Debating Privacy at the Park: AITA for Not Discussing My Leg Cast with a Curious Child?
AITA for not explaining my leg cast to a kid at the park? Redditors weigh in on privacy versus sharing personal health details with strangers.
A woman with a fresh ankle injury just tried to enjoy a quiet park afternoon, and somehow it turned into an interrogation. She’s sitting on a bench with crutches, minding her own business, when a curious kid rolls up like it’s show-and-tell day.
The kid starts firing off questions about her leg cast, and OP politely shuts it down because she’s overwhelmed and, honestly, privacy matters more when you’re vulnerable. Then the mom steps in, not asking, but judging, calling OP “unhelpful” for not feeding the curiosity.
Now OP is stuck wondering if she was rude, or if the parent crossed a line.
Original Post
I (32F) recently broke my ankle and have been using crutches. One sunny afternoon, I decided to rest on a park bench.
As I sat there, a curious kid approached me and started bombarding me with questions about my leg cast. I politely declined to explain, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the attention.
Suddenly, the parent, a woman in her 40s, intervened, criticizing me for being 'unhelpful' and not engaging with her child's curiosity. For background, I've always valued my privacy, and the constant inquiries from strangers about my injury have been emotionally draining.
I believe it's my right to decide whether or not to disclose personal information, especially in a vulnerable state. However, the parent's remarks left me doubting myself.
Was I truly being unhelpful by choosing not to share details about my injury, or was I justified in protecting my boundaries? So, AITA?
Comment from u/pizzalover85
Comment from u/giraffe_dance123
The second OP declined to explain her leg cast, the park went from “awkward questions” to full-on mom versus OP energy.
What do you think about this situation? Let us know in the comments.
Comment from u/mountain_moonshine
Comment from u/sunsetwhispers
This also echoes an AITA parenting fight over judging a 13-year-old’s influence on a daughter.
Comment from u/coffeeoverload
Comment from u/booksandcats22
Comment from u/eagle_eye88
Comment from u/filmgeek42
Comment from u/musicintheair
When the kid’s questions kept coming and OP stayed silent, that’s when the mom decided politeness was optional and criticism was necessary.
OP’s whole point is that being on crutches already feels like too much, but the mom treated it like OP was withholding a public service.
By the time the parent called OP “unhelpful,” the bench chat had turned into a debate about boundaries, not bandages.
Comment from u/sunnydays76
Comment from u/blueberrymuffin
Comment from u/teatime87
OP might have been the only one in that park who understood that a cast is not a conversation topic.
Still arguing boundaries with someone close, read how a friend’s fictional ship debate shattered their friendship: siblings or dating, they couldn’t agree.
