The older I get, the more I realize how accurate the term “Mama bear” is.
Seriously, its like Moms have a sixth sense for when their kid is in danger.
So did the mom in the following story overreact to someone just trying to help?
Decide for yourself!
AITA: Dude told me not to stop my stroller near his driveway.
I’m peacefully walking with my pre-K son who is biking and my infant is in the stroller.
We walk our neighborhood daily—super family friendly, people are walking here all day every day. I bring a double stroller in case my son gets tired of biking.
We are walking along a very quiet street when a white truck passes us and turns around to park facing us.
I’m just minding my business.
You know who wasn’t minding their business? The truck driver.
The guy (mid 30s, very clean cut, cartoony Avengers shirt on) stays in his truck.
I notice. My son is whining asking me to help put his stuffed animal in the cup holder of his bike.
I put the brake on the stroller and still have the strap around my wrist. I turn around and quickly stuff Fox in there.
Took maybe 3 seconds.
As I’m turning around and letting up the brake the guy is opening the door to call the eight feet away:
“You shouldn’t park your stroller there. She is going to be coming home soon and I don’t want her to hit your baby.”
I look and I’m at a part of the sidewalk that intersects past a driveway. Pretty standard neighborhood stuff.
But when she looked around for the incoming car, she realized the street was completely empty!
There were no cars on the road. None audible anywhere near us. I was kind of caught off guard.
The whole thing was so quick and it was preposterous to think I would’ve left my baby parked there to be hit by a car that wasn’t even there.
It was also silly to think that someone was going to come speeding so fast down a residential loop and pull into their own driveway so fast.
Not to mention the fact they apparently wouldn’t see a huge double stroller and a person standing there.
And…it was barely three seconds.
Even with the man’s “concern”, she wasn’t budging an inch…
I replied: “I think we are all set” with a little smile.
He grimaced at me and said: “well, I wouldn’t want something to happen or someone to get hurt.”
I probably should’ve just pacified him with a “thank you” but I said “I’m a vigilant mother. Thank you.”
He couldn’t leave it alone either and snarked back: “oh, I’m sure you are.”
It was just so odd and got under my skin. It all seemed so passive aggressive and contrived from the start.
Her kid on the other hand? Completely unbothered!
Of course my adorable child chimes in the he likes the guys shirt and asks him what is on it.
The guy ignores him, opens his car door, takes (or pretends to take) a call, and closes the door.
The whole way down the street I looked to see if another car came quickly and no other cars came.
Should I have just said “thanks” and just left the unnecessary comment alone? AITA?
I feel a little creeped out by this person now.
Maybe he could’ve been concerned for the kids, but that comment about “not wanting anything to happen” is straight out of a horror movie!
I’d be creeped out too!
Reddit agreed, and said that the man’s “warning” was more threatening than it was helpful…
This user said not only was he being a creep, he was being a misogynist creep!
This person reminded everyone of who ACTUALLY has the right of way: pedestrians!
Finally, while many people tried to argue that the man was just looking out for the kids, this user wasn’t buying it!
Never tell a Mom how to parent her own kids!
And just try not to be creepy, ok?
If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.