Was I wrong to try and help?

[anewvance]

We were in Goodwill today, I had my son with me. There was an elderly couple there with 2 grandchildren... one was a 4 year old boy and then a 6 week or so baby girl. The grandmother was very nice, my son was saying baby baby and she was saying yes, a baby! So the grandmother goes off clear to the other side of the store and leaves the baby & boy with the grandfather.

The baby is in the cart, they have her laying down in the main part of the cart on a pillow. But the seat part it out and I hear the baby start to scream. I look over and her head is jammed against the seat part and the side of the cart (think HARD metal jamming against a 6 weeks old fragile head) and the grandfather is sitting there not even looking at the baby trying to jam a bottle in her mouth. The grandfather was at least 78-80 years old and not a happy fellow.

So I start talking to the baby and all I said to the grandfather in the nicest way that her head was hurting because it was hitting against the seat and the side of the cart. He just sat there and the baby is screaming harder now, it was breaking my heart... since the man was elderly I asked if he needed help rearranging the baby. He looked at me with dagger eyes and yelled "will you get away from us right now!". I was shocked, I quickly darted away while I was apologizing for trying to help.

My thought was to find the grandmother but I was wondering if I really was butting in too much and should let it go, the baby is still screaming her head off. Before I find the grandmother I see she's heading in the direction of the grandfather and she says is that so and so screaming like that? And she says to her husband her head is hitting against the cart, didn't you see that? Why didn't you pick her up??? I didn't hear his answer but I'm sorry, my suggestion is that this man should not be left alone with this baby!

I was still in shock and met up with my sister on the other side of the store and told her what happened. She said that she had overheard his wonderful grandpa skills at work too. The grandson was playing with the toys (I mean come on now, they were camped out RIGHT in front of the toys just standing there, he wasn't expected to play with the toys?) so he tells his grandfather something and the grandfather tells him "if you don't quit it, I am going to take you to the car and you can be sure you won't have arms LEFT to play with the toys".

Nice guy huh?

 

[joshsmom]

That's sad. Unfortunately, I see stuff like this (people leaving their children with an inadequate caretaker) all the time and it breaks my heart. Sounds like grandma was on the ball.

 

[anewvance]

Yea, she was on the ball 10 minutes into the baby crying unfortunately...

 

[Marseeya]

I don't think you were wrong at all to step in. That guy was either a royal jerk or was maybe suffering from some dementia.

I see similar things so often -- little kids running rampant around their helpless or befuddled grandparents in public, and the grandparents just aren't in any condition to handle them! It's really sad.

 

[tmt martins]

Yes you were wrong . JK you should have either stated do I need to call someone or will you let me help you.

I'm not talking a quick smack across the butt (sometimes it's needed) but
I will under no circumstances let other hurt a child in my presence ,That goes for the beaters and dragers in stores as well as the Parks..

I am not rude or do I try to embarass .I very calmly ask them to stop or I will take a picture and call the police.It at least makes them think.Children can't help themselves and Someone has to .

I also know that some children need it but not in front of the entire free world.I also know with some disabilities it gets real ruff on parents but this is still no excuse there are other ways.

Let the Flames start.You had a great idea and did the right thing just didn't follow through a little bit more