to be really pissed off about this...

[fannyfoghorn]

I started this thread yesterday:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/behaviour_development/1132650-Is-this-normal-behaviour-for-a-5-year-old

And got this as a pm:
Dear fannyfoghorn,

I really hope you don't mind me contacting you directly.
I'm writing as I thought you might be interested in our project.

I work for a TV production company called Maverick TV. We are currently making a documentary series for ITV on the subject of emotional and behavioural issues in children and young people.
We're doing this project with the world renowned centre in the study and the treatment of children's psychological conditions, the Anna Freud centre.
We would like to follow a few families who are experiencing these sort of issues and give them the opportunity to be assessed and treated by a team of expert clinicians at the Anna Freud centre or at a recommended local institution depending on the child's needs and location.
We aim to cover a broad range of mental health and behavioural issues in the programme, from more minor problems such as picky eating, anxieties and phobias to more serious conditions such as depression and body dysmorphia. We hope that the programme will be representative of the many and varied issues which are affecting young people with regard to mental health in the UK today and will cover subjects that families from a broad cross-section of society may identify with.

I was wondering whether you might be interested in this project.
If you want to find out more about it please feel free to get in touch either by email [email protected] or by phone on 0207 874 6661.

Once again I really hope you don't mind me contacting you directly about this.

All the best

Luc

I am really pissed off about this. OK so this is a public forum but I was asking the advice of other parents, not to be trawled but some media company who want to use my son as bait for ratings. Grr! The only parents who would agree to this would either be dumb or exploiting their children to get 15 mins of fame. If I thought my son needed psychiatric help, I would have taken him to the gp. Grr and yuck.

No good at links so the jist of the thread I started was my saying that my 5 year old son has taken to threatening to kill himself to get his own way.

Have you e-mailed HQ?

It's not exactly on to use the PM facility to tout for business like that, maybe a quiet word in tehir shell like could help?

On a more personal note, What a cheeky knobber!

YANBU. How rude!

Well - it was a bit cheeky for them to contact you in this way - there is a "media requests" board on MN. I can also see why you wouldn't want to have anything to do with TV.

Just a small point though - the sort of treatment she is talking about is not for "psychiatric" problems as such, so I don't think you should feel worried or annoyed about that side of it.

That said, I haven't read the thread - will go and do so now.

They had the manners to contact you in private. All you have to say is no to them.

By posting your problems on a public board, surely it invites anyone to read it and comment.

Glad you agree. Making a programme about a child making threats of this nature could only make it worse. I haven't replied to his email but will do so later. I feel a bit violated in some way. When I start threads I always think I'm talking to other parents.

That's the second time I've read "Maverick TV" on here today.

Sorry, don't see that it is a big deal really.

They PM'd you - you could choose to reply or delete.
We are all pretty aware, particularly over the last week or so that journalists and the like paw over MN on a pretty regular basis.

Really hope you got some support with your ds though.

That's the trouble with internet forums fammy, you are assuming that you are talking to other parents when the reality is all of us have no idea who really is looking at the posts. We all have our own agends for coming on here that is why I would say never give to much personal info out.

In this case take it with a pinch of salt and decline.

I can understand why you'd feel a bit *'violated by it - it's very intrusive. I think we all forget how open this site is really and that we aren't just talking to a (large) bunch of friends (and their annoying 'sisters').

I'm glad you aren't considering it. I don't understand people who allow their children to be exposed like this :( Mind you, I suppose it accesses help that some parents couldn't otherwise get/afford :(

• violated is quite a strong word, but I can't think of a 'milder' word.

Have replied on your thread OP

i agree maryz. it is cheeky for them to have snuck that through in a PM rather than go through the right channels

I agree maryz

I agree with maryz

Do report to mnhq op

report to mn hq and post on the sn topic to want people

Hi all,
So sorry fannyfoghorn that you have been approached in the way. We agree completely that this is not on and a form of advertising. We have banned this user and given them information on our media requests section.
If this happens again, please do email MNHQ and we will take a look.

YANBU, completely inappropriate for them to approach you in this way.Report them, people come on here to talk not to audition.