Sent toddler flying!

[Madeyemoodysmum]

I was meeting a friend for coffee today and on my way through a well known dept store, a toddler no older than 2 ran out of a clothes rack and ended up in front of me, him being so far down and literally coming out of nowhere my next step sent him flying,

Of course he ended up on the floor crying, I looked round for his parent and it was a good while before she appeared glaring at me, I apologised profusely, to which she ignored and after apologising several times and pointing out he came out of nowhere, she gave me another filthly look, ignored all my sorries and I walked off.

After a few more minutes I spotted my friend and went over to her to say hi, the mother of fallen over child saw me and gave me another filthy look.

I refuse to feel guilty about this, I apologised, it was an accident, young child was running around the clothes racks so what does she expect.

When mine were toddlers if something similar had happened to them, I'd have apologised to the adult as my fault for not having them under control in the first place.

Aibu to not feel any guilt after that treatment.

[catgirl1976]

Oh dear

DH punted a toddler several feet through the air at a point-to-point once.

The parents were not impressed, he was mortified. (The toddler was fine)

I don't think YABU - you apologised and it was an accident. The mother sounds rude

[mikkii]

Absolutely not. Toddlers never look where they are going, and are often under your line of sight.

I also would have made DD2 aged 2.8 apologise to you for getting in the way.

Plus, why did it take her so long to get to said sprawling infant?

[Sirzy]

The only person who could have stopped it happening was the mother by actually supervising her child. Certainly wasn't your fault!

[Solari]

I think sometimes the parent of a child hurt like this can feel so guilty, and perhaps on the defensive right away (as they don't know if your reaction will be hostile or not), that they pre-empt by being overly hostile themselves right away.

I don't know if that's the case, but its the only way I can make sense of this sort of reaction.

[pigletmania]

Please don't feel guilty, the mum should feel bad by not supervising her Chidren properly

[glenthebattleostrich]

Not your fault. I'm another cruel mother who makes the 3 year old apologise for running into people. She has been know to mutter, hmm actions and consequence (or confobence!) when she runs into things.

Silly woman should have been supervising her child

[Madeyemoodysmum]

Thanks everyone, glad to see I'm not in the wrong here.

[Startail]

YANBU
I've finally in the last 3 years been able to stop apologising for DD1(15) careering in to people. It's a great improvement.

[ThisReallyIsNotSPNopeNotAtAll]

I send my son flying with my knee nearly daily as he appears out of nowhere suddenly!

[breatheslowly]

If I was the parent then I would be apologising to you. There are few people who would intentionally send a child flying, so I would conclude that it was an accident and more than likely my child's fault.

[WhenSheWasBadSheWasHopeful]

Silly woman, these kind if things happen to active toddlers. She should have accepted your apology with grace and looked embarrassed not to have been keeping a better eye on him.

[MrsMelons]

YANBU, I would have made my toddler apologise or I would have apologised on their behalf - how rude of her.

[specialsubject]

it's called an accident.

toddlers are fast-moving, low-level trip hazards and do escape control sometimes.

[FriskyHenderson]

I've repeatedly sent a toddler flying - he was standing behind automatic doors opening inwards and got knocked over as they opened as I approached - I stopped but not in time. Then he got up and I moved slightly and the doors knocked him over again. Repeat. Oops.

[TheCunnyFunt]

I kicked DD into a chest of drawers before, she just appeared right infront of me as I was talking my next step and she went flying headfirst into the drawers. She sat up, shook her head and laughed My 2yo seems to have an incredibly high pain threshold.

[Jenny70]

I agree YANBU, it was an accident (waiting to happen if she let toddler run around clothes rack) and you appologised.

To add to the toddler flying stories, friend had her ?10month'ish old child in cot in their room, heard a loud thump on the baby monitor, but no other noise. Went running into bedroom, opening child's door quickly, only to find child standing directly behind the door, having climbed out of the cot, fallen onto the floor and wandered (dazed) toward the doorway. She was never quite sure whether the impressive egg on child's head was from the fall or the door, but apparently the child did get thrown back by the flinging door... she was hysterical by the way.