I know that this has been discussed recently, but the thread was too long, so I am starting a new one. Today, I went out for lunch with a friend, ds and her dd. There were steps to the place, and my friend helped me up them with ds in his buggy. Her dd is 2.5, so can walk up. Anyway, all was well, until after the lunch. Friend and her dd went to the loo, and this middle aged old woman barged in and told me I would have to move, as she was bringing some glass up (this was a gallery/tea shop). I was happy to do so, except for the tone of her voice, but managed to stay polite. I asked her if my friend's bags were in her way too, and she snottily said that they were, so I moved them, gritted my teeth, and sweetly asked if they were far enough out of her way NOW. They were thankfully!
She got all her bits and bobs past me, and I politely asked her if she had finished. When my friend came out of the loo, we made to leave. We got to the top of these steps, and realised that friend was not able to help me down, as her dd was not in her pram, and she would more than likely run amok in the gallery whilst friend was helping me! So, I decided to go down the steps with ds in his buggy, taking each step very carefully. I was not happy about it, but did not want to trouble anyone in the cafe, and wasn't going to ask Grumpy Old Woman.
I was half way down, when GOW decided to reappear at the top, and tell me that what I was doing was not very safe. I gritted my teeth, and said, 'Yes, I know, but I don't have any alternative'. She boomed down at me that, if she had known, she would have helped me, but that she could not get past me on the steps now. I just ignored her, and proceeded to get successfully down them (all 6 or 7 of them). At the bottom, she stood next to me, and told me AGAIN that it hadn't been safe to do this. I just ignored her, and she then went on to say 'Lovely day isn't it?' I just gritted, smiled tight lipped, and said 'Beautiful', whilst not looking at her. Friend had by now reached the bottom of the steps, and we made our merry way off, with me fuming and chuntering.
I'd just like to say BLLCKS to all Grumpy Old Women out there, who make us feel inadequate, when we are just trying to do our best. OK, so I would not normally have gone down steps like that, but there it is. I did, and I was probably safer than if I had carried ds in my arms, as he was at least strapped in.