to wonder if I have missed a new parenting rule........don't watch your small child

[Sevenfold]

??
yesterday in the supermarket. small toddlers walking around, banging into trolleys and nearly getting hurt.... parent not looking.

driving, children crossing road with parent, parent marching across, whilst child dawdles way behind, parent not looking or holding very small child's hand(yes the green man was showing, but as we all know people do jump lights, especially push bikes)

been noticing this a lot of late, is it a new parenting thing?

[mumblechum1]

I've seen that a few times lately but all when the parent was a dad.

Driving through a car park yesterday, the guy was a good 15 metres ahead of tiny tot, just toddling after him, so small I didn't see her behind parked cars and had to brake suddenly as she pottered out all by herself

[familyfun]

the rule especaially applies at the park, if you have a toddler under the age of 18 months you must ignore them particularly when they are wandering infront of the swings and forcing family fun to wrench her shoulder stopping swing with dd1 from knocking toddler into space.
drives me mad.

[worraliberty]

Yes, along with 'Always allow your toddler to tear down the pavement on a micro scooter 20 yards ahead of you'....then scream when it looks like they're not going to stop at the edge of the road

[Sevenfold]

ahhh but they have all been woman that I have seen.

[GypsyMoth]

The scooter scenario is common here too

And god forbid you don't move out of the way for the precious child!!!

[Pootles2010]

Oh i thought you meant whilst at home. But yes, I've noticed what you mention too.

[worraliberty]

Oh

[lickthemarmiteknife]

New Parenting Rule #435

Parent (Dad) will have headphones on whilst pushing baby in buggy, with what looks to be a 4yo on a balance bike 300m behind, usually being befriended by white haired old lady who happens to have just got biked in the shins.

Seen it or similar 3 times recently.

[worraliberty]

Oh god I see that on a daily basis marmite but not from Dads

It's usually Mums walking along with their thumbs permanently stuck to the keypads of their mobile phones.

[Sirzy]

The running around in a supermarket drives me mad. A charming mother gave me a mouthful of abuse even her son of about 2.5 ran into my trolley. Apparently her lack of control of her child is my fault!

[ChaoticAngeloftheUnderworld]

That type of thing is so common around here that I've stopped noticing. Parents on mobiles about 15ft ahead of the toddler.

"Always call your out of control toddler towards you, tell them 3 times to hold your hand, warn them you're going to count to 5, then give up and let them do whatever the fuck they please whilst totally ignoring you"

Drives me mad too.

[scoodycat]

The scooters drive me mad you see a child hurtle towards the road no idea if they're going to stop then the parent (usually mother) wonders round the corner on phone or generally not caring. Drives me mad. I get really funny looks at the nursery for saying wait for mummy and hold my hand please which he always does as they let their children leg it out the door!!

[Minus273]

It works on the same principal as the new driving rule. If you don't look at a junction there won't be anything coming and therefore will definitely be safe to go.

[madam52]

My personal favourite is 'I wont tell you again' followed half a dozen or so times by ...' This is the last time I tell you '.


Even a child as young as two soon works it out.......I've probably got another six goes or so at this before I really should stop.

Duh !!!

[worraliberty]

And you can always tell the parents who never follow through with their punishments cos they rattle off a list of them and the kid's still totally ignoring them Lol.

If my Mum had said, "Right, come here now or you'll be going to bed as soon as we get home"....I would have been by her side within the second.

[Bootcamp]

Oh dear what a bad mother I am. My 2 year old will not hold my hand, climbs out of her buggy, throws herself on the floor and refuses to move. I am constantly wrestling her. What do you suggest? Straightjacket? Jeez give me a break.

[frasersmummy]

its not just toddlers either.. I was in our local park yesterday i was standing on the path talking to hubby and ds about what ice creams/juice we wanted when this this approx 8/9 year old come careering towards me on his bike
I had my back to him .. hubby says watch out fm

turns around and this large kid collides with me hitting my stomach and running over my feet
I automatcially say sorry.. hubby says what are you sorry for .. there is a cycle lane ... the parents catch up and whats the first thing out their mouth.. is it sorry.. is it heck ... they glared at hubby and mutter park belongs to everyone

so clearly everyone is supposed to look out for their child

[worraliberty]

Lol mine tried (repeatedly) to do the same

I just never gave up the battle of wills. They eventually realised it was non negotiable.

Took a while but was well worth it. If they wouldn't hold my hand, they went in the buggy, if they arched their backs and screamed it was tough, if they tried to climb out, I tightened the straps.

They really do give up when they know there is no chance of getting their way....the same as if they decided they wanted to cross a busy road without you...you wouldn't let them do that, so why let them dictate when they hold your hand and sit in the buggy?

[libelulle]

I'm guilty as charged on the scooter front. Not that I am on my phone ignoring her, obviously, but at some point you do have to let your 3 year old off the leash and trust them to stop at road crossings. Only on quiet roads, mind. My heart is in my mouth watching her hurtling along, and I remind her to stop verbally shouting my head off. So far she's always stopped in time.

Presumably though if I kept her at snail's pace right next to me, some of you would be snurking at my helicopter parenting

[bonkers20]

bootcamp however reluctant your toddler is you have to keep her safe.
Reins maybe? An additional harness in the buggy?

[MotherOfSuburbia]

Generally agree.
On the scooter thing though.... My boys scoot to school. They have stopping places they have to wait for me and are really good at stopping there. I know it can look alarming when a 4 year old is heading towards a road but they always stop about a metre or 2 away and wait otherwise I wouldn't let them ride the scooters. Have wondered before whether I should let other people's worries stop me from letting them ride or whether the fact I know they will stop is enough.

They are however told (on pain of death) that they must never ride too close to anybody or get in anybody's way or their scooters are confiscated.

[Bootcamp]

Hmm not sure about doing that. She's my third btw, other two stopped behaving like toddlers when they weren't toddlers. I don't want a battle or to break her fine spirt. Of course I wouldn't let her come to any harm or harm anyone else.

[worraliberty]

Toddlers on scooters belong in the park imo...not tearing down the pavement ahead of their parents.

[Bootcamp]

She is safe, I'm her shadow. Reins, ha blood ha, she'd just throw herself on the ground and I'd end up carrying her.

[aldiwhore]

Everywhere apart from the supermarket I am super vigilant. I'd be lying if I said my 3 year old NEVER got in anyone's way at the supermarket though, but fair's fair, plenty of people get in HIS way, and mine.

Regarding scooters, I had an Enid Blyton image in my mind when my mother bought my youngest a scooter. How wrong. Where they live there's a hill, on a very quiet road, we were mooching along very happily when suddenly my youngest adopted his daredevil pose and whizzed down the hill full pelt... all the general public could see from the pub garden at the bottom of the hill was a 3 year old on a scooter doing about 20mph with a crazed sweaty women careering behind him yelling '"STOOOOOPPPPPPPPP!!!" - he thought it was awesome, I needed a drink, the general public were divided between tut tutting at my lack of control and admiring my 3 year old's scooting skills.