How to deal with people like this?

pigpen

I'd look at her like she was some kind of purple alien with 3 heads that I had never seen before and tell her how obnoxious she is..

I am NOT a people person... but I would already have been sitting there with my ipod and book so she couldn't have spoken to me in the first place lol.

Or the bragging about her perfectly ordinary child I'd probably say something really scathing just to get rid of her.. like 'does she slways squint like that?' or 'has she got 1 ear higher than the other?' ... make her a bit neurotic.. and spin yarns about your daughter.. she has allsorts of stuff.... in a class with 12 y/o's at dance, expert at ice skating, having driving lessons and flying lessons.... cut her off every time she speaks to say 'yeah, mine was doing that about 2 years ao she has progressed to this now/got bored and started something else'...

My problem is I have so many children who are all so very different I have at least 1 that did everything you could imagine!! .. apart from ice skating.. they are all useless lol..

ashaput

I agree with listening to music. If you don't want to be rude to her, when other mums come just take her to join with others. May be she is kind of woman with lack of attention, so she tries to make people put their attention to her. Or, she's just cocky

j.e.j.

I think your idea of sending your husband to take DD to swimming lessons for a few weeks might work. This woman seems to be the sort who attaches themselves to one person probably because they won't get such an easy time behaving like that with a group of people.

People who are constantly putting others down and bigging themselves/their offspring up must be insecure deep down and I suspect this woman is quite lonely.

pinkcandyflossprincess

i had a cousin just like that, thankfully you arent related to her so owe her nothing.
Im very good at blanking people like that, if they go on and on, i either get up and move, or just look in other direction till they run out of steam and move them selves.
you dont need it, alternatively you good turn loony !!!!! yourselve and crack up laughing if her daughter makes an error in the pool, shouting your daughters such a clod etc, she wont like her little darling insulted and is liable to self destruct:rotfl:

Charlies_Mummy

j.e.j, you're right, she is very lonely. When the girls were at nursery she stood on her own at pick up every day even though it was quite a sociable place and I personally found all the other parents to be chatty and friendly. And my friend that knows her through work says she's unpopular. She comes across as being quite odd, the kind of person that you get when you're at school that always tittle tattles to the teacher and goes on and on to everyone.

FunnySaving

Might it be worth just saying 'I don't know if you realise this, but comments like that come across as quite rude.' and let her take from that what she will. If she's unpopular then she either doesn't know she's being rude or doesn't care, so at least you can eliminate the former and if it's the latter than it won't matter what you say anyway!

polejunkie

Grab a book about quantum physics, cardiology, psychology or social modes and claim to be revising for your next exam/dissertation.

Darlyd

Maybe she does not realize the way she says things can come across as quite rude?

You say she was often stood alone picking little one up from nursery? Perhaps she is a loner, and does not know how to make conversation?

If you don't want to befriend someone like that, then by all means make it quite clear to her, ignore her if you can by reading a book, or listening to your ipod, or just sitting with other parents and chatting to them. But I think that is being unfair IMO. To me she is only trying to make conversation and perhaps make some friends, she must be an insecure lonely woman. Just correct her if you find her way with words unacceptable.

red_devil

ask her if she ever cracks a joke?

Charlies_Mummy

darlyd, I would disagree that it would be unfair of me to make it clear to her that I don't want to befriend her. As far as I'm concerned she has had her chance with me and she has been rude and just unpleasant to be around, and to be honest I can't be bothered. I have enough friends, and I don't feel the need to make extra ones at swimming lessons. I really can't be bothered to have to start correcting a grown adult and generally getting involved in something that might cause friction.

I don't think she is trying to make conversation and make friends TBH, I think she is just on the lookout for people to compete against and to verbally put down to make herself feel superior.