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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think meeting a nursery dad at the park is fine?

38 replies

Whatthefork1 · 22/05/2026 20:21

AIBU or is my partner over reacting about me going to the park with a dad from nursery?

My children came out of nursery today and the dad in question was picking his two children up at the same time. We chat at drop offs and I have become friends with his wife- her and myself have taken the kids out for the day a few times now. He never comes and neither does my partner, it’s just us and the kids.

I had planned to take my kids to the park and my daughter overheard her friend saying they were going to the park too. So I asked the dad which park they were going to so that we could go to the same one for the kids to play together.

it wasn’t a preplanned thing and it was solely for the purpose of the kids to play together.

Am I bring unreasonable to think this is perfectly acceptable and shouldn’t be seen as something untoward? Or Because he is a man and not a woman, it’s not right?

OP posts:
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PollyBell · 02/07/2026 23:06

stichguru · 23/05/2026 10:22

Your husband has BIG issues. You do not.

Yes women have dramatic big issues when a man meets a mum

HaveCreditWillShop · 02/07/2026 23:01

InterestedDad37 · 22/05/2026 20:31

Can't see any issue - as someone said, if trust isn't there, that itself IS an issue.
Unless you're having a snog by the swings, a rummage by the roundabout etc 😀

Takes me back to 1997, hot summer nights, many a happy rummage after a bottle of MD20-20 in the park ;-)

narnia2025 · 23/05/2026 10:31

non issue.

when my eldest was nursery aged there was a dad and we frequently walk with the kids home sometimes to the park as kids were good friends and we lived very close. I move even though about mentioning it exh if I’m honest.

VividPinkTraybake · 23/05/2026 10:28

Mt563 · 22/05/2026 20:29

Not unreasonable. But I've seen several threads asking about husbands meeting up with mums with the kids and that generally gets very frowned on. Who knows why lol.

Spot on

Iwanttobeafraser · 23/05/2026 10:28

Thank god for this sort of interaction when dh was a sahd 15 years ago. He was fairly unusual as a man eith a small baby out and about and he did find organising actual play dates etc a but tricky, but the soft play/park interaction, especially the spontaneous stuff, was a huge lifeline and a great way for ds to get more social time.

NotMajorTom · 23/05/2026 10:23

Mt563 · 22/05/2026 20:29

Not unreasonable. But I've seen several threads asking about husbands meeting up with mums with the kids and that generally gets very frowned on. Who knows why lol.

This.
theres no issue, it’s absolutely fine and normal, just that threads where it’s the man get a bit…Weird…

stichguru · 23/05/2026 10:22

Your husband has BIG issues. You do not.

HoppityBun · 23/05/2026 10:19

compactmotif · 22/05/2026 20:50

You are a bit unreasonable for misusing a reflexive pronoun in "her and myself have taken" rather than "she and I have taken" but I don't see any issues with the substantive matter.

Is your partner usually controlling?

Agree about the grammar but I don’t think this is being controlling, he’s just uneasy.

YANBU for arranging this
YABR for telling him
He is NBU for feeling the way he does.

Talk it through and find out if he’s suggesting that your children can never play with these other children if you and the dad are the only parents there. If you and this other dad in point of fact, need chaperones for him to feel ok.

Things happen, he’s not wrong about that,

Find out, genuinely, how to reassure him.

Original poster
Whatthefork1 · 23/05/2026 10:16

Tigerbalmshark · 22/05/2026 21:02

A ride on the slide?

What would have happened if you had just bumped into him in the park OP? Would you have had to bundle your child home quickly before you were overtaken by lust?

Show quote history

Hahaa! Honestly it’s a really odd reaction to it. He hasn’t mentioned it again this morning so I’m going to assume he isn’t as bothered as he tried to make out last night. It’s just kind of hurtful that he would even comment about it because I’ve never felt as though he has a trust issue and there is zero reason for him to be that way.

OP posts:
Original poster
Whatthefork1 · 23/05/2026 10:13

Nogimachi · 22/05/2026 21:17

Absolutely not unreasonable. My husband did a lot of the early childcare and we were always grateful for the mothers with a more friendly and mature outlook who included our children and him.

That’s really lovely and if the boot was on the other foot then I too would also be happy if mums included him, I don’t see any issue with it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Whatthefork1 · 23/05/2026 10:11

SunnyRedSnail · 22/05/2026 21:01

Why on earth would he have an issue with this?!?!

Does he not trust you?

I’ve no idea. He has zero reason to not trust me and I’ve never felt as though he doesn’t and he has also never indicated anything trust issue is there. So I have no idea.

OP posts:
Artesia · 22/05/2026 21:40

LittleGreenDuck · 22/05/2026 20:32

A shag on the see-saw?

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A seeing-to on the see-saw surely?!

ACynicalDad · 22/05/2026 21:19

He sounds very insecure, or maybe he’s judging by his own standards and what he’d do if he went to the park with a mum.

Nogimachi · 22/05/2026 21:17

Absolutely not unreasonable. My husband did a lot of the early childcare and we were always grateful for the mothers with a more friendly and mature outlook who included our children and him.

mindyworf · 22/05/2026 21:14

Think fat thumb just clicked YABU. You’re not!!

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 22/05/2026 21:08

Tigerbalmshark · 22/05/2026 21:02

A ride on the slide?

What would have happened if you had just bumped into him in the park OP? Would you have had to bundle your child home quickly before you were overtaken by lust?

Show quote history

Snigger. Honestly. I mean really.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 22/05/2026 21:07

Absolutely fine. You’re parents meeting up, not illicit lovers. A coffee at a cafe would be fine too.

Tigerbalmshark · 22/05/2026 21:04

The way he is climbing framing this is all wrong.

RappelChoan · 22/05/2026 21:02

Is this a roundabout way of your husband saying he doesn’t trust you?

Tigerbalmshark · 22/05/2026 21:02

DriveVerySlowlyPastNumber23IWantThemToSeeMyHat · 22/05/2026 20:39

A ride on the slide? 😂

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Argh, jinx!

Tigerbalmshark · 22/05/2026 21:02

LittleGreenDuck · 22/05/2026 20:32

A shag on the see-saw?

Show quote history

A ride on the slide?

What would have happened if you had just bumped into him in the park OP? Would you have had to bundle your child home quickly before you were overtaken by lust?

SunnyRedSnail · 22/05/2026 21:01

Why on earth would he have an issue with this?!?!

Does he not trust you?

WhereDoBrokenHeartsGo · 22/05/2026 21:00

It’s so unreasonable for him to even comment on it. My husband does most of the school/social organising and I’m always delighted if the kids get to hang out with one of their friends. What exactly does he think is going to happen, it’s kind of baffling!

PurpleThistle7 · 22/05/2026 20:56

I can’t see any issue with your plan. I see a lot of issues with your partner though.

compactmotif · 22/05/2026 20:50

You are a bit unreasonable for misusing a reflexive pronoun in "her and myself have taken" rather than "she and I have taken" but I don't see any issues with the substantive matter.

Is your partner usually controlling?