My 3 year old has visited 32 countries AMA

[Dinoswearunderpants]

No doubt I'd get a load of shade about 'bragging' but that's not the intention. If anyone is interested in asking any questions about travelling regularly with a little own, feel free to ask.

I often travel just the two of us as his Dad can't get as much time off work as I do.

Then don’t engage with it if you don’t like it. That is an option available to you if ‘bragging’ bothers you.

The person I was replying to certainly is.

Amen to this! 🙌🏻

Not really. Posters are allowed to engage with things they don't like or agree with. Don't do an ask me anything if you don't want to read all sorts of responses.

Nailed it again @RedToothBrush ! 👊🏻

You can ask anything, but OP will only reply if the answer casts her in a good light, hence why my questions have been ignored twice. 😂

What a strange thread , and you do come over as boasting .

A quick advanced search shows she hasn't been all that transparent about what she has answered anyway. But 🤫 I'm probably just jealous

So you ok adding so hugley to global warming
burn your child’s world flight by flight
them brag about it
please check with yourself and limit your travel
or take the train
wtf

I don't think I'm triggered by wealth. I just have a lack of patience for tone deaf 'look at me, I'm so wonderful for showing off and declaring my parenting to be somehow amazing cos I can afford to do things others might not'.

Exactly. The OP adding in 'I'm sure I'll get hate for this but I believe his immune system is better as we breastfed' was proof enough for me that the OP's focus was never about travelling with children, but declaring themselves winning at parenting.

Going on holiday isn’t. Unnecessary flying contributes to climate change in a massive way which is killing people already (in the U.K. too).

So excessive holidays by flight and cruise is certainly immoral once you know the facts. They are far more carbon heavy than other modes of holidaying.

The trouble is we are not being told the facts so everyone is just carrying on as if nothing is happening. Drink driving you may or may not contribute to someone dying but the risk increases, flying absolutely, without doubt, contributes a chunk towards people actually dying - already.

I know it’s a shitty thing to contemplate, but sadly it’s true. If you actually search out proper information about climate change, impact of flying/cruises etc you’ll see what I mean.

Once I knew I couldn’t knowingly contribute any more. To me, it is immoral to do something unnecessary that contribute to massive human suffering now and in the future.

But sometimes being like this can make others feel like they are utterly failing not because they aren't travelling but because they are trying to keep their head above water with the ordinary day to day functioning.

That's not right and we should challenge when the tone is unhelpful and particularly suggestive that others might not be giving their child enough.

You don't have to be super mum to be a good mum.

We live in Insta world with unrealistic representations and these so impact others.

This isn't as shiny and wonderful as it's made out to be. Travel does have value. But I do question the value when a child is this age. All it is, in practice is being able to take an extra bag and deal with tantrums and tiredness with a suntan.

Sometimes we need to say this for the sanity of others.

Yes, I was accused on page three of shopping at two deplorable outlets online (which I don't) and that I ought to drive an EV (which I do) before I threw stones in glass houses.... Bizarre, she was clearly getting her defence mechanism sharpened early on in the thread. The whole thing is just pathetic whichever way you look at it tbh.

Anyway, if it's true and if there were no moral element to it whatsoever where's the DH in all of this? Does he not think it odd that his partner and child spend every weekend in an airport terminal rather than the local woods/park/soft play or wherever normal 3 yr olds and their parents hang out?

@Completelyneutralname

ok….you still have answered my question as to how flying in an airplane to go on holiday is in any way comparable to drink driving. Is that because it isn’t?

The DH is probably with his 3 other kids.

Travel isn’t staying 3 days in a hotel and then coming back for work. That’s about as culturally enriching as going on a stag do every month somewhere on a cheap air ticket. Your kid genuinely would rather be learning how to connect to their own community, and feeding ducks in the local park. Being somewhere ‘hot and sunny’ isn’t better for your kid it just sounds like an inability to enjoy your home or surroundings or make solid friendships.

it makes me sad that you’re not even listening to the well informed and kind responses asking you to engage in what this level of flying is really doing to the planet and your child. And all children globally, who, let’s face it, will have every right to resent people who think flying is their god given right.

I know plenty of extremely wealthy well educated people- most of whom yes travel abroad- none of whom would think that getting off a cruise for a day or having a long weekend somewhere is real travelling- it’s literally pointless and box ticky.

I’m so far from envying you- I feel sorry for people who for some reason have to justify their ridiculous life choices on a public forum, and lack the critical skills to engage in a conversation that is critical of their wanton disregard for the planet.

Im not jealous either, particularly because I think the OP is full of shit. If you're telling the truth, your story doesn't change and very basic facts are consistent.

I do believe another poster who says they went freelance and travelled with their child for a while, as that is a very plausible thing that I've heard of people do. OPs story, I don't buy a word of it.

Re your reply to "Aren't you worried about putting that much radiation into such a small child over such a short period?"

The websites m/research you may want to consider are the US CDC (not considered a sham science organisation) https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/aircrew/cosmicionizingradiation.html

and the UK legislation is that airlines are not allowed to be operators if the crew/route will be exposed to more than 1μSv/year unless they monitor levels of exposure on all flights. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2019/1115

A typical long haul flight to east US or Caribbean would have an exposure of 10-40μSv (over 10 times the amount from daily living in the UK). https://www.iaea.org/services/networks/orpnet/workers-and-radiation-at-workplaces/aircrew-and-space-crew
And children are at higher risk of developing cancer or infertility from exposure to this level of radiation. https://www.cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca/eng/resources/radiation/effects-of-radiation-on-children/#sec4-6

So I guess my questions for you are:

1. Are you hoping to become a grandmother at some point in your future?
2. If you find out in the fullness of time that your child is infertile, will it still have been "worth it for the 'gram"?

Its knowingly putting others (and yourself) at risk with your choices. Sorry. I thought that was obvious. I wouldn’t do either. I think some people know the facts and don’t care but I think most people, once they know the facts, would do the same.

I'm not an environmental saint. I've bought things on Shein and Temu. I don't drive at all, so I guess that wins me a couple of points. I don't think buying a few boxes of cheap "lego" at Christmas is comparable to monthly flights.

However, I wouldn't get it even if it had zero climate implications. Spending 1 in 4 weekends travelling (especially if it's long haul which effectively means you're spending 2 out of 3 days travelling and only have 1 day in your destination) just sounds stressful, boring and pointless, doubly so for a small child. You do not "experience" a culture in 24 hours. Why anyone would be jealous of such a hectic lifestyle is beyond me.

I don’t know how childcare costs are zero, even with funded hours.

I suspect OP has done a runner (in another plane) as the fawners have dried up and stopped asking for her inst details

Thought I'd pop back but as suspected the thread has turned nasty. Typical Mumsnet. Thanks to those who asked genuine questions.

Some comments are nasty but it is reasonable to point out where things don’t add up. I don’t think you’re lying but some things aren’t quite right and it isn’t nasty to say so.

No, you don’t ’need’ to say it at all. Those that may feel like that don’t need you to assume responsibility for protecting their sanity - they also have the option of not clicking on and/or engaging.

Mumsnet isn’t and never has been a safe space for those financially struggling/struggling in other ways who don’t want to ever be confronted by the fact that other people will live lives they don’t and/or can’t.