My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Join the discussion and meet other Mumsnetters on our free online chat forum.

Chat

What parenting things do other people do that you absolutely refuse to do?

471 replies

FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop · 17/07/2021 21:08

I never bake my kids' birthday cakes. I can buy a very good supermarket one or pay someone to produce something that looks better than what I can do and has cost me less.

I won't do role playing with them. There are no scarier words than "mummy will you play with me - you be the dog and I'll be the owner". I apparently do it ALL WRONG anyway, I usually say something like "instead, why don't we do some painting" or I even say I'm busy. And I thank God every day the days of playing tea parties are over. Me perched on a very uncomfortable toadstool seat pretending to sip tea from a singing Fisher Price teacup for 2 hours and doing it wrong anyway 😂

OP posts:
Report
Paperyfish · 17/07/2021 21:09

Elf on the shelf

Report
30degreesandmeltinghere · 17/07/2021 21:12

Let my dc sleep in my bed..
Share a bath /shower with my dc.
Have sleepovers in primary school .

Report
EspressoDoubleShot · 17/07/2021 21:14

Elf on shelf,it’s fucking cruel and creepy
We don’t send or make thank you cards . Fussy affectation
Tutors or schedule of activities. They’re kind they don’t need dragooned into being busy
We don’t bake. Why would I?

Report
wtfisgoingonhere21 · 17/07/2021 21:14

Def shudder at the primary sleep overs and actually have never done one and got two days left of primary forever yippee Grin

Home baking on a weekend. The sheer volume of tidying up just isn't worth the very small mouthful of hair filled tea cakes Grin

Report
Justarandompersonontheinternet · 17/07/2021 21:15

Make my children clear their plates.

Report
AnneLovesGilbert · 17/07/2021 21:16

Buy birthday cakes. Why spend money on something garish and additive filled when I can make something I know they’ll like for a fraction of the cost Grin

Feed her meat or fish.

Give her anything but water to drink.

Report
FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop · 17/07/2021 21:16

I agree about primary school sleepovers and I'm amazed at how many happen in my DC's class.

OP posts:
Report
BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 17/07/2021 21:16

I'm with you OP. On all those points.

Cosleeping (thankfully the kids didnt want to), baking with kids. At a push I buy predone cupcakes and a selection of toppings for them to decorate.

Report
ForestYeti · 17/07/2021 21:17

Be a I’m your parent not your friend parent.

Report
EspressoDoubleShot · 17/07/2021 21:17

Tutors or schedule of activities. They’re kids they don’t need dragooned into being busy
No punishing schedules of music,sport,mandarin,violin,drama,sport. That’s an affectation for the parents to show how suuuuper busy and clever their kids are. I’ve also heard the activity schedule used as a reason not to get a job. no, no too busy to work ferrying their children to all their activities and classes to get a job

Report
TreeSmuggler · 17/07/2021 21:18

Sensory bins. The mess! Any type of set up activity really.

Report
maras2 · 17/07/2021 21:18

Negotiate with or pander to anyone under 9.

Report
SprogletsMum · 17/07/2021 21:18

Now the youngest is 4 and has mastered sorting his own cereal, I don't do making breakfast for them anymore.

Report
EspressoDoubleShot · 17/07/2021 21:19

What’s a sensory bin?

Report
Ragwort · 17/07/2021 21:19

Loads ... I never understood the comment 'I can't even go to the toilet/have a shower in peace'.

Never co slept, never fed my baby to sleep. Certainly never shared a bath or shower with my DC.

Elf on the shelf.

I quite enjoyed baking birthday cakes until the year my DS begged me for a 'shop cake' Grin

Role play, in fact any sort of "play" apart from board games or sporty stuff.

Never took my DC to theme parks etc

Refused to do 'trick or treat' ... one year he really wanted to so DH took him ... came back after 10 minutes saying what a waste of time it was!

Report
Sparklingbrook · 17/07/2021 21:21

I never baked my DC a birthday cake, they get to choose one from the supermarket. Or I’d get the local cake place to do one if they wanted a theme.

Disney. They’ve ever showed an interest thank goodness.

Report
Hardbackwriter · 17/07/2021 21:21

I refuse to believe that babies have any need for, or derive any specific from, activities that are designed to be 'sensory'. The whole world is a sensory experience if you've only been in it a few months. I have no problem with those classes as a way for mums to get out of the house and meet each other but I hate the way they're marketed as some sort of essential experience. It's not like if you don't take them to a sensory class they never learn to see in colour or to feel texture!

Report
EspressoDoubleShot · 17/07/2021 21:21

EuroDisney, I’ve explained it is a shallow overpriced and dull

Report
Hardbackwriter · 17/07/2021 21:21

*any specific benefit

Report
Ragwort · 17/07/2021 21:21

Genuinely didn't mind sleepovers, used to do a lot of 'sleepover' swaps with my friend ... much easier than getting a babysitter if you wanted a free night and as an ex Cub Leader I am quite used to being strict with other people's children.

Report
trilbydoll · 17/07/2021 21:23

Talk in a sing song voice (I know it's good for language development but I can't bring myself to do it)

Serve a balanced healthy meal at young dc birthday parties - pizza all the way. If that's a problem, it's an invitation not a summons Wink

Report
Sparklingbrook · 17/07/2021 21:23

I also thought sleepovers although stressful and I couldn’t wait for the visiting DC to GO HOME, it was great because my DC got to go away for a night or two in return. Result.

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

Ostryga · 17/07/2021 21:23

Role playing. God I can’t stand it. That is what Dd has friends for.

Report
OnlyFoolsnMothers · 17/07/2021 21:23

Christmas Eve boxes- ffs they can’t wait one day (“oh but Freddie needs a toothbrush and pyjamas anyway” Hmm)
Oh and matching pjs for the whole family’- sod that

Report
Antiqueanniesmagiclanternshow · 17/07/2021 21:24

Tell them off forchaving messy bedrooms.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.