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Original poster

Deliberately running over frogs with a lawnmower

87 replies

SlinkyMalinkyy · 24/04/2026 09:33

When I was with my ex he saw no issue if there was a frog/frogs on the lawn he would deliberately run it over with the lawn mower with the kids watching. He would laugh while doing it. The first time he did it I saw the frog on the lawn and I thought it would be nice to show the kids, teach them about frogs maybe take it to a local park/lake. DH hacked it to bits! 😭 His excuse was that he had always seen his grandfather do this and it was no big deal. MIL got the kids involved in pouring boiling water over ants too. So any attempts to foster empathy for living things was over ridden.

Kids are older now but he still does this. It seems unnecessarily cruel to me and teaches the children a lack of empathy for living things.

AIBU in thinking this is not normal especially in front of children? It was part of a wider pattern of problematic behaviour. No frog is safe! 🐸

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liwsondavids · 17/08/2026 14:18

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ArtAngel · 28/04/2026 09:40

I think you need to be very direct with the kids and tell them that it is downright cruel to kill creatures like this, and also explain how valuable and important frogs are.

Don’t just hope that they will pick up ‘empathy’ from following your example.

How old are they?

BuckChuckets · 28/04/2026 09:34

SlinkyMalinkyy · 24/04/2026 09:47

Thanks everyone. He was cruel in other ways which is why I left but this seemed particularly cruel especially as he seemed to enjoy hacking them to bits and in front of our kids. Unfortunately the kids now display a lack of empathy towards living things like ex as he always undermined me, I keep trying to teach them empathy and compassion though.

I was just about to say hopefully they don't take after their father and grandmother 😔

abracadabra1980 · 28/04/2026 09:29

What the FUCK have I just read? Jesus OP, let him carry on his psychopath ways but for the love of God, remove your children from him. There were two boys in my year at school who were cruel to animals. One is now in Boradmoor, the other has recently been released from prison post murder.

aLFIESMA · 28/04/2026 09:23

Well done for getting away from him OP, I imagine that wasn't at all easy.
What an horendous influence he could be on your children, you must find ways to mitigate this by watching nature programmes with them (Secret Gardens on BBC is magical) and making them aware of the wonder of wildlife but first and foremost have as little contact as possible with him, don't provoke him and you need to build a support network.
Wishing you and you family all good things x.

Netcurtainnelly · 28/04/2026 09:09

hope someone runs him over in return.

Whyaremyradiatorsgreen · 28/04/2026 09:03

Horrible behaviour. I was on a second date years ago with a man who seemed totally normal. We were driving on a country road and he swerved, deliberately, to hit a rabbit. 🤬 Sick bastard. I made him stop the car, I got out, and walked 5 miles to the nearest phone box (no mobiles back then!) to call my dad to pick me up.

LeftieRightsHoarder · 28/04/2026 08:59

PowerhouseOfTheCell · 24/04/2026 14:31

Is your ex Ted Bundy? I'd be reiterating at every opportunity to the children that their dad is deeply disturbed and that animal abuse is vile.
I'd even go as far as telling their school and looking into some therapy to unpick any thoughts and habits their wrongen dad has passed down

Good idea to ask the school for help.

LeftieRightsHoarder · 28/04/2026 08:56

What a nightmare. He is either sick or evil, and has corrupted your children too. His mother sounds nearly as bad, but that’s no excuse for him.

Downatrack · 24/04/2026 16:49

Disgusting waste of oxygen. Wildlife Offences | The Crown Prosecution Service definitely a crime and has malicious intent. Although not a priority NPCC would also be very interested

Wildlife Offences | The Crown Prosecution Service

https://www.cps.gov.uk/prosecution-guidance/wildlife-offences

loislovesstewie · 24/04/2026 16:38

What a thoroughly awful, sick individual. I hope he runs his foot over with the lawnmower.

Monty36 · 24/04/2026 16:22

So long as you get the gist OP that your ex is weird. Cruel and twisted.
How you manage your children with him I am not sure.

MyGirlJ · 24/04/2026 15:52

That's evil!
As a kid it was always my job to spot check the lawn for frogs before it was mowed. Any that I found we're put in a lidded bucket and taken back to our next door neighbours pond.
The thought of him deliberately mowing them to bits makes me so angry and sad. What a bastard.

DeftGoldHedgehog · 24/04/2026 15:52

Awful. I dug a pond in my garden last year just to hopefully attract frogs and newts. We've had them before just in a bucket of rain water.

ohyesido · 24/04/2026 15:50

That’s horrific

CarbootJunction · 24/04/2026 15:46

I am absolutely terrified of frogs, so to learn there are a few less in the world is a comfort.

Sunisgettinganewhaton · 24/04/2026 15:44

My ndn's ds did hideous things to snails.. It was of no shock he was in jail for violent crimes before he was 16...in and out as an adult..

Harassedmum123 · 24/04/2026 15:43

How I wish i hadn’t read this. I dread to think what he does to other people or considers doing. Worst thing I’ve read for a long time , absolutely disgusting behaviour.

Electricsausages · 24/04/2026 15:41

Shame he doesn’t run over the cable
cruel git 😡

TryAndGetOutOfThat · 24/04/2026 15:32

What a horrible, uncaring bastard.

Hapagirl48 · 24/04/2026 15:31

He's disgusting. Personally, I can't imagine going beyond the first date with someone like that because I doubt he's lovely otherwise. Also I'm concerned that you said your children have a lack of empathy for living things as well. We love the various wildlife in our garden and once my teen daughter cried because she stepped on a snail in the dark by mistake. I did think that was a bit over the top but better than delighting in it.

Comtesse · 24/04/2026 15:28

Repulsive.

Monty36 · 24/04/2026 15:27

Appalling. Try to ensure your children do not follow suit.
We share the world with all sorts of creatures.
Utterly appalling.
And for his information, no, it is not normal. Not anything anyone I know has ever done. Abnormal yes. Normal, no.

ChaToilLeam · 24/04/2026 15:25

Sick bastard. Those who are cruel to animals end up escalating to people. I hope your children do NOT end up like him.

Itsmetheflamingo · 24/04/2026 15:23

It’s really odd not just for the cruelty.

Surely it makes a complete mess of the lawn mower blades/ mechanics?! Surely he doesn’t that frequently happen across frogs to be at it all the time?!

although I do think people can be brought up with something and not think properly about it. I was brought up to kill spiders and flies and I was an adult before I realised many people don’t do this (neither do I anymore)

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