Kids can be super annoying at times, so much so that the only way to teach them a lesson is by giving them a taste of their own medicine.
An internet user asked, “Am I a jerk for jumping out of the way when my niece and nephew tried to push me into a pool, resulting in them falling in?”. Here’s the full story for your context.
Backstory
Original Poster’s (OP’s) folks decided to host a barbeque because he guesses that’s what older people do.
OP declined because he really doesn’t like his two sisters, their husbands or their kids (OP and his wife are child-free). OP’s mom then pressured his wife. Long story short, they went.
When OP And His Wife Arrived
By the time OP and his wife arrived, there were about 20 people there. OP’s sisters and their husbands were already solidly buzzed. Drunk really.
OP’s Mom Was Spending 100% Of Her Time On Kids
OP’s mom was spending 100% of her time trying to keep the nieces & nephews (ages 7 to 11) more or less under control. OP’s dad had strategically retreated to the whirlpool part of the pool with a small cooler full of beers.
OP and his wife made small talk with miscellaneous people, ate food, and had a frozen margarita. OP’s sisters/BILs took turns criticizing them for being late, not being in their swimsuits, and screwing up the vibe. “Whatever. Typical suburban summers get together.”, says OP.
About 45 Minutes Later
About 45 minutes in, two of the kids ran at one of the neighbor guests who was standing next to the pool and pushed her in. She was at the pool steps, stumbled in but didn’t fall so only got half wet.
“She was clearly very unhappy about it but she didn’t make a scene, just went over to where the parents were, grabbed their towels, dried herself off and left. Sisters and BILs thought it was all great fun.”, says OP.
The Water Splash
A bit later, OP was standing a few feet away from the pool, chatting away with someone. OP saw three kids running full tilt at him from the corner of his eye. He was next.
What Does OP Say
OP says, “Not that it’s terribly difficult to outwit young kids but I just jumped out of their way at the last second. All three of them ran straight into the pool at full speed.
Most of the other guests (including my wife and me) started laughing but their moms – who as I mentioned were pretty high – absolutely freaked out. Apparently, two of the kids couldn’t swim even though they were in swimsuits.
Since I wasn’t in swim gear I stepped back from the pool and let other people fish the kids out. The kids were bawling their heads off like they’d lost a limb.”
All Hell Broke Loose
At that point, all hell broke loose. The four drunk parents were yelling at everyone in general and OP in particular for “nearly letting their kids drown” and also because two of the kids had been videoing the trick using their parents’ iPhones, which were now at the bottom of the pool.
One of OP’s BILs got into the pool to try to retrieve the phones but his BMI and BAC made that impossible. No one else volunteered to help, unsurprising given that OP’s sisters were still angry at everyone.
The Final Fuss
OP told his sisters it was their job to watch their kids and that if anything had happened to them, it would have been their responsibility, not his.
“There were some pretty strong words on both sides. My wife and I left after the other BIL fell over and face-planted while yelling at us. Now they’re saying I should have let the kids knock me into the pool and have their fun (and ruin my phone). So, am I a jerk?”, asks OP.
The Kids Learnt A Lesson
“Not the jerk. The kids learned a lesson – mess around and find out! If the parents’ phones got ruined in the process, that’s on them for not controlling their little hellions. I can see why you avoid family get-togethers. Hopefully, next time, your wife won’t allow herself to be guilted into making you go.”
What Kind Of Parent Does That?
“Not the jerk. Talk about raising your kids to be disrespectful jerks, and being irresponsible parents. What kind of parent gets intoxicated when their children are playing in, and around a pool? Especially when they know that their kids can’t swim!?”
It Was The Parents’ Responsibility
“Absolutely not the jerk. Their parents are. You did not mention the ages of the children but they certainly got a dose of their own medicine. The parents should have dealt with their children when they pushed the neighbor in the pool.
It sounds like your sisters and BILs are lousy, lazy parents.No reasonable person would expect you to let the kids push you in when you were fully clothed.”
Not Your Fault In The Slightest
“Not the jerk. Whilst you seem like a bit of a downer, you had every right to step out of the way. The 100% should have been watching their kids. Not your fault in the slightest.
Now if you had been pushed in and been annoyed that your phone was broken, I bet you would have been the jerk then too and I bet nobody would have fished it out for you, and had you demanded payment I bet nobody would have offered either. Stand firm.”
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This article was originally published on Mrs Daaku Studio.