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February 2013 Moms
wifeofadam
member
Still Shaking - NBR
wifeofadam
member
Today was grocery store day. So fun with four little ones, let me tell you. But today they all behaved and as I was walking to my car I was pretty proud of their behavior for once.
I got to my car and told the two boys to go get in their seats while I got DD1 out of the cart (while the baby was in the carrier on my chest). Apparently my 4YO hit the car next to us with the door when he was getting in and the lady whose car it was saw us. She shrieked, "Your kid just hit my car with the door! I can't believe it!"
I turn around and see that he had, in fact, hit the car. I started apologizing over and over again and looked at the mark (which wasn't a dent or anything, but a pencil eraser-sized chip off the paint.
She said to me, "You're not sorry! If you were it wouldn't have happened. You would have been watching your kids!" (HUH???!!?)
I tried to assure her that I was sorry and that it was an accident by a four-year-old and that she was making him feel really badly. He had already apologized and he is FOUR YEARS OLD.
To that she said, "There wouldn't have been an accident if you were watching your kids! As a mother, when my kids were younger I never let them open the car door themselves. I waited ten years to get a new car and now this happens!"
OK, now I'm getting angry. First, she made my son feel bad and now she's calling me a bad mom. I replied that she must be a better mother than I am, apparently, and that she needs to calm down. I asked her what I could do to make it right? Would she like my insurance information? She said yes.
I was literally shaking as I pulled out my insurance card to copy it down and also laughing inside at this silly woman who thinks she is going to submit a claim for a teeny tiny paint chip off of her car.
She was huffing behind me waiting for the information, so I took it as a teaching opportunity for my children. As loudly as I could say it I said, "Now this is an example of how we do NOT behave, children! When someone apologizes for something we are supposed to forgive them and have a kind heart, not be mean and nasty to them. After all, the way we treat other people is much more important that the material things we have." Then I handed her the slip of paper and told me she could call my phone to verify that I gave her the correct name and number. To that she just walked off and got in her car.
I was so flipping angry, I was shaking and still am inside almost an hour later. What a mean, nasty woman! I totally acknowledge that I was in the wrong and that perhaps my child shouldn't have been opening the door on his own. But he does it all the time and this never happens. It was an honest to goodness accident. My oldest son kept asking me what was wrong on the drive home and why the lady was so mean to me. He reminded me that I could call 911 on my phone to get the police if she was mean. LOL
I feel kind of bad for talking badly about her in front of my kids, but Mama Bear came out. What would you have done?
I got to my car and told the two boys to go get in their seats while I got DD1 out of the cart (while the baby was in the carrier on my chest). Apparently my 4YO hit the car next to us with the door when he was getting in and the lady whose car it was saw us. She shrieked, "Your kid just hit my car with the door! I can't believe it!"
I turn around and see that he had, in fact, hit the car. I started apologizing over and over again and looked at the mark (which wasn't a dent or anything, but a pencil eraser-sized chip off the paint.
She said to me, "You're not sorry! If you were it wouldn't have happened. You would have been watching your kids!" (HUH???!!?)
I tried to assure her that I was sorry and that it was an accident by a four-year-old and that she was making him feel really badly. He had already apologized and he is FOUR YEARS OLD.
To that she said, "There wouldn't have been an accident if you were watching your kids! As a mother, when my kids were younger I never let them open the car door themselves. I waited ten years to get a new car and now this happens!"
OK, now I'm getting angry. First, she made my son feel bad and now she's calling me a bad mom. I replied that she must be a better mother than I am, apparently, and that she needs to calm down. I asked her what I could do to make it right? Would she like my insurance information? She said yes.
I was literally shaking as I pulled out my insurance card to copy it down and also laughing inside at this silly woman who thinks she is going to submit a claim for a teeny tiny paint chip off of her car.
She was huffing behind me waiting for the information, so I took it as a teaching opportunity for my children. As loudly as I could say it I said, "Now this is an example of how we do NOT behave, children! When someone apologizes for something we are supposed to forgive them and have a kind heart, not be mean and nasty to them. After all, the way we treat other people is much more important that the material things we have." Then I handed her the slip of paper and told me she could call my phone to verify that I gave her the correct name and number. To that she just walked off and got in her car.
I was so flipping angry, I was shaking and still am inside almost an hour later. What a mean, nasty woman! I totally acknowledge that I was in the wrong and that perhaps my child shouldn't have been opening the door on his own. But he does it all the time and this never happens. It was an honest to goodness accident. My oldest son kept asking me what was wrong on the drive home and why the lady was so mean to me. He reminded me that I could call 911 on my phone to get the police if she was mean. LOL
I feel kind of bad for talking badly about her in front of my kids, but Mama Bear came out. What would you have done?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Still Shaking - NBR
Geez. Talk about an overreaction on her part. It's not like you tried to deny it or something. Her insurance (and yours) is going to laugh in her face.
Also, happy birthday to Gracie! :-)
I love, love, LOVE how you turned it into a "teaching opportunity" for your kids right in front of her. That was brilliant. I hope if something like this ever happens to me, I am quick enough to think of something like that!
First round of Clomid in May 2012= BFP #1, DD born January 2013
BFP #2 in January 2014, DS born September 2014
As far as damages go - the insurance company IS probably going to laugh unless this lady commits some fraud. I had a similar nick on my hood from what I assume was a rock - no damage to the actual door, just the paint. It cost about $50 at the dealer for them to put some sealant (to prevent future rusting) and new paint on. I would have been more likely to just hand the woman $50 if she wouldn't have been such a beast to me. Instead, I decided to let her try to claim in through insurance. She has my phone number if she has issues and hopefully she will calm down before she calls me with any again.
If I get a bill for $500 I will be kicking myself for not having taken a picture. I guess that's what I get for being rude. I almost wish I would have called the police so everything could have been on record. Her over-the-top reaction to the minor accident perhaps warranted an over-the-top mediator. Why do I think of these things after the fact
ETA - I would never actually waste the police's time with something like this, but it would have been funny (and immature). Her reaction was so insane that I wish I would have been like, "You're right. This is a REALLY BIG DEAL. Let's call the police and have them help sort it out." as if it was a true car accident or something. lol
I need to just let this go and stop thinking about it.