Hi Reddit,
I’m pretty sure I’m not the AH here but after speaking to work colleagues I have had mixed opinions.
I was walking through a very busy main train station in heels (which I’m not used to), heading to a work awards event. A mother passed me going the opposite way with a pram and two kids running around. One of the kids (about 4–5) suddenly ran straight into my legs and ricochet onto her back on the ground. I hadn’t seen her as I was watching my footing (god damn heels), but I was walking straight behind others in a clear path.
The child started crying; I was startled and hesitated to touch her and help her up since she wasn’t mine and her mum was right there. She got up and ran to her mum, who then started screaming that I’d kicked her child and she caused a big scene. I apologised but said her kids shouldn’t be running in a place like that, then left in a hurry to catch my train.
Station staff stopped me on the platform because it had been reported I’d kicked a child. I explained what happened and said they could check CCTV and gave them my details but they kept me from leaving for quite a while until the supervisor came over and said that she did believe me as ‘kids will be kids’ but basically berated me just to tick boxes or whatever – they never followed up. Some colleagues think I should’ve helped the child up and apologised more, but I don’t think it was my fault; the mother should’ve been keeping her kids close in such a busy station.
I did feel really bad about it but was I an AH in this situation? I don’t really think the child is all to blame either but after what my colleagues said and the dirty looks I got in the train station I want to know if there was a better way of handling it?
Nah you’re good. Kid ran into you, you didn’t body check a toddler. Busy station, heels, crowds, all of that matters. The mom escalating it made everything worse. Feeling bad is normal but that doesn’t mean you were wrong.
NTA, it’s mum’s fault. What if her child run under a train? She should not let them run everywhere.
NTA. She should have had her kid under control and you should not touch other people’s kids.
I would say NTA, the mother escalated the situation by accusing you of intentionally hurting her kid. The station staff, while they were just trying to help, they were also a huge inconvenience stopping you as if you were some child abusing tyrant… how people reacted was just really unnecessary
NTA. Mom’s the AH for letting her child run around a station, and then blaming YOU?? Could have been much more dangerous for the kid.
When the mom accused you of kicking her child you shouldn’t have responded “your kid shouldn’t be running around like that” as that sounds like you did intentionally kick her kid. “Your kid ran into me, I didn’t see you kid. A busy train station probably isn’t the safest spot to run around like that”
NTA. With a mother like that there is a good chance she would have also been pissed if you HAD touched her child. I honestly would be very hesitant to help a stranger child to their feet unless I saw no other adults around. The fact that her mother was there made the choice clear and also, the mother crossed a line by escalating it so much.
NTA. You didn’t make the kid cry. She ran into you. Not sure how you were supposed to avoid that.
NTA
The child is the mother’s responsibility, not yours.
I would have spoken up and been more assertive, stating exactly what happened and if they don’t believe it, get them to look at camera footage.
Then that could put the mother in place to be more aware of what her children are doing in the vicinity, especially in a busy station.
NTA. I’d file a complaint over this.
NTA – You could have thrown a quick “You okay?” to the kid, but they’ll be fine. Probably more startled than actually hurt. Mom should have apologized and the whole interaction should have been less than 30 seconds.
NTA.
I’ve yeeted my own children by accident when they acted like this in my own walking path. Any mother who acts like a child falling because they ran into you while you were walking is “kicking” a child, is being incredibly disingenuous.
I don’t allow my kids to run around like that in public, for this exact reason. Now… they have taken off before anyway, or acted inappropriately, it does happen, no child or parent is perfect… but my response the one time one of them ran into another human was to check that the other human was okay first, then to tell my child: “this is why I told you not to do that, you could have hurt them and yourself.”
Gee, I’m sorry your totally out of control child ran into me. I think I’m all right and won’t be having your child charged with assault. There’s her apology. NTA
NTA. People need to remember that not everywhere is a playground for their child to run about it. As a mother of 2 if my kids were to behave like that I would be apologising to you, not accusing you.