worst enemies at time and it infuriates me, if the Daily mail are not having a go at us for the choices we make in life we are quite happy to tear each other to pieces!