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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to avoid a playdate because of the parent’s social media ?

365 replies

Jesstica · 22/04/2026 07:57

not a political debate do you decide which kids hang out with yours based on their parents (if they are of a parents coming along age?)

Hey. I'm from a 2 mum family and debating if I should still go on a play date thing. Long story short a local political group (naming no names!) has recently posted some dodgy stuff about same sex parents, box ticking and that they shouldn't be allowed to adopt which has meant that people in the comments are chipping in some bold stuff. One of the people liking/adding some posts, is someone who we are due to meet up with next week whos kid goes to nursery with ours. We dont know her well, I'd presume she knows our family set up but I don't know because this is the first non nursery meet up.

DW wants to be mysteriously busy, because she doesnt want any awkwardness if she hasn't realised, or for those views to get through to our kid if it becomes a longer friendship. Our kids can hang out at nursery etc, just not on parent play dates outside of it until perhaps when they are old enough that hanging out with the kid doesn't mean also hanging out with the parents.

I dont want to interfere with the friendship but am not thrilled at awkward parent chat while they play. None of this is either of our kids fault so I'm tempted to go along but then don't know what I'd do if she wants to schedule more

OP posts:
EverydayRoutine · 24/04/2026 13:26

You can turn off notifications if you don’t want to receive them @EvangelicalAboutButteredToast 🙂

JayJayEl · 24/04/2026 12:47

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/04/2026 11:41

You’ve quoted me again!

Sorry about that.

JayJayEl · 24/04/2026 12:47

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/04/2026 11:41

You’ve quoted me again!

Whoops!

oopsBSoD · 24/04/2026 11:58

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/04/2026 11:42

Plus there’s literally no hide option. I thought it used to be the three dots at the top. Hide is no longer there weirdly.

Edited

It's here.

AIBU to avoid a playdate because of the parent’s social media ?
AIBU to avoid a playdate because of the parent’s social media ?
EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/04/2026 11:42

Plus there’s literally no hide option. I thought it used to be the three dots at the top. Hide is no longer there weirdly.

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/04/2026 11:41

You’ve quoted me again!

JayJayEl · 24/04/2026 11:38

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/04/2026 11:30

I’m not sure how to back away from this thread without the notifications constantly hitting my inbox. Everytime you quote me I get an email encouraging me to reply. Then when I reply you report my post 🙈. Can’t win for losing. I will be delighted to hide the thread, you just have to stop quoting me.

You must have said something pretty awful to have a complaint lead to the whole post being removed. Going on the evidence presented, I'm going to assume it was something homophobic, yes?

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/04/2026 11:30

I’m not sure how to back away from this thread without the notifications constantly hitting my inbox. Everytime you quote me I get an email encouraging me to reply. Then when I reply you report my post 🙈. Can’t win for losing. I will be delighted to hide the thread, you just have to stop quoting me.

TheseWordsAreMine · 24/04/2026 11:21

They might try to turn your kids straight.

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/04/2026 11:21

In the hope that the @ notifications stop, please accept my gif 😊

Season 6 Episode 10 GIF by Parks and Recreation
EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/04/2026 11:11

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

southcoastsammy · 24/04/2026 11:09

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 23/04/2026 11:11

What if they’re not homophobes? What if youve decided they are based on limited knowledge and internalised prejudice, and you are completely wrong?

Edited

As someone who has a rainbow family, quite frankly my tolerance bar for this kind of homophobia is now so low it’s practically underground!
OP you owe these - very likely homophobes - people zero amount do your time. At worst they’re homophobic, at best a bit dim, so I would bother with them at all.

Jesstica · 24/04/2026 08:27

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 23/04/2026 13:57

To be fair I accept what you are saying. She sounds like a silly cow and she’ll be no loss to your life.

Most of what I wrote was pushing back against locus of control and self limiting beliefs. I haven’t got the time to explain it fully, but that link explains it well. If you walk through life convinced that everyone is prejudice it’s really easy to see everyone as prejudice. Obviously if you have clear evidence they’re a twat then it makes it easier. I felt like you didn’t have that much evidence, you felt you did and that’s fine.

That's the point though. You just assumed i was in the wrong

Throughout this while telling me to be open minded, you've spent the whole time jumping on other people

You assumed I had been using slurs, and calling people homophobic (i hadn't), you assumed i was over reacting. You assumed that I didnt have "enough evidence" without presumably reading what I said or asking what the posts were if you weren't sure. You've decided that it can't be real and sent me a passive agressive thing about misinterpreted bias to try and invalidate what is happening.

I said i had seen some quite shocking posts, without asking what they were you decided that I couldn't have.

You decided without seeing the posts, knowing either of us that she was definitely just talking about gay men, that it was definitely reasonable and I must be overreacting. Its the definition of stereotyping me and my intent.

Similar to other people that have come in saying that I had called them hateful (when I didnt) or just randomly pronounced that they don't support me being able to parent when it's not what the question was.

Its all strawman arguments that you decided because you decided what the argument was rather than what it is.

OP posts:
Iatethelastbiscuit · 23/04/2026 19:21

user1492757084 · 23/04/2026 14:35

I would be attending. You can't stunt your child's social life due to their friend's parent not being politically correct.

The opinionated parent will benefit from getting to know you. They are possibly ignorant. Be confident and honest. The main thing is that you are fair and kind.

This is a lot more than not being politically correct, it’s hate and bigotry. Not being PC is using outdated language to describe a minority or stereotyping someone.

I’d rather “stunt” my child’s social life than have them go to the home of someone who actively opposes their family. I’m sure they’d thank me for it later. This isn’t even an issue anyway, the kid is 3 years old

Eightfor15 · 23/04/2026 18:46

.

JayJayEl · 23/04/2026 18:16

user1492757084 · 23/04/2026 14:35

I would be attending. You can't stunt your child's social life due to their friend's parent not being politically correct.

The opinionated parent will benefit from getting to know you. They are possibly ignorant. Be confident and honest. The main thing is that you are fair and kind.

Huh? Showing support for homophobic views does not mean someone isn't being "politically correct". It's someone being homophobic and bigoted.

SarahAndQuack · 23/04/2026 17:05

I'm sorry, I haven't read the whole thread, but FWIW, OP, I had my DD in a same-sex relationship and when she was in nursery my ex and I would probably also have wondered about this one and maybe would have thought we ought to be accepting.

I am a lot less inclined to do that these days. It's amazing how much of an impact small comments can have on a child and it's amazing how many people who seem perfectly nice manage to say absolutely fucking twatty things. There's a woman I know who is big on the 'I don't have an issue with gay parents but ...' line and unfortuantely, I know DD has heard too many people say or hint that one of her mums isn't a 'real' mum and/or doesn't love her the same way a biological mum would. When my ex and I split, you would not believe how many people thought it was ok to say things like 'ooh, will you still see [mummy's name]?' or to say to me, over her head 'are you going to be allowed to keep seeing her?'

It's much more damaging than you might think. People don't have to be froth-at-the-mouth homophobe types to be damaging and hurtful.

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 23/04/2026 14:47

AlliWantIsARoomSomewheeeere · 23/04/2026 14:42

I think you are wasting your time with this one.
they will respond all "holier than thou" whatever you say.

I replied and I wasn’t ‘holier than though’ at all. How rude.

AlliWantIsARoomSomewheeeere · 23/04/2026 14:42

Jesstica · 23/04/2026 12:20

Would you like me to show you the posts I'm referring to?

You seem completely convinced that I must be misinterpreting them, or that I'm reaching despite me being clear about the content from the start

You seem so convinced that we should be open to your point of view, but completely minimise any other. I have literal evidence if it helps

Edited

I think you are wasting your time with this one.
they will respond all "holier than thou" whatever you say.

user1492757084 · 23/04/2026 14:35

I would be attending. You can't stunt your child's social life due to their friend's parent not being politically correct.

The opinionated parent will benefit from getting to know you. They are possibly ignorant. Be confident and honest. The main thing is that you are fair and kind.

AlliWantIsARoomSomewheeeere · 23/04/2026 14:28

SereneSeeker · 22/04/2026 12:11

I also don’t agree with same-sex couples being allowed to adopt or have children. I’m entitled this view.

And people are entitled to not wanna spend time with you because you're ignorant. of your beliefs...

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 23/04/2026 14:26

Tell me a word that you think is a slur?

BlackRowan · 23/04/2026 14:05

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 23/04/2026 13:42

Would you be happy to be called a racist, if you weren’t one?

I can disagree that I am a racist or be unhappy to be called a racist if that’s not correct but the word itself is not a slur

so trying to shut down people calling you a homophobe by arguing “it is a slur” is a bit silly

newlycorporategirl · 23/04/2026 14:01

I am in a similar set up to you and would be wary of this person's attitudes towards my family and the impact it might have on my child. That's not to say you shouldn't go, but be vigilant about how they respond towards you once they know your set up.

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 23/04/2026 13:57

Jesstica · 23/04/2026 12:20

Would you like me to show you the posts I'm referring to?

You seem completely convinced that I must be misinterpreting them, or that I'm reaching despite me being clear about the content from the start

You seem so convinced that we should be open to your point of view, but completely minimise any other. I have literal evidence if it helps

Edited

To be fair I accept what you are saying. She sounds like a silly cow and she’ll be no loss to your life.

Most of what I wrote was pushing back against locus of control and self limiting beliefs. I haven’t got the time to explain it fully, but that link explains it well. If you walk through life convinced that everyone is prejudice it’s really easy to see everyone as prejudice. Obviously if you have clear evidence they’re a twat then it makes it easier. I felt like you didn’t have that much evidence, you felt you did and that’s fine.