The woman explained on the British parenting forum Mumsnet how a woman in her sixties started moaning “loudly” because she wasn’t offered the seats by the mum’s two children, aged four and six.
The mum-of-three clarified that she was already standing with a baby in the pram and didn’t have a seat to offer to the woman.
She gave further context to explain she always has her kids sit in a seat after her son had fallen on the same bus and banged his head on the floor while “standing up and holding on” a few months prior.
Going by the username “whatsthepointthen”, she said the older woman kept “shaking her head” throughout the journey.
It prompted the mum to pose this question: “Should children give up their seats for their elders?”
The answers varied depending on the age of the child and how able-bodied the older person is.
Other suggestions were to have the kids share a seat or to have them sit on the mother’s lap.
One responder said: “It depends on who is more in need; there are too many variables to say who should get the seat.
“In your case I would have offered my own seat, if you had one and were able to ride the bus safety.
“I may also tell my children to share a seat.”
Another added: “If they are young enough (which they are of their young enough to not be able to stand on a bus without falling) you sit them on your last so everyone can sit down.”
One suggested that it depends on the health of the older person.
They said: “It depends on the older person’s health.
“If they clearly struggle to stand under ordinary circumstances then it is hard for them than it is harder for them than it is for your children and they should get the seat.
“But if they are just old with no obvious infirmity then I don’t see why anyone should give up a seat for them.”
Another said it depends on safety of the bus route.
They said: “If possible I would have had one on my knee, some bus routes are not suitable for small children to stand up on.”
Other responses had little sympathy for the mum.
One said: “The six year old should be standing. If he fell he obviously wasn’t holding on properly.”
Another added: “I’d expect the six year old to stand for an older lady. That is just basic consideration.
“Can your six year old ride a scooter? If so, he’s got a sense of balance?”
Source: Read Full Article