What are your unpopular parenting opinion?

[michellet86]

There is no right answer to all t he parenting chive we make daily. I'm interested to hear everyone's opinions

Mine is that you don't need to rush your kid to A&E for anything unless it's life, limb or loss of eye sight. A&Es are already packed with kids who don't need to be there

ugh sorry for the typos was meant to say "there are no right answers to the parenting choices we make daily"

My opinion is only unpopular on MN, it RL I fund it is seen as normal to not treat 16 yos like 10 yos by setting strict bedtimes before 10pm and monitoring all screen usage for them etc even if they are almost adults.

I don’t agree with the laid back attitude to health. I was caught on the hop a couple of times with my children and viruses and o would never under react again.

I think it’s okay to invade your teenagers privacy. I’m planning on being an absolute nosey bitch and I will be keeping their rooms clean if they refuse to do so.

This will turn into a fight. My unpopular opinions are too unpopular for me to share here!

I don't agree with giving young children phones/tablets to keep them quiet, although I totally understand the temptation.

Strict routine isn't the be all and end all, some is fine, but it's better if they learn to be a little flexible from an early age.

I agree re A&E. Kids don't need to graze on snacks all day, healthy or otherwise.

That the world and the family do not revolve around children.

Massively unpopular opinion.

Allowing your dc alcohol is a vile thing to do. Imo it will also come back to bite you when you want to enforce some rules and they see you lax in others...
Being the cool parent isn't cool.

That MIL is just as important to the baby as the other Nan and shouldn't be treated like second best just because she isnt YOUR Mum.

That baby's need a routine setting and the earlier you start this, the better it is.

Dogs should not be around young children. It's not safe and gross if that dog is licking them 🤢 but overall dogs are a risk no matter how docile they seem.

You dont need to take your kids to the GP or hospital every time they have a temp.

Babies don't need to go to fireworks/Santa/evening parties etc. They're so much happier and easier calmly back at base.

Birthday parties for a child under the age of 4 is stupid. No one wants to go to your childs 1st birthday party.

I think it is fine (even useful) to show irritation rather than endless patience when your children are being tiresome or dicking around or dragging their feet.

My.unpopular pinion is to stop worrying, kids will learn when they learn.

Not so much o nhere perhaps but the amount of times I would get asked things like,
"Is she using a knife and fork yet?"
"Is she tying her shoes yet?"
"Is she working down t'pit 14 hours a day yet"

Etc

Followed up very often with some mention of a book or website that's told the that kids should.do things on the 245th day and if they're not... Panic!!

I was always the same,
"She'll learn when she learns, pressure and expectation based on other kids only sets her up to fail."

That some teenagers need to be pushed towards independence - e.g. if they are scared to be alone in the house, there needs to be a plan discussed to get them comfortable, like building up to it slowly, not just told that mummy will stay with them.

That it’s more nature than nurture, extreme parenting excepting.

my unpopular opinion is that breastfeeding is not this vitally crucial, essential thing and formula milk is fine and not poison.
(and I long term breatfed two
of my three children)

Treating 16 year olds like children; tracking your child's every move; not allowing them to fix their own mistakes; being completely over the top about who gets to hold/kiss your baby; complaining about zero sleep when they're babies but being totally horrified at the idea of sleep training: having a zero alcohol policy until they're 18 (good luck with that one 🤣🤣). I have loads more but need to get dinner on 😃

That most babies are fine on a 3 and a half or 4 hour feeding routine.
And waaaayyy better for parents.

Oh and toddlers (2 plus) can totally have friends and do more than parallel play - both of mine did. I think it's more likely when they attend nursery rather than just stay and play/toddler groups

There is no one "right" way to parent. If there was a definitive "right" way then it would be part of overall parental education via leaflets, antenatal classes, health visitors, etc. Every parent you meet is just making the decisions they think are best at that moment and hoping they don't fuck up too badly in the long run. All of the different methods out there all produce the same basic end result of a more or less functioning adult (extremes and exceptional circumstances excepted).

People who think neurodevelopmental conditions are down to naughtiness or bad parenting are, generally speaking, cunts and are best avoided.

Dummies, reigns and play pens seemed to be the devil's work amongst my friends when mine were little. I used all 3 and my children are totally unscathed mentally and have perfect teeth yada yada yada.... I did use them moderately also with the reigns which I used as toddlers whenever there was risk out and about.

These same friends never questioned strapping their children into a pram, high chair or car seat. I could never see the difference.....

A bit of regulated screen time to unwind is actually fine and gives kids something to bond over and talk about with each other.

My preteen nieces are screenfree and I think its sad and a bi unhealthy that they get obsessed with TV and tablet when at friends and families houses.

Better to learn to live with tech rather than ban it completely.