Dentist Trip

[B00]

Mini Boo had to have a filling today, so we're sat in the waiting room, errr waiting (as you do!) and this woman came in with 2 other children who proceeded to bounce around the place like Zebedee on steroids and shouting.

Mini Boo and I largely ignored 'em, her on my phone playing a game and me, itching to smack 'em but obviously couldn't. This was bearable, just, until, the youngest decided her sister was boring and wanted to engage Mini Boo in her unholy shenanigans. This involved slapping her thighs to get her intention, crawling along her seat right up into Mini Boo's face and making stupid noises. Mini Boo to her credit made appropriate noises when it got to much for her, but it was pretty bloody obvious she just wanted this child to leave her alone. Mini Boo was embarrassed and I was furious that she was put in that position.

The mum in the meantime thought it was very funny and made the occasional ineffective mutterings of "Tahlia (really?) leave her alone, she doesn't want to play".

I wanted to knock this child through a wall to be perfectly blunt but sadly knew it'd have been frowned upon.

What should I have done?

[Psybbo]

Well done for being so restrained. I suppose the only thing you could do would have been to as the mother to control her children.

[kvalidir]

How old are the children involved Boo?

[Psybbo]

ask^^. That was dreadful, did you have long to wait?

[boxtops]

You did brilliantly, B00 - I'd have said something.

[Old_Geezer]

You could have knocked the parent through a wall.

But on second thoughts .... not going to turn a bad parent into a good one; could be satisfying for you though.

[pixie373]

I wouldn't have involved the mother (as she didn't want to be) and said to the child "leave her alone please". She's probably more likely to listen to you than her mother anyway.

[chrissa1]

I would have said something, too. Sternly and firmly but, not nasty.

[chrissa1]

^^^^ to the child.

[sherrardk]

I would have given the child 'the look' and told her to leave my child in peace (using 'the voice'). Then I would have continued with 'the look' until she buggered off.

[B00]

I'd she say she was about 3 or4 ish??

I as so tempted to politely but firmly say something to the child, but I wasn't sure how the other mum would take it, can you imagine a row in a dentist? LOL Plus I think Mini Boo would've been embarrassed further. Throw into the equation the fact I really don't like making a scene in public and you're left with what just happened.

[pixie373]

I would have been polite- what can the mother say? I would have thought it would be a good way to show mini boo how to look after herself, by communication.

[B00]

Yeah, in hindsight now Pixie, I should've, but by the time I'd got to thinking about saying something I'd worked myself up into a silent rage, so being terrible British, I just sat there and fumed instead, lol.

[tonyav]

Well done, B00, see all that ''The Customer Is always Right'' training came in useful lol.

[pixie373]

Lol. It is very English!

[B00]

yeah yeah Tony ;-)

But joking aside, who lets their child behave like that in public I'd have been mortified.

They also re-arranged the other chairs in the waiting room too, im sure the receptionist laughed with mirth having to straighten the place up again.

[pixie373]

I would have been mortified too. But then- if nobody says anything...:-)

[boxtops]

It's very hard when it's other people's children.... I sat on the train a few weeks back opposite a young mother who would not leave her toddler alone. The boy had no time to look out of the window, or think, or anything - she wittered at him constantly for a good three quarters of an hour, using his name in every sentence. I felt sorry for him - he was in verbal overload.

[tonyav]

I wonder if the mother had to take the two of them into the dentists surgery !.

[pixie373]

It is in that situation, boxy, because you can't interfere with their relationship (if not obviously abusive). However, if it affects you, why do people feel awkward in communicating with children? That's very English too- treating them like a different species.