Using your child to cut in the restroom line? (mini-rant)

[El Fuego]

I went to see the Gin Blossoms in concert last weekend at the Garlic Festival (BTW they were excellent!) It was at a small venue, and the line for the ladies restroom was really agonizingly long (about 30 people.) So I'm waiting in line...waiting...waiting... and just when I'm "up" this woman waltzes in carrying a toddler right past the whole line like she thinks she's Princess Di.

She puts her hand in my face in a talk-to-the-hand way and says, "Sorry, but my daughter has to go." I said, "Well we all have to, that's why we've been standing here." But of course, she ignored me.

I was like :wtf:.
I don't know anything about her daughter's bladder issues, but I doubt the little moppet has just had 3 Bud Lights. :grr:

I was, dare I say it-- pissed!!

The thing is, if she would have just ASKED NICELY by saying "Can I please go ahead..." for whatever reason, I would have been have said "Sure!"

To me, it seems like she was using the kid as a prop to cut in line. I have nothing against parents or kids, I just hate that kind of attitude.

[MountainLaurel]

1. My local radio station

Did a great rant on this topic -- not necessarily the bathroom -- but lines in general.

[Texasgal]

2. ...

:popcorn:

[Shell Beau]

14. Pass some this way!!!

:popcorn:

[LynneSin]

18. I"m sorry that popcorn smilie isn't appropriate....

...you'll run out quickly. Here's a bigger one

[Shell Beau]

21. That's what I am talking about!

:woohoo:

[Gormy Cuss]

3. The attitude is pretty selfish.

I'm willing to bet nearly everyone in line would have let her cut in had she asked politely. I would have been more than a little pissed off at her talk-to-the-hand routine too and said something rude to her, but then I have a short fuse for the self-important. That said, toddlers don't give much notice when they "have to go." Maybe she was just weary from dealing with her child's accidents.

[LynzM]

4. I was going to gripe until I saw your last two lines :)

Yeah, it's all about attitude! It's one thing to ask, and another thing to demand. That goes for life in general, and some people have never learned that. UGH.

[LeftyMom]

5. A toddler, being newly potty trained

Generally doesn't give much warning between "Mommy, I gotta go" and "Oops, I went." I would've jumped the line with LeftyKid, too. Of course he'd have been in and out of the stall in less than a minute (unless he had to poo or had already had an accident) so you'd have little inconvenince to complain of.

The problem isn't kids, it's that events like that usually need more toilets.

[gardenista]

6. Good point. This was an infrastructure problem, but the mom could

have been a little nicer about it.

[LeftyMom]

8. Agreed

It's hard to walk the line between apologetic and firm in that sort of situation.

[LynzM]

7. That, too.

Haven't they figured out yet that you need 5 women's stalls for every guy's stall they build? :crazy:

:hi: how's life, dude?

[DS1]

30. We'd be happy with a hole in the ground

:shrug:

[El Fuego]

12. I can see that.

If it were me with the kid, I think I would have at least said "Do you mind..?" to the people who were waiting. Oh well.

Women's facilities are always a problem at these things!! It's not because women are slow, it's that the men have more toilets since they have urinals which take up less space.

[nini]

9. I would have strong armed my way past her

I can't take that shit from people anymore. The kid would have to piss in her pants because her mother is a snot.


If people cannot be civil to me they will not get any special treatment back. Like you.. if she had been polite etc.. I would have happlily given up my spot. I have even asked mothers back in line if they wanted my spot - I am not completely heartless. But put that hand in my face and all bets are off.

Flame away if you want - I don't care. I'm just so sick of those that assume they deserve some special type of treatment while they crap on those they want it from. Not from me anymore.

:grr:

[El Fuego]

16. Fortunately, I was having a good time

And I didn't want to let HER ruin the evening for me! So I managed to keep my mouth shut.

[LostinVA]

20. I WORSHIP the Gin Blossoms!

[nini]

23. Glad to hear it didn't ruin your night

What was a kid doing there in the first place?

[Shell Beau]

24. I was kinda wondering that myself, but I've been suprised

to see a good bit of kids at every concert I've been to here lately. :shrug:

[El Fuego]

25. I know, it wasn't exactly a kid-friendly event

Lots of beer, full liquor bar, loud music, drunk people ... I wouldn't have brought a kid there!

[Midlodemocrat]

10. I would have pepper sprayed her.

[StopTheMorans]

11. wise words from a wise woman

:thumbsup:

[Jara sang]

13. You should have punched her in the gut then held her head in the toilet.

Flushing continuously.

[Gormy Cuss]

19. Women wouldn't do that.

The lines are too long to let anyone hog the stall for more than one flush.:crazy:

[Shell Beau]

15. JMO, but life is too short to get pissed about the small

stuff!! Just sayin'! :)

On edit, I will say just b/c that isn't a big deal to me doesn't mean you can't get pissed about it.

[El Fuego]

27. Pissed? Is that a BAD PUN?

:rofl:

[underpants]

17. Wow first the great parking spots and now this!!!

That kid is GOLD!

[LostinVA]

22. Don't even get me started about the parking spots...

[underpants]

26. I've always used them

I got chewed out one time and threw it right back at the housefrau. I was lying.

[gollygee]

28. When a kid that age has to go, he/she has to go NOW

Though the mom should have been nicer, I've been in situations where my daughter had to sit on a toilet within about 2 minutes or Old Faithful would blow right there. There isn't a lot of time for discussion, but an, "I'm sorry, my daughter was just potty trained and she really has to sit on the potty right away" would have been the way to go.

[hunter]

29. They are not little kids for long...

Use 'em while you got'm.

Be kind. Sometimes you run out of extra clothes or diapers for the kids.

[DiverDave]

31. One of the sad things about our times

is that nobody feels the need to be polite.

I am sick to death of people that think that they are the only people on this planet.
The whole "Fuck you, I've got mine" mentality is just sickening to me.

I teach my kids to say "Please" and Thank You".
I ask them if it cost's them anything to be polite.
The answer is, nothing, except a smidge of time.

I would have said "Get your god damned hand out of my face, and, WHAT'S the MAGIC WORD?"

Teaching her kid the American way, It's all about ME.

[Pithlet]

32. Center of the Universe Syndrome.

Sounds like the lady was afflicted. Of course, by the time she got to the front of the line, she may have already had so many dirty looks rolled her way by other people afflicted with CUS that she was not in a polite mood. Not everyone would be willing to let her go like El Fuego would have, even if she were polite. I got a snort and an eyeroll once from a snotty Miss Center of the Universe at the airport for deigning to change my infant in her presence in the public bathroom at the designated diaper change area.

[nini]

33. That was my point. The rudeness factor does not fly with me

to hell with them.

:D