Stranger's comments

Trix

I had a woman come up to me in mothercare,a week off my due date, telling me to deliver on all fours!!

PLL

I hate beyond words people that assume that if a baby/toddler is crying there is something seriously wrong with it and you as a parent must stop whatever you are doing and deal with it. I have a 2yr old that hates supermarkets and If i took that approach we would have no food. My face displays what I'm thinking, I just can't help it so if people say things to me I'd say my face looks like thunder at them.

Surprisingly, my dad is very bad. I remember him being great when I was growing up, a real hands on fun dad with the right amount of discipline. But now with his grandchild his like a grumpy old man. If my daughter wants to watch tv (she loves tv but I don't want her watching too much so I limit the time she can watch it) and if she cries because she can't get her own way, my dad will say put the cartoons on it will keep her quiet. The first time he said it i was in shock!! We went for a walk down by the river and being a 2yr old she got grumpy and wanted to be carried and he said come one we're going home she is playing up. The man is only 48.

Do people not understand that the most important part of parenting is patience. You aren't going to know everything, and you have to let your child teach you what they want/different cries etc.

pwurple

I got the "that baby should be in a pram" rant today, because I was carrying the baby in a sling. Apparantly it's "child abuse" and "what are prams invented for". I don't even own a frikken pram, and when i put the baby flat she brings up a feed with reflux. Give over crazy old man! That sleeping peaceful infant lying next to my heartbeat was really giving off "abused" vibes alright. Sheesh.

Das Kitty

"Wow. He's big for his age!"

"Well, actually he's charting average for length and weight, so he's literally the average size for his age."

"Well he looks big to me."

I then stare at them until they either go away or change the subject.

The best thing is he's inherited my Resting Bitchface, so he stares up at them, completely unamused by their bull.

Gee_G

Das Kitty wrote: »

"Wow. He's big for his age!"

"Well, actually he's charting average for length and weight, so he's literally the average size for his age."

"Well he looks big to me."

I then stare at them until they either go away or change the subject.

The best thing is he's inherited my Resting Bitchface, so he stares up at them, completely unamused by their bull.

I thought I was the only person who found this annoying!! My son is v tall but perfectly in proportion and I hear this almost on a daily basis. Jesus if he was obese I'd understand!!

Penny Dreadful

Trix wrote: »

I had a woman come up to me in mothercare,a week off my due date, telling me to deliver on all fours!!

You should haeve said, " you know what I'm going to do just that. Thats the way it got in there after all;)".
Bet she'd never say anything to anyone about their delivery position again after that!:D

Penny Dreadful

Das Kitty wrote: »

"Wow. He's big for his age!"

"Well, actually he's charting average for length and weight, so he's literally the average size for his age."

"Well he looks big to me."

I then stare at them until they either go away or change the subject.

The best thing is he's inherited my Resting Bitchface, so he stares up at them, completely unamused by their bull.

To which you really want to reply "and aren't you rude for your age?".

DHFrame

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

I was walking near Grafton Street on Stephen's Green the other day. Junior started crying in his pram as he was just waking up in time for feeding. So I took him out of the pram to chat to him while crossing the road. My wife was a few metres ahead of me and we were going to get a bench in the Green to feed him and sort him out (it was a lovely sunny day).
Then some woman walks up to me and berates me because junior was not wearing a hat. No other comment or pleasantry. Now I just said 'Ha ha yeah' and kept walking but in hindsight there are plenty of better responses I would rather have given her.

Does this happen alot?

There are people that go around complaining to everyone about everything. They aren't just targeting parents - They target people parking their cars, people queuing, always looking for an opportunity to control without even knowing it.

Not the very same thing but a woman near where I live pulled her car next to me, kids in the back, collected from school. (I was walking my dog) wound her window down and started giving me a lecture on Dog poo and how owners of dogs should take responsibility.......... she was quite angry and forceful, and on and on and on she went... I let her finish without saying a word and pulled out the Dog Poo bags in my pocket and showed them to her. I then said - You really should take your kids home before you start abusing people at the side of the road. You just put me in a box for no reason and I have seen you watching me from your window every time I take this one for a walk. I then said, ''Now you know I have poo poo bags you can start concentrating on something else, start with your kids and go from there, and relax for gods sake. I walked off.

The next day I saw her parked on double yellows, outside someones driveway, outside the school at the bottom of the road. The residents have posted loads of posters urging parents into the school car park. She knew, she ****ing knew as I approached her car when up to the window and said - You know you're on Double Yellow lines and..... She wound the window up and ignored me.. In her mind, I will now always be the enemy... the cause, the problem. Not her. And she will go around in that frame of mind, always.

Chattastrophe!

Das Kitty wrote: »

"Wow. He's big for his age!"

"Well, actually he's charting average for length and weight, so he's literally the average size for his age."

"Well he looks big to me."

I then stare at them until they either go away or change the subject.

The best thing is he's inherited my Resting Bitchface, so he stares up at them, completely unamused by their bull.

I get this all the time!

The kid is in the 25th percentile, has been since he was born! The way they say it, you'd think he was some kind of a monster!

Another one I get all the time is, "Well, he's definitely a boy!" Errr thanks Captain Obvious!

Wise Old Elf

PLL wrote: »

I hate beyond words people that assume that if a baby/toddler is crying there is something seriously wrong with it and you as a parent must stop whatever you are doing and deal with it. I have a 2yr old that hates supermarkets and If i took that approach we would have no food. My face displays what I'm thinking, I just can't help it so if people say things to me I'd say my face looks like thunder at them.

My sister and I have been laughing/chatting about this recently, randomers coming up to you when baby is crying and saying, "Aw, she's hungry" or "Oh, she's windy" or whatever.
My youngest is 2 now, and hers is 7, so it's not so prevalent, but we could be actually feeding (or just after feeding) the baby, and someone would inevitably come up and say she's hungry. SHE'S NOT, I'VE JUST FED HER! STOPPPPPPP!

loubian

My daughter is very long and has a small frame. . I have people saying both that she's small and that she's big! She's just normal ffs!

Then she also has eczema/a cold..
"Did you put her cream on?"
"Did you give her calpol?"
"Did you feed her?"
"Did you try rocking her?"
"Did you sing to her?"

No. . I just left her there in pain, hungry and crying. .



I just smile and walk away

Then she was in the pub with my mum last week, I went up to collect her and when I left, some man start complaining to my mam about "dark babies". I hit the roof on that one. He was lucky I had left. .

cant26

My son was called a monster by the nurse who was giving him his 4 month jabs. I was so annoyed and a bit upset that I called her out on it. I thought it was a horrible way to describe a little baby. He weighed 10lb8 at birth but he was 60cm in length, so very much in proportion. Maybe I was still a bit hormonal but it bothered me.

Chattastrophe!

Oh and when I was at the GPs for his two-month vaccinations. In the waiting room ...

Old lady #1: Would you not put a blanket on that poor baby, he's freezing.
Old lady #2: Ah the poor wee mite is roasting, take that jacket off him.
Old lady #3: You know, you shouldn't have a baby that small at the doctors, god knows what germs he might pick up.

Baby was neither too hot nor too cold, in fact he was sitting there smiling away and perfectly happy and comfortable and well-behaved. And Old lady #3, if you'd stop coughing all over him, maybe he'd pick up less germs ... and also, wtf? I shouldn't bring him for his injections ... in case he might get sick? Just ... what?!

January

From a midwife in the hospital, who was discharging me on Sunday morning. 'Wow, you have three kids at home already? Are you sure you want to go home, I can keep you in another night if you want?'

No, no, thank you. I'm just after bawling my eyes out because I want to go home to them!

iguana

When I was 40.5 weeks pregnant and sitting on a bench in the supermarket while my husband paid for groceries a woman came up to me and asked when I was due. Last Wednesday , I told her, grimacing unhappily.
Oh no, she said, you don't want to keep him inside you. You should let him out. It's not good for babies if their mum doesn't let them out.
She totally thought that it was my choice to go overdue.

Roesy

I actually had someone say 'are you sure?' when I told them my little girl is 6 months this week. Their reasoning was that she's so big. Now she is big for her age, she's in the 70th percentile for weight and 80 something for length but there is no way I'm after mis remembering when I pushed an 8lb baby out of my vagina!

kandr10

Roesy wrote: »

I actually had someone say 'are you sure?' when I told them my little girl is 6 months this week. Their reasoning was that she's so big. Now she is big for her age, she's in the 70th percentile for weight and 80 something for length but there is no way I'm after mis remembering when I pushed an 8lb baby out of my vagina!

Lol! It does stick with you alright. My little girl is 6 months on fri but she was 3 weeks early so she was 6lb5oz at birth. Bang on for her gestation so I was never bothered about it. In hospital one night a midwife brought a 9lber over just born that night and said look at the size of this baby s head compared to yours! I thought it was funny though, sure you have to laugh what else would you do!!

daheff

had one lady working on the checkout tell us that our baby had a nice tan :eek:


we dont (and didnt) bring the kids out without factor 50 sunblock as their skin is so fair

az2wp0sye65487

These stories are hilarious!

We haven't experienced too many negative comments, more so my O/H experiences them on her own when I'm in work and she's out and about with the baby. Some people always think they know better.

People do also seem to be a lot more chatty than if you didn't have a baby with you. Having a bite to eat in a cafe there recently, and we had the baby with us. Some randomer comes over with his own baby and introduces her to us, and starts asking about ours. It was a pleasant conversation - but you wouldn't normally just approach someone for a chat out of the blue!

I'm probably one of the least child-friendly people you could imagine... but since our little one came along last summer I've noticed that I'm a lot more interested & tolerant of others and their babies. And I would be more inclined to strike up a conversation with a stranger about their and/or my child. I think it's just that many people have a soft spot for babies, especially if they've had their own - seeing someone with a newborn brings back all the memories and feelings that they went through themselves.

But I try to never dish out advice on the best way to do anything. You never know another person's circumstances, or why a baby might be crying etc.

For example: We were out shopping at the weekend, and there was a man sitting outside a cafe, with a toddler in a pram, balwing his eyes out (the child, not the man!). The man just pushed the pram slightly away from him and was concentrating on texting or something else on his phone. I said to the O/H 'God, look at yer man there just ignoring the poor baby' (we're both the carrying kind of people - and don't like leaving her to 'cry it out').... but then my O/H said "you never know, that child could have been constantly crying all night and all morning, and he has to just take a minute to himself before he breaks down" - which is true.

So, I think if most people had an opportunity to stop and think before opening their mouths they might not come out with such silly comments! Unfortunately, all too often people just open their mouth and let any ol' drivel spill out!

fleet_admiral

similar happened to me when my son was a few months old. i was in supervalu getting the shop and the till operator questioned me on the baby food in the trolley saying 'did you check with his mammy if thats the right food' i was flabbergasted and a bit annoyed tbh but i replied '9 times out of 10 his mammy checks with me if his food is right' to which she had no answer

other times when my wife is going out i have been asked 'oh are you babysitting' to which i reply 'no, its impossible to baby sit your own child'

Chattastrophe!

fleet_admiral wrote: »

similar happened to me when my son was a few months old. i was in supervalu getting the shop and the till operator questioned me on the baby food in the trolley saying 'did you check with his mammy if thats the right food' i was flabbergasted and a bit annoyed tbh but i replied '9 times out of 10 his mammy checks with me if his food is right' to which she had no answer

Ha on the other hand, I had a (male) neighbour knock on my door today and ask, "Is your husband home? I need a jump-start, I was hoping he might be able to help me out?"

To which I replied, "Actually, my boyfriend - not husband - doesn't drive, but I can help you out if you want."

He seemed like a lovely guy, but I was a little bit shocked at his presumption in this day and age that it would be the "man of the house" that could help him out with jump-starting his car!

Paddy Cow

Chattastrophe! wrote: »

Ha on the other hand, I had a (male) neighbour knock on my door today and ask, "Is your husband home? I need a jump-start, I was hoping he might be able to help me out?"

To which I replied, "Actually, my boyfriend - not husband - doesn't drive, but I can help you out if you want."

He seemed like a lovely guy, but I was a little bit shocked at his presumption in this day and age that it would be the "man of the house" that could help him out with jump-starting his car!

He's not the only one. I bought a new fridge and I was saying to a guy that I wanted to change the way the door opened. The next time I saw him he asked if the door got changed and I said it had. He asked who I got to do it for me and seemed genuinely surprised when I said I did it myself :rolleyes:

nikpmup

Chattastrophe! wrote: »

Ha on the other hand, I had a (male) neighbour knock on my door today and ask, "Is your husband home? I need a jump-start, I was hoping he might be able to help me out?"

To which I replied, "Actually, my boyfriend - not husband - doesn't drive, but I can help you out if you want."

He seemed like a lovely guy, but I was a little bit shocked at his presumption in this day and age that it would be the "man of the house" that could help him out with jump-starting his car!

Love that one... I remember driving into work one night when I got a flat. Phoned work to tell them I'd be a few minutes late, then changed the wheel and went on my way. When I got into work I was met at the door by my (male) boss, who told me he was just about to drive up the road to ''rescue'' me; and asked did I get the AA out. He nearly collapsed with shock when I told him I changed the wheel myself! Wanted to know how I managed to get the nuts off the wheel.... I couldn't resist; I twirled my hair and put on a girlie voice and told him I used the ''giant screwdriver thingy that you use to twirl them off''
Also remember the time my boyfriend and his mate stood by looking puzzled, as an 8 months pregnant yours truly jump started the mate's jeep