Other Mums

Had a pretty awful experience today- we went to a soft play (like a lollipops playland type place but smaller) which has a seated area alongside it for the Mums. I was sitting with my friend while our daughters played and was keeping an eye on Charlotte from the table. This little girl and her mum were at the top of the slide and Charlotte was at the bottom waiting for her friend to come down (she was behind the Mum). The little girl came down the slide and bumped into Charlotte and when she got up Charlotte pushed her- I got up straight away to go tell Charlotte off and this Mum just SCREAMED at her from the top of the slide. She flew down and was yelling the whole time and I went up and told Charlotte off and although she didn't say anything to me she was ranting and raving at the top of her lungs about how some people were so rude etc etc. She went back to her table and just kept going on and on to her friend in this raised voice so that the whoe place could hear.

Obviously Charlotte was totally in the wrong, she should not have pushed that little girl but this Mums reaction was just so over the top. I didn't say anything to her as she was on a roll and to be honest she seemed the type who probably would have taken a swing at me but I just wanted to know what everyone else thought. I thought it was appauling that she yelled at another persons kid- I was there, I had my eye on her and I came and dealt with her straight away. I wouldn't have minded if she had of said something along the lines of 'don't do that' or 'don't hit' etc but the yelling and screaming just seemed to be so OTT to me. I know I hate it when other peoples kids hit or push Charlotte, but I feel just as awful when Charlotte is the one doing it and although it barely happens I do come down quite hard on her when she does. When she pushed the little girl she didn't fall over, it was just a tiny shove- it doesn't excuse it at all but by the way she reacted you would have thought she'd pulled a knife on her.

Sorry for the rant but it just really upset me, mostly because I felt like I really couldn't say anything. Usually I wouldn't hesitate but the type of woman she was I could have seen the situation escalating and Charlotte was upset enough by her outburst. What do you guys think? Do you think its ok to yell at other peoples kids or do you think I am right in being pretty upset by this?

Edited by Jennz

I don't think she had any right to yell at Charlotte at all.

Personally, if someone does something like that to Hannah, I just remind them to be gentle. But usually it is the other way around so I haven't encountered that much

But yeah, yelling is way over the top. And it is very unproductive as instead of calmly letting Charlotte know that her behavious is unacceptable - all you want to do is cuddle her and tell her it is alright! (Well, I would)

Don't take it personally. I'd say that woman is a munter.

I agree... I really hate it when people bully my girls but if their mum is in sight and is dealing with it, I usually leave it at that and take the time to give my daughter a cuddle. If the mum is out of sight, I would very sternly say something along the lines of 'that wasn't nice, it's not nice to push', then give my DD a cuddle and watch the other person's kid like a hawk whenever they got close lol

I wonder if that woman usually is a screamer? I don't scream at my kids, and very rarely yell, but we've seen the screamer types of mums at the supermarket so it might just be her usual OTT reaction Hope not tho.

Oh man that is so sad!
What a horrible woman, you are totally right she is a nutter!
I'm reluctant to even gently tell other kids off unless no one else will, let alone let fly like that crazy lady did!
Poor Charlotte, I hope she's bounced back from it today

OMG, poor Charlotte. I dont think that its acceptable to yell; Esp at someone elses child. What a loser the other mum is!!

I agree with you Nikki, that lady is a munter. It is not okay or alright to yell at somebody elses children, not like that lady did to Charlotte anyway.

Poor charlotte, I hope she is okay, big to her.

nikkiwhyte wrote: Don't take it personally. I'd say that woman is a munter.

Dammit Nikki - you always say what I want to say only better...

Good on you Jennz for keeping your cool - I probably would have started some kind of all-out brawl - it is totally not OK to yell at/scream at/discipline at all someone elses kid, especially a stranger!

When we were transit in Singapore on our way home from London some kid about 6 or 7 kept trying to push Maya off the playground then came up to me and said "that baby swore at me". "That baby" (Maya) was all of 20 mths old I looked around for a parent to abuse but couldn't see one - so ended up just feeling sorry for the poor kid who had been dumped in the playground while Mum and Dad busied themselves elsewhere. I certainly didn't scream at the kid!

Jake is a rather "charming" child at times and tends to beat up other children - to this day I have never been yelled at - i don't care what he does, he is a child and it is MY responsibility to discipline him. i would be furious if anyone yelled at him. Today he punched a little girl in the stomach (in a mood) and while the poor little girl howled, his mother very calmly said "jake thats not very nice, Erin is sad now. can you say sorry please" and he acted all concerned and said sorry, then came to me and said "erin's crying" like he had nothing to do with it at all - little terror. my point is - there is a way to deal with kids misbehaving if they aren't yours and what that woman did was unacceptable!